Health risks mount as governments fail to regulate: United States and China at fault
Alan E. Moses
August 30, 2007
As the recent recalls from Mattel and many other companies that have placed manufacturing in third world nations such as China has shown. There are many problems that can create severe health risks to us all. Despite China’s economic boom there is a serious lack of regulation going on. The west is no model for them to look at as we too fail in all aspects of environmental, medical or industrial regulation.
The stories mount as new threats whether by medicine, product safety or production seem to be increasing. This is the result of governments allowing industry to regulate itself. We have case after case of documented proof where this has caused life long injury as well as death. This is a downward spiral that has become more common as time goes on.
The Global Economy is one reason but greed is the most prevalent. Mans inherent greed and want to find the short cuts are the most obvious reasons behind this tragedy. I have been on this band wagon for 30 years and am amazed that most still disregard the importance of what is happening. The history is there and yet ignored as those determining safety are the ones that profit from the many disasters that they cause.
I only need to use basic memory to understand that the global society is on a downward course. This was by no means the start but just one cause to begin thinking about this issue.
Minamata Japan around 1956, The Chisso Corporation began allowing ethyl mercury to be expelled from its factory into Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea. This problem went on without regulation for a decade. This resulted in mass mercury poisoning that included death for 10’s of thousands of Japanese that relied on the bay and sea to provide the food staple of fish products consumed. It is 2007 and the government only recognizes a little over 2,200 cases of mercury poisoning with almost 80% that are now dead due to this spill.
There are a reported 10,000 that received some sort of compensation however the question remains as to how many were effected? Almost 1,800 died within months of first release despite the years of release who? Really knows the totals of deaths and injured?
Libby Montana comes to mind as this was in the land of opportunity. The western part of the beautiful state of Montana this was the idyllic place to live. Those returning from World War II and the Korean War wanted to find a new life and good paying jobs. It appeared that they found paradise until the truth became clear.
999 brought the EPA to investigate the sudden rise in health problems amongst the residents. After some political maneuvers that only allowed more to suffer the contamination. The EPA announced that Libby was in fact a very asbestos polluted community. The culprit was the infamous Grace Corporation who shall be mentioned again.
Not only were the workers affected but the families that have now reached those borne well after the mining was shut down also shows signs of health problems. Again the government or I should say your tax dollars pay the price. Grace filled for bankruptcy in order to survive and avoid the burden of cleanup and total compensation to those that suffer.
Since Grace was mentioned I must add this tragedy into the mix. I am sure many of you are familiar with the movie Civil Action. It was about an injury lawyer that took on an environmental issue and lost his shirt but won his credibility. The small town of Woburn Massachusetts saw an influx of children becoming ill during the hey day of the tanning factory that like Libby and Minamata provided good paying jobs and a sense of stability to the community.
Once the truth became clear it was again obvious that this company injured and killed many children who happen to live around the so called provider. Another Superfund site declared and you pay for the corporation mistakes.
Why is it so hard for you to believe or even care if some company can cause your child or yourself to become ill or die and say nothing? I could continue to list case after case of documented results that we are allowing government and industry to walk all over us.
Does any one recall Bophal India where Union Carbide released a gas that killed at the least 22,000 people? The Global Economy is not a God send it is proving to be a disaster. As you are being more regulated and watched the industrial complex is gaining more power as it is not being monitored?
The stories mount as new threats whether by medicine, product safety or production seem to be increasing. This is the result of governments allowing industry to regulate itself. We have case after case of documented proof where this has caused life long injury as well as death. This is a downward spiral that has become more common as time goes on.
The Global Economy is one reason but greed is the most prevalent. Mans inherent greed and want to find the short cuts are the most obvious reasons behind this tragedy. I have been on this band wagon for 30 years and am amazed that most still disregard the importance of what is happening. The history is there and yet ignored as those determining safety are the ones that profit from the many disasters that they cause.
I only need to use basic memory to understand that the global society is on a downward course. This was by no means the start but just one cause to begin thinking about this issue.
Minamata Japan around 1956, The Chisso Corporation began allowing ethyl mercury to be expelled from its factory into Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea. This problem went on without regulation for a decade. This resulted in mass mercury poisoning that included death for 10’s of thousands of Japanese that relied on the bay and sea to provide the food staple of fish products consumed. It is 2007 and the government only recognizes a little over 2,200 cases of mercury poisoning with almost 80% that are now dead due to this spill.
There are a reported 10,000 that received some sort of compensation however the question remains as to how many were effected? Almost 1,800 died within months of first release despite the years of release who? Really knows the totals of deaths and injured?
Libby Montana comes to mind as this was in the land of opportunity. The western part of the beautiful state of Montana this was the idyllic place to live. Those returning from World War II and the Korean War wanted to find a new life and good paying jobs. It appeared that they found paradise until the truth became clear.
999 brought the EPA to investigate the sudden rise in health problems amongst the residents. After some political maneuvers that only allowed more to suffer the contamination. The EPA announced that Libby was in fact a very asbestos polluted community. The culprit was the infamous Grace Corporation who shall be mentioned again.
Not only were the workers affected but the families that have now reached those borne well after the mining was shut down also shows signs of health problems. Again the government or I should say your tax dollars pay the price. Grace filled for bankruptcy in order to survive and avoid the burden of cleanup and total compensation to those that suffer.
Since Grace was mentioned I must add this tragedy into the mix. I am sure many of you are familiar with the movie Civil Action. It was about an injury lawyer that took on an environmental issue and lost his shirt but won his credibility. The small town of Woburn Massachusetts saw an influx of children becoming ill during the hey day of the tanning factory that like Libby and Minamata provided good paying jobs and a sense of stability to the community.
Once the truth became clear it was again obvious that this company injured and killed many children who happen to live around the so called provider. Another Superfund site declared and you pay for the corporation mistakes.
Why is it so hard for you to believe or even care if some company can cause your child or yourself to become ill or die and say nothing? I could continue to list case after case of documented results that we are allowing government and industry to walk all over us.
Does any one recall Bophal India where Union Carbide released a gas that killed at the least 22,000 people? The Global Economy is not a God send it is proving to be a disaster. As you are being more regulated and watched the industrial complex is gaining more power as it is not being monitored?
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