Another reason to hate Bush and buy organic!

[Chanley]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/toxic/lettuce042903.cfm

Seems our lettuce is being contaminated with rocket fuel!!

Lovely! AND Bush is not letting anyone talk about it!!! Even better.

[JessicaS]

They talked about that on NPR a bit. Can't say I am surprised.

[barbara]

Perchlorate pollution in drinking water has become a major concern in some 20 states across the country, after an EPA recommendation last year that found perchlorate in drinking water poses dangers to human health, particularly to infant development, in concentrations above one part per billion.

When I was a child my parents use to joke that everything was a govt. plot done by "putting something in the water!" Perhaps they weren't far off!?!

[summermom]

But it seems that we cannot protect ourselves even by buying organic because it's in the water, and organic standards don't say anything about the water as far as I know...

[Marlena]

Yes. Note the following from the story Chanley posted:

The results: Four of the 22 samples tested were found to contain perchlorate in excess of 30 parts per billion, with the highest --- "mixed organic baby greens" --- registering 121 ppb.(emphasis added)

Buying organic will not protect us from this hazard. Increased public awareness and concordant regulation, on the other hand, may. The Bush administration, however, apparently does not want either to happen.

[lorijds]

I gues the only solution is to grow your own as much as possible. Every little bit helps.

If only I could get things to growin the winter. I always put stuff in pots, but they die....(maybe because I am terrible at watering them, and they don't get enough light? : )

[Quirky]

I'll bet the legislation the article is referring to is the defense readiness initiative bill, which essentially exempts the military from most to all environmental laws, from protecting marine mammals and endangered species to complying with clean air and water requirements, all in the name of readiness.

because god forbid we might not be ready to invade another country on a moment's notice.... :