Thyroid, perchlorate, autism models

[Guest guest]

>From: Binstock <binstock@...>

Today's news decribes perchlorate near Harvard (4), thus near the home of

at least one of our autism-family listmates. However, perchlorate

pollution has become ubiquitous. Eating lettuce is a way to ingest

perchlorate, a chemical that can affect thyroid function. The distribution

and effects of perchlorate (eg, 1-3) prompt a consideration of causation

models in autism.

Did thimerosal cause autism? Did the MMR cause autism? Are we engaging in

delusional model building if we separate thimerosal and the MMR from

background pollutions that affect, eg, detox, immunity, and thyroid

function? In other words, although I accept as valid the CDC's 1999

findings regarding thimerosal's adverse effects and although I accept as

valid ileal lymphoid hyperplasia associated with vaccinal MV in gi tissue,

I can't help but think that fetuses, infants, and toddlers had their

susceptibility unnecessarily increased via becoming loaded with toxins such

as PCBs, perchlorate, etc.

Importantly, since such exposures are ubiquitous and virtually unavoidable

in the US, their effects would not be apparent in a

thimerosal/no-thimerosal/adverse effects study - even tho' the presence of

the additional toxins is very likely to have increased the rate and

severity by which thimerosal-injected children were made to have ADD, ADHD,

sleep disorders, and/or autism (CDC 1999).

Should we accept these chemicals and their impacts upon health as

acceptible aspects of modernity? Should we accept thimerosal injections and

their collateral damage as acceptible aspects of modernity? Should some of

the labs and researchers (eg, Brewitt, Kirkman, Klaire) begin to develop

substances that can bind to perchlorate in ways that the human body can

eliminate?

Many autistic kids do not fully recover via Heal the gut, Optimize

nutrition, Chelate if necessary, Antivirals if necessary. Within that

group, is there a subgroup whose improvement would be increased if

additional toxins were removed? How many of those kids would have been

less severely affected if societal policies did not virtually mandate (and

certainly allow and encourage) our exposure to toxins?

1. Perchlorate- Nation's lettuce crop contaminated with perchlorate

<link>Perchlorate contamination of US lettuce crop, ... The Air Force,

however, did fund a study of perchlorate in greenhouse-grown lettuce that

was released in January. ...

www.freedrinkingwater.com/ water-pollution-perchlorate-lettuce.htm

2. Suspect Salads: Lettuce May Be Toxic To Your Thyroid!

.... of lettuce samples contained detectable levels of perchlorate, and an

average serving of contaminated lettuce contained 4 times more perchlorate

than the EPA ...

thyroid.about.com/cs/perchloratedanger/a/lettuce.htm

3. EWGs complete report, titled Suspect Salads, is available at

http://www.ewg.org/reports/suspectsalads/es.php

* * *

4. Perchlorate found near Harvard border

By Lamb HARVARD

http://www.harvardhillside.com/Stories/0,1413,108~5342~2628103,00.html

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been

testing for the water contaminant Perchlorate over the past year. Tests

show that the highest concentrations in the state are found at the Harvard

Ridge Condominiums just across the town line from Harvard in neighboring

Boxborough.

According to DEP information, the contaminant is known to decrease iodine

intake and alter thyroid hormone levels in humans, which can interfere with

normal growth.

Although the DEP has not found any evidence of the contamination crossing

the town line, the Harvard Board of Health has sent letters to the

residents of nearby Sherry Road to inform them of the circumstance, said

Board of Health Chairman Sue First.

In a telephone interview, First said the board sent the letters as an " FYI "

for the neighbors only. She added that the board had not been instructed to

do so by the DEP, which is handling the situation in Boxborough.

" At this point we have received no indication from the DEP that we need to

take any action on this, " she said. " And they would tell us. "

Asked about any local risks, Ira Grossman, health agent for Harvard with

the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, said two DEP tests in recent

months on the neighboring wells on Sherry Road have come back clean. But he

added that it was difficult to speculate how a contaminant may migrate

through the ground.

" So far, there's been no Perchlorate found in Harvard, " he said.

When asked about Perchlorate, DEP spokesman Ed Coletta confirmed that DEP

has required all public water supplies in the commonwealth be tested four

times for the substance over the past year, but cautioned that, that

generally did not include private wells.

" We have not required that private wells be tested, unless a contaminant is

uncovered, " he said. " At this point it's really up to people who have a

private well to decide if they want to get that testing done. "

In the case of Sherry Road, Coletta confirmed that DEP had tested the water

there twice in the past year, and found no contaminants.

Asked about the possibility of migration, he said that Perchlorate has the

potential to fan-out in a contamination plume. However, he added that

testing in the area had not shown that sort of activity.

The DEP reported that the contaminated well at Harvard Ridge showed a

concentration of 791 parts per billion (ppb) of Perchlorate back in

September, far above the DEP's maximum accepted standard of 18 ppb.

Although 18 ppb is the maximum acceptable level in most cases, the DEP has

warned that 1 ppb is the maximum acceptable exposure for sensitive

demographics, which include pregnant women, infants, children through the

age of 12, and those who have untreated hypothyroidism.

Coletta said the Harvard Ridge well with the massive concentration has been

put out of commission. He added that an advisory still exists for a second

well in the complex that has a concentration of eight to 10 ppb.

The source of the contamination has not officially been determined by the

DEP. However, information distributed by the DEP states that the

contaminant is generally found in relation to explosives.

Moreover, Grossman confirmed that recent blasting has taken place as part

of a wastewater treatment plant installation at a condo complex.

In response to this development, the fire chiefs of Harvard and Boxborough

have banned the use of Perchlorate-based explosives and fireworks until

further notice.

The situation has also caught the attention of the environmental group

Clean Water Action (CWA). CWA is a national environmental group that works

to address environmental and pollution-related issues. This group recently

observed the 30th anniversary of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

with the release of a report outlining subsequent and emerging threats to

safe drinking water in the Bay State.

Group director Mike issued a statement with that report commending

the DEP's efforts, and speaking to what is at stake.

" While the Safe Drinking Water Act has made affordable drinking water

available to the majority of the citizens of this country, the act does not

adequately equip us to prevent water contaminants such as Perchlorate from

entering our drinking water supplies, " stated . " Massachusetts must

continue to take the lead by funding and implementing effective programs to

prevent the vast array of chemicals used in our water recharge areas from

entering our precious drinking water supplies. "

The report is titled " Perchlorate Just the Tip of Iceberg: Emerging

Drinking Water Contaminants, " and it argues that the SDWA is not properly

equipped to deal with many modern threats to safe drinking water and that

communities must rise to meet this challenge.

wrote that the Perchlorate issue stems from it being one of many

" unregulated contaminants, " meaning that the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has not established contamination standards for it, and that

it is not tested for under the SDWA.

The report said that statewide DEP testing for Perchlorate began after it

was found at the Massachusetts Military Reservation in Bourne in early

2004. After testing over 500 public and private wells, the contaminant was

found in Boxborough, Westford, Tewksbury, Westport, Millbury, Hadley,

Southbridge and town.

In most cases, the contaminant was attributed to prior blasting activity.

said the solution lies in preventing the use of poisons in the

watershed areas and in providing the DEP with resources to provide guidance

and assistance to local water providers.

Coletta said CWA is generally a reputable group. However, he added that he

had not read the report.

He did confirm that Perchlorate is not currently listed as a contaminant on

a state or federal level. He added that the MassDEP is working to set

contamination levels and cleanup standards for Perchlorate.

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Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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