Introduction (cont.)

The Oregon Pollution in People study focuses on six groups of chemicals that have been linked to harmful effects:

• Phthalates: plasticizing chemicals used widely in personal care products, certain plastic toys and food containers, medical devices, and vinyl (PVC) products such as flooring, shower curtains, and wall coverings. The greatest concern for toxicity is when women of childbearing age and young children are exposed, as human studies have shown negative effects on reproductive development, including the feminization of male genitals.
• Mercury: a heavy metal which enters the environment through multiple routes—including natural geological sources, coal-fired power plants, cement manufacturing plants, abandoned mines, and consumer products—and can transform into methylmercury. Methylmercury, the most common form of mercury to which people are exposed, is a potent neurotoxin that interferes with brain development.
  

• Perfluorinated chemical s (PFCs): a 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. The greatest potential health risks are cancer and liver damage.

• Organophosphate pesticides: insecticides 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 (BPA): a chemical used to make reusable plastic water bottles and baby bottles, the linings in metal food cans and dental sealants. Animal studies have linked BPA to reduced fertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and obesity. Scientific studies have shown that even low-dose exposure can have negative health impacts.
  

• Polychlorinated biphenyl s (PCBs): coolants and lubricants historically used in electrical equipment. The manufacture of PCBs in the United States ended in 1977, after extensive production and use. PCBs bioaccumulate and persist in the food chain and in our bodies and have been linked to cancer, disrupted immune and reproductive systems, and negative effects on nervous system development.

These chemicals were chosen because they are ubiquitous and are increasingly recognized as potential threats to our health. Some are also known to be persistent in the environment and to bioaccumulate in the food chain. In some cases these chemicals have been shown to have adverse health effects at extremely low levels, levels below current government safety guidelines, especially when exposure occurs at crucial stages in human growth (see New Paradigm: The Dose Is Not All that Makes the Poison). For example, we know that low-level exposures to lead and mercury harm the developing brain, and can lead to lowered IQs and learning and behavior problems.⁴

How might exposure to other, less well-studied chemicals be harming our health?

Sources of exposure vary with our individual daily routines and activities. Exposure pathways for individuals are difficult to establish because of the lack of information about product content. Our participants provided us with information about possible sources of exposure, including food consumption and product use, to help hypothesize about exposure routes.

Understanding the effects toxic chemicals might have on our health is a difficult task. M any factors influence whether or not exposure to toxic chemicals will lead to health problems including:

• Type and nature of the chemical;
• When in a person’s lifetime the exposure occurs;
• How often the exposure occurs;
• How long the exposure happens;
• Amount of the chemical exposure;
• An individual’s genetic makeup and physical condition;
• A person’s health and nutrition;
• An individual’s access to health care; and
• A person’s socio-economic status.

Therefore, the results of this study cannot be used to predict how an individual’s health will be affected by the chemicals present in his or her body.

While we cannot make conclusions about how these chemicals are impacting the health of all Oregonians, we can place the results for our participants in the context of other national and regional biomonitoring studies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals; similar small studies in Washington, Maine, California, and Canada; and six studies conducted by the Environmental Working Group.⁵ All of these studies shed light on chemical exposure levels in individuals and foster compelling questions about their health impacts.

It is important to note that this report provides a window into the chemicalexposure levels of ten Oregonians, but, because of our small sample size the results are not statistically significant and conclusions about Oregonians in general should be made cautiously.

The ten Oregonians tested join participants from the United States and Canada who have already been tested for the presence of toxic chemicals in their bodies.⁶ These volunteers have paved the way for understanding our relationship with the chemicals to which we are regularly exposed, often without our knowledge or consent. By comparing the levels found in Oregonians to other, similar populations, we can begin to track our exposure to toxic chemicals. This information empowers us to demand safer alternatives.

The findings presented in this report make it apparent that we need to take action now, erring on the side of caution, for our health and the health of our children and future generations. Our history of widespread harm caused by toxic substances such as lead, PCBs, and mercury reminds us that we need to act on early warnings. When science reveals a connection between exposure to these chemicals and developmental disabilities or chronic disease, our concern should be turned into action. When there is a plausible concern about serious environmental health hazards, precautionary action should be taken to prevent exposure and possible harm.

About this Report

All of the protocols for this project were approved by the Portland State University Office of Research Compliance and Institutional Review Board, with oversight of methodology and data collection provided by Dr. Stephanie Farquhar. Samples of blood and urine were analyzed by the following three accredited laboratories that specialize in highly sensitive chemical analysis: AXYS Analytical Services in Victoria, British Columbia; Brooks Rand Labs in Seattle, Washington; and Pacific Toxicology in Los Angeles, California. For some chemicals the laboratories analyzed the samples for the parent compound; for others, such as phthalates, the analysis was for metabolites (breakdown products). The laboratories reported the results in varying units of measurement. For ease of understanding, we have converted the results in most cases to parts per billion (ppb). See the Materials and Methods section at the end of this report for further details.

The next section of this report discusses the overall findings. This is followed by detailed information on each group of chemicals found in the ten Oregonians. The “Conclusions and Recommendations” section identifies actions that governments, businesses, and individuals.