CDC Report: Chemicals in Human Body Not a Problem

Washington, D.C., July 22, 2005—A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report confirms what the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s work on chemical risk has long maintained:  The existence of trace levels of manmade chemicals in the human body is no cause for alarm.  And despite activist hype to the contrary, the levels of chemicals in our bodies are actually going down.

“The presence of a chemical in the human body doesn’t mean there is a health risk,” says Angela Logomasini, CEI’s Director of Risk and Environmental Policy. Logomasini argues that hype about the risk of manmade chemicals in the body misses the point.  “The real question is public health impact, and despite hype from anti-chemical activists, there is no evidence of harm.  To the contrary, humans are living longer, healthier lives than ever before in large part because we have chemicals to clean our water, disinfect our hospitals, and grow our food.”    

The report also pokes a hole in anti-chemical activist claims that the public is facing a health crisis based on growing chemical exposures.  “It shows that chemical exposures are going down, particularly among the chemicals that the activists claim are most dangerous.  This is not surprising as pollution has decreased considerably thanks in large part to economic growth and the subsequent demand for, and ability to pay for, a cleaner environment.”

What: CDC’s National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

Who: Angela Logomasini, CEI’s Director of Risk and Environmental Policy, available for interviews

Contact:  Jody Clarke in CEI’s media relations department at 202.331.2252