Our Daily Poison: From Pesticides to Packaging, how Chemicals Have Contaminated the Food Chain and are Making Us Sick

Voorkant
The New Press, 2014 - 470 pagina's
The past thirty years have seen a dramatic increase in cancer rates, neurodegenerative and reproductive disorders, and diabetes, particularly in developed countries. Since the end of World War II, approximately one hundred thousand synthetic chemical molecules have invaded our environment--and our food chain. In "Our Daily Poison," award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin investigates the links between these two trends, revealing how a toxic mix of corporate interests and public ignorance about invisible poisons may be costing us our lives.
The result of a rigorous two-year-long investigation that took Robin across three continents, "Our Daily Poison" documents the shocking array of chemicals in our every-day lives and their effects on our bodies over time. Moving beyond the substances, Robin also dissects the byzantine, entirely inadequate evaluation and approval systems for chemical products, highlighting the fallacy of the "acceptable daily intake" and other regulatory standards for harmful substances.
"Our Daily Poison" also exposes the chemical industry's lobbying efforts to keep highly toxic products on the market. Drawing on scientific studies, the testimony of international regulatory agencies, and a range of in-depth interviews--from farm workers suffering from acute chronic poisoning to FDA and WHO representatives and to the scientists who develop these compounds--Robin makes a gripping and compelling case for outrage and action.
 

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Inhoudsopgave

Introduction
1
1 The Ruffec Appeal and the Battle of Paul François
9
2 Chemical Weapons Recycled for Agriculture
24
3 Elixirs of Death
37
4 Ill from Pesticides
56
Consistent Studies
71
6 The Unstoppable Rise of Pesticides and Neurodegenerative Diseases
87
7 The Sinister Side of Progress
107
12 The Colossal Scientific Masquerade Behind Poisons Acceptable Daily Intakes
207
13 The Unsolvable Conundrum of Maximum Residue Limits
230
How Industry Is Pulling the Strings
256
15 The Dangers of Aspartame and the Silence of Public Authorities
270
Is the Human Species in Danger?
295
The Perfect Model?
316
A Pandoras Box
331
19 The Cocktail Effect
360

8 Industry Lays Down the Law
125
9 Mercenaries of Science
141
10 Institutional Lies
156
11 An Epidemic of Chronic Diseases
178
Conclusion
379
Notes
389
Index
451
Copyright

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