'The harm to children is irreparable': Ruth Etzel speaks out ahead of EPA whistleblower hearing

[Jilly_in_VA]

The US Environmental Protection Agency is failing to protect children by ignoring poisons in the environment and focusing on corporate interests, according to a top children’s health official who will testify this week that the agency tried to silence her because of her insistence on stronger preventions against lead poisoning.

“The people of the United States expect the EPA to protect the health of their children, but the EPA is more concerned with protecting the interests of polluting industries,” said Ruth Etzel, former director of the EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP). The harm being done to children is “irreparable”, she said.

A hearing will be held on 13 September in which several internal EPA communications will be presented as evidence, including an email in which EPA personnel discuss using press inquiries about Etzel as “an opportunity to strike” out against her. Among many witnesses to be called to testify are several former high-level EPA officials.

“I want this to be seen and heard,” Etzel said. “I think we should let some light shine on these dirty tricks.”

Etzel is among five current or former EPA scientists who have recently come forward with allegations that the agency, which is charged with regulating chemicals and other substances that may harm public and environmental health, has become deeply corrupted by corporate and political influence. That outside influence pushes agency scientists to make important assessments in ways that will protect their jobs, rather than protect the public, Etzel said.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/12/ruth-etzel-epa-whistleblower-hearing

[MagickMuffin]

1. Lead poisoning might be the end result for explaining MAGAs

And the rest of the population is also at risk. But lead poisoning and watered down education is what we are witnessing currently.

[MLAA]

2. I'd add mad cow disease to complete your list 🙂

[littlemissmartypants]

6. Except it's fatal and kills quickly.* nt

*In case you are sincere and not being snarky.

[Irish_Dem]

3. I've wondered the same. We live in a toxic soup which is damaging frontal lobe functioning.

Frontal lobe controls what we consider to be adult skills: decision making, judgement, learning.

And higher cognitive functions such as memory, emotions, impulse control, problem solving, social interaction, and motor function.

We can readily see that a big chunk of the population has marked deficits in these areas.

[MLAA]

7. Exactly.

[pecosbob]

4. We need to recapture our regulatory agencies from the industries they're supposed to regulate

Anyone remember the decision under the last admin to let the pork industry 'self-inspect'?

[cbabe]

5. My theory is self regulating

pork industry was tfg's gift to China after they bought up Smithfield's.

Also, add brain damaged babies from maternal drug use. No coming back from opiods.

[Stuart G]

8. YES....There is much to do, but much has been done...Air control devises on cars...and how about

.....this one?..........NO COAL BURNING FOR HEAT IN THE U.S.A?
.......another one.....No leaf burning at all...
.......another one....Power plants have pollution reduction devises..
.......etc...etc...etc...Yes, the air is often dirty...but the federal government has come a long way in the last
.........50 years or so............
........ALSO...THERE IS A ....HOME PAGE TO FIND OUT IF YOUR AIR IS POLLUTED IN YOUR CITY...

....here is the home page of Air Now: https://www.airnow.gov/.

....Go to the above website and you find out how polluted the air is anywhere in the U.S.A.
.....Yes, when the air is polluted by forest fires, the government measures that too....Oh...I forgot, This
"Air Now" is part of an agency of the United States Federal Government to protect the air...