EPA WILL USE POOR KIDS AS GUINEA PIGS!!! Stop Them Now!

Dear Friends,


The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to launch
an outrageous new study in which participating low income families will
have their children exposed to toxic pesticides over the course of two
years. For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970,
a free video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of
appreciation. The study entitled CHEERS (Children’s Environmental
Exposure Research Study) will look at how chemicals can be ingested,
inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3 years old.

Please take a moment to join tens of thousands of citizens in
petitioning the EPA to terminate this study prior to its proposed
launch in early 2005.

More information and petition here: 
"http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm"

"Sign Petition to Stop Pesticide Study on Kids!"

EPA WILL USE POOR KIDS AS GUINEA PIGS
  IN NEW STUDY ON PESTICIDES

  Study Launch Date Suspended Until Early 2005
  Offers Public Comment Period

"Sign Petition to Stop Pesticide Study on Kids!"





11/12/2004: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Bush
appointees, plans to launch a new study in which participating low
income families will have their children exposed to toxic pesticides
over the course of two years. The study entitled CHEERS (Children’s
Environmental Exposure Research Study) will look at how chemicals can
be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3
years old.

For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free
video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation.

  In October, the EPA received $2 million to do the study from the
American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry front group that
includes members such as Dow, Exxon, and Monsanto (see full list of
members on sidebar of this page). Critics of the research claim the
study's funders guarantee the results will be biased in favor of the
chemical industry, at the expense of the health of the impoverished
children serving as test subjects.

 



Participants for the study were chosen from 6 health clinics and three
hospitals in Jacksonville, FL. These medical facilities report that 51%
of their births are to non-white mothers and 62% of mothers have only
received an elementary or secondary education.

The EPA's Linda Sheldon says the study is vital, because so little is
known about how small children's bodies absorb harmful chemicals.

  Important Note on Participants of Study: The study layout does not
require that participants increase their chemical use, but does mandate
that chosen applicants will need to demonstrate that they do regularly
use toxic chemicals in and around the home. The concern here is that
low income applicants may increase their toxic chemical use for the
sake of applying and being eligible for the funding.

Important Note on Suspension of the Study: On November 11th, the EPA
announced suspension of the study's launch until early 2005 for the
sake of "final review." The Organic Consumers Association is taking
this opportunity to call on the nation's citizens to demand the EPA
permanently terminate this abuse of low income children by the chemical
industry.

Sign the petition at this web site.
"http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm"