Laura Haight, New York Public Interest Research Group; Dr. David Carpenter, SUNY Albany, Institute for Health and the Environment; Dr. Arnold Schecter, University of Texas at Dallas, School of Public Health; Don Hassig, Director, Cancer Action NY
This teleconference provides a clear understanding of dioxin exposure cancer risk.
1. How are Americans exposed to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds?
Answer. Over ninety-five percent of dioxin exposure results from consumption of animal fat containing foods: dairy products that contain animal fat, meats, and eggs.
2. How much dioxin are Americans exposed to?
Answer. In the 2003 draft of the US EPA dioxin reassessment, it is stated that the average American is exposed to approximately 1 picogram dioxin TEQ per kilogram body weight per day.
3. What quantity of cancer risk is imposed by dioxin exposure?
Answer. The US EPA dioxin reassessment provides a quantification of dioxin exposure cancer risk. In the forenamed document, US EPA sets forth a cancer risk slope factor for dioxin, which was determined based upon epidemiological studies of human dioxin exposure and cancer outcomes. The cancer risk slope factor for dioxin exposure is 0.001, or one in one thousand. Multiplying the slope factor by the quantity of exposure yields the amount of cancer risk imposed. Thus, for the average American the excess cancer risk imposed by dioxin exposure is one in one thousand.
4. How many cancer cases are caused by dioxin exposure in the USA?
Answer. For the total US population of approximately 200 million, the number of cancer cases caused by dioxin exposure is 200,000 every 70 years.
5. What steps can be taken to reduce dioxin exposure?
Answer. Stop eating foods that contain animal fat. Bring an end to open waste burning throughout North America. Bring an end to the use of animal fat in the production of food animal feeds.
6. Why are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Health Departments silent on the matter of dioxin exposure reduction that involves the commercial food supply?
Answer. Corporations, including: corporate farms, food processing and manufacturing corporations, and food distributing corporations totally control government. These corporations are intent upon not losing any money.
7. Why has the US Food and Drug Administration refused to establish a ban on the use of dioxin contaminated animal fat in the production of food animal feeds?
Answer. Corporations, including: corporate farms, food processing and manufacturing corporations, and food distributing corporations totally control government. These corporations are intent upon not losing any money.