An article in the Associated Press yesterday concerning lunchbox lead levels made me realize once again how the current administration’s policy of protecting big business is really gotten out of hand. This is just another example of what the Neo-con Republicans are capable of. This has to do with our children and their exposure to toxic levels of lead and in their lunchboxes no less. For any of you parents who send your children off to school each day, with their cute little vinyl-lined lunchboxes in tow, I hope you don’t read this article. It will make you sick.

In 2005, government scientists tested 60 soft vinyl lunchboxes, and found that one in five contained amounts of lead that medical experts believe is unsafe, and several had more than ten times the hazardous levels. You may have heard of this story. Well, you probably didn’t know how long it took to get reported and why, but here’s the whole sordid story.

When the government scientists discovered these toxic levels, they did not report it to the public. They, instead, released their findings to the Consumer Product Safety Commission–you know the one who is supposed to protect the public. What did the Consumer Product Safety Commission do? They released a statement that they found “no instances of hazardous levels”. And, they refused to release their actual test results, citing regulations that protect manufacturers from having their information released to the public.

WHAT???? An agency that was formed to protect the public and promote public safety in products, refuses to release information that is harmful to the public because it may hurt the manufacturer’s rights???? Does this make you as mad as it made me? Where are our rights? Where does the public stand anymore in a government that has been bought and paid for by big business?

Although this commission did not release the results to the public, they did release them to the Food and Drug Administration. So, what did the FDA do? They sent a letter to the lunchbox manufacturers warning them that their lead levels might be dangerously high and “advising” them that the FDA “might” take action against them. “Advising”…”might”…what kind of enforcement is this? What do you think the manufacturer’s response was? They said that they basically have not seen any indication of actual harm from the lunchboxes.

Yeah, no harm, considering that lead toxicity is despicable, insidious, and difficult to diagnosis or detect. In my particular lead toxicity case, it took 50 years before I really understood what was happening to me. I had symptoms all over the page. And, that’s the problem with any heavy metal toxicity. It is not a disease, it is a body burden that affects everyone differently. My symptoms may be totally different than someone else’s. And, with autism and ADD and ADHD as common as it is now and on the rise, do you think this could be part of the problem?




So, you may be wondering how this information finally became public? Thanks to our ever vigilant media, and The Associated Press, who after waiting a year after requesting the information through the Freedom of Information Act, 1,500 pages of lab reports were released. It took the Associated Press to uncover the truth behind this cover-up. They found levels that they considered “very high” and for which the non-profit environmental advocacy group, Center for Environmental Health, is filing a series of legal complaints about lead in lunchboxes. I find it abhorrent to think that the public and environmental groups were the ones to warn the public while our “paid” governmental agencies work in tandem with manufacturers to protect their bottom lines.

This reminds me of the heated debate going on right now in regards to Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s mandating the HPV vaccine for 6th grade girls. Guess who the manufacturer of the vaccine is? Merck. Guess who is buddy-buddy with Merck’s lobbyist? Perry. Guess who’s Perry’s former chief of staff? Merck’s lobbyist. Well, it’s the same old big money game with the Republican’s favorite being…”Let’s Make A Deal.”

What are the public health experts saying about lead?

“It is a significant health hazard for children in particular. Studies have repeatedly shown that childhood exposure can lead to learning problems, reduced intelligence, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. There is no lead level that is considered safe in blood, and recent studies have shown adverse health effect even at very low levels.”

And what’s worse is that the EPA is currently considering not renewing its lead regulations. See my article regarding the EPA abandoning it’s lead regulation. In this article there is a website where you can go to voice your opposition to this and your concern regarding lead contamination in the environment. If we are to do anything about the precious health of our children and ourselves, we must voice our concern and keep the pressure up on these agencies and the government. Do your part, help us fight back!