Three weeks after the first shipment of the new Coronavirus vaccine, one would think that the kind of year we all have had, there would be some semblance of good news to impart. Unfortunately, that is not the case, Bahamians should be worried about a vast number of other contaminants or persistent organic pollutants (POPS) that have potentially been plaguing our food and water supply for two decades or so.
The Stockholm Convention was signed by the Bahamas in 2002 and ratification occurred in 2005. This convention is a commitment to ensuring that the health and well being of human beings and animals are essentially safeguarded against extremely dangerous chemicals like those discussed in this article can cause, once they are inside the body. The convention was signed by 172 countries including The Bahamas; however, we all know that signing or ratification of any international treaty does not guarantee adherence or enforcement, which in this case has serious effects for the Bahamian populace.
Although in 2019 the Environmental Planning and Protection Act was enacted; and, it is one of the progressive pieces of new Bahamian legislation, its focus leaves quite a bit left open so that transnational companies will not be held accountable or liable for the exploitation of Bahamians in various ways. The following opinion piece highlights the fact that currently the health of Bahamians is not being safeguarded from the potential biohazards that can make them sick. Successive governments have known about these chemicals but failed to ensure that all Bahamian citizens were protected with progressive legislation.
So we find ourselves at this point - but what exactly am I talking about? - and what state are we in?
In 1998, Wilbur Tennant, a small farmer in West Virginia, alerted corporate defense attorney Rob Billot to one of the most deadly cover ups in U.S. history involving 3M & DuPont Chemical companies. Unfortunately, this deathly cover up would not only have implications for only the American population. In fact, this cover up continues to impact countries all over the world including the Bahamas.
In our kitchens are those non-stick pots and frying pans that we love so much to use to make our food. This non-stick surface is coated with the chemical, Perfluorooctanoic acid known shortly as C8 or PFOA. PFOA is part of the man made group of chemicals regarded as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These groups of chemicals were accidentally produced around the 1940s by American scientists. The first of the PFAS group to be produced was the chemical known as Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) then PFOA by the corporation 3M (known as the Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company from 1902 to 2002). Both PFOA & PFOS are used to coat fabrics and items to make them water, oil and stain resistant for example, cardboard packaging like cake boxes and squares and circles. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States, these chemicals can also be found in food and non-food packaging, polishes, waxes, paints, firefighting foam, fire extinguishers, fertilizers, ground water tables, landfills, wastewater treatment plants, fish, animals and so much more.
These chemicals are easily digestible by the human body and once in the blood cannot be broken down. Subsequently, these forever chemicals, as they are called, accumulate in the body in a process known as bioaccumulation. The accumulation of these chemicals makes them very dangerous and toxic to human beings.
In fact, secret studies conducted by 3M in 1981 found that when ingested by lab rats, birth defects were experienced. Even further, when 3M shared this information with DuPont, the company’s own studies were generating links between PFOA and various cancers. However, these findings along with PFOA were never notified to the EPA and it was not until Rob Billot filed a class action lawsuit in 2001 with 70,000 West Virginians these chemicals became known to the American public. DuPont settled the lawsuit in 2004 to the sum of 70 million and installed filtration plants in the six affected districts of Washington, Virginia. The company also agreed to fund a study to determine if there were any connections to cancer or any other disease and the chemical PFOA. If any relationships in conjunction with the chemical were found, the company would monitor and pay any associated medical costs to individuals affected, indefinitely. Billot used the settlement money to encourage individuals to get tested, so they knew the impact PFOA had on their health. This meant that in exchange for their settlement cheque individuals within the affected areas of Virginia had to provide a sample of blood for testing purposes. 12 studies were conducted by researchers who took seven years to conclude their findings, costing DuPont $33 million. During this time, Wilbur & Sandy Tennant both died of cancer.
In 2011, the study found a cause and effect relationship between PFOA and cancer. As a matter of fact, several cancers, disease and other ailments were found to be associated with the chemical including infertility, liver disease, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, obesity, pre-eclampsia, ulcerative colitis and much more.
How does this apply to the Bahamas?
Currently, in The Bahamas, no testing has/is occurring for these substances. Also to date, no empirical studies have been conducted to ascertain the impact of these chemicals and to identify their prevalence within the Bahamian population. This means that little is known about how much of these chemicals are in the food, blood and water of Bahamians. Even further, the extent of the relationships between cancer, obesity and high cholesterol and other related issues which affect Bahamians is also not known.
There is also no legislation to combat and regulate the import of products into the country and on the shelves of stores, manufactured with PFAS poisoning our immune systems. With confidence, it can be reported that government agencies and departments like the Ministry of Health and Environment and Housing as well as the Department of Environmental Health Services are not even aware of these substances. Therefore, if these agencies are unaware of these substances they are unable to test for and protect the population they are supposed to be serving. There is no telling when the ministers responsible for these areas will take up the cause to begin the work to address this gap in our national health.
With non-stick cooking utensils, water and so much contaminating our food each time we cook, one can only wonder if that old Bahamian adage is more wiser than we thought “sometin’ ga kill ya.”
For more information check out the EPA website, read the Environmental Planning and Protection Act and/or watch the movie Dark Waters. Verify the information for yourself!