The NJEF letter
September 21, 2005
The Honorable Robert E. Andrews
U. S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
FAX
Dear Congressman Andrews:
The New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF) is our
state's largest environmental organization with 70,000
members and 100 member groups. We work for clean, safe and
affordable water, prevention of health threatening
pollution, creation of environmentally safe jobs and
businesses, and empowerment of people to make democracy
work. It is with these goals in mind that we ask you to
support an important, potentially health saving initiative.
Eleven U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) unions,
representing thousands of scientists and other USEPA
professionals, are calling for an immediate congressional
investigation of water fluoridation. The basis for this
request was submitted to Senator Inouye by Dr. William Hirzy,
EPA Senior Scientist and union spokesperson. The letter is
available at:
http://nteu280.org/Issues/Fluoride/fluroride%20.unions.congress.htm
Since the 1950's and 1960's, fluoride has been marketed as
the panacea of oral health. While the benefits of topically
applied fluoride (i.e. applying it directly on the teeth)
have long been accepted, there is now mounting evidence that
ingested fluoride is detrimental to human health. With this
new information in mind, NJEF supports the USEPA union call
for an investigation of water fluoridation. Additionally, we
would support a limited moratorium on current and future
proposals to fluoridate public water supplies until
independent scientific studies and a congressional review
are completed.
Dental fluorosis or the mottling, discoloration and pitting
of the teeth associated with fluoride ingestion is on the
rise in the United States even in areas that do not add
fluoride to their water supplies. Research is also linking
the industrial grade fluoride that is added to drinking
water supplies and its trace contaminants to other health
problems such as skeletal fluorosis (an arthritis type
disease), hormone disruption and lead uptake in children due
to its highly corrosive properties. In addition, research
has found that fluoride accumulates in the brain and pineal
gland, linking it to lowered IQs and other neurological
problems. Some studies suggest a link to a frequently fatal
bone cancer in young males.
The growing list of health consequences related to fluoride
ingestion requires a serious new look at this issue and a
ratcheting down of the USEPA's Maximum Contaminant Level for
fluoride in drinking water. The USEPA's Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal for carcinogens in drinking water is "0".
The public is ingesting fluoride every day from many and
varied sources. It can be found in foods that we regularly
consume, including sodas, juices and cereals. Some bottled
water companies such as Dannon and Poland Springs are
marketing bottled fluoridated water. This is in addition to
the fluoride that has been added to thousands of public
drinking water supplies across the nation. This all raises
the concern that individuals might actually be overdosing on
fluoride, especially if pediatricians are prescribing
fluoride supplements for infants and children.
NJEF recognizes that fluoridation of water supplies has been
a controversial issue for many years. But consumers have the
right to know, based upon solid science, whether or not the
fluoride they are ingesting could be harmful to them and
their families. Using a precautionary ("better safe than
sorry") approach is warranted given the growing evidence of
harm and potential risk to millions of people. It should be
noted that European countries no longer fluoridate their
public drinking water supplies because of rising health
concerns.
In closing, we again urge you to review the findings of the
11 USEPA unions and support their request for a
congressional investigation of fluoride. It is the New
Jersey Environmental Federation's strong belief that we
should be removing contaminants from our drinking water
supplies, not adding them.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.
Please send your response to the New Jersey Environmental
Federation's request to the attention of Sharon Finlayson,
NJEF Board Chair.
Very truly yours,
Sharon Finlayson Amy Goldsmith
Board Chair State Director
