Vicki Berger

Oregon House of Representatives
Salem, OR

Vicki Berger, 58, is a Republican state representative from District 20 which includes her hometown of Salem in addition to Monmouth and Independence. Vicki is a lifelong resident of Salem where she has worked, owned and operated a business, and raised three children with her husband. Representative Berger enjoys playing golf and racquetball.  After seeing her results, Vicki was both pleased that some of the chemicals were detected at low levels, but also worried that some of the chemicals were detected at levels above national medians. She would like to know how she was exposed.

Vicki’s levels of both mercury and bisphenol A were above the national median. She had the lowest total PFC level and one of the lowest total phthalate levels.

Chemical Class		Commonly Found in		Potential Effects on Health		Found in Participant?
Phthalates		Personal care products, certain plastic toys and food containers, medical devices, and vinyl (PVC) products such as flooring, shower curtains, and wall covering		Effects on reproductive development, including feminization of male genital and early puberty onset in girls
Mercury		Heavy metal which enters the environment through multiple exposure routes—including coal-fired power plants, cement manufacturing plants, abandoned mines and consumer products		Harms nervous system development and can harm organs
PFCs (Perfluorinated chemicals)		Group of chemicals used as surfactants and stain protectors. The two PFCs most commonly found in the environment are known as PFOS and PFOA. They have been in use since the 1950s, and build up and persist in the environment and in animals		Cancer and organ damage
Pesticides		Insecticides are commonly used in agriculture and to a lesser extent in urban areas		Toxic effects may include nervous system harm, cancer, and hormone disruption
Bisphenol A		Reusable plastic water bottles and baby bottles, the linings in metal food cans and dental sealants		BPA has been linked to reduced fertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and obesity. Recent scientific studies have shown that even low-dose exposure can have negative health impacts		>
PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls)		Manufacture of PCBs ended in 1977, after extensive production for use as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment		PCBs bioaccumulate and persist in the food chain and in our bodies, and have been linked to cancer, effects on the immune and reproductive systems, and effects on nervous system development