By Demelza Davies
In September of 1982, seven people died of tainted Tylenol, a painkiller produced by Johnson & Johnson. In response to the tragic mistake by the company, Johnson & Johnson spent millions of dollars removing the product from all stores and researching the problem. During that time, they were open to the media about the issue and informed people to not use the product until the matter was resolved. Now, years later, Tylenol is still a recommended painkiller and Johnson & Johnson is as trustworthy as ever with their products. This incident is an example of good business ethics that should have been demonstrated by Ford Motor Company in its handling of toxic paint waste two years earlier.
Ford automobile company has franchises all over the country. Ford vehicles can be seen across the country in many shapes and sizes. Ford has the reputation of being the traditional American company that has benefited society. With its sturdy foundation and reputation, Ford made it look too easy to hide the error of its ways when a small area in Northern New Jersey gets attacked by the Ford automobile.
Unlike Johnson & Johnson, Ford did every manipulative and not to mention cheap thing they could think of to hide their pollution, when a franchise manufacturing plant in Mahwah, New Jersey closed in 1980. The company gave assurance to the people and the local government that everything including left over paint sludge, was cleaned up in an environmentally safe manner. Apparently, to Ford, cleaning is a motion of sweeping under the rug. But this is more than just a few dustbunnies. Toxic paint sludge currently resides among the rich soils of the Ringwood area of New Jersey, prohibiting the traditional lifestyles of the Ramapough people and their neighbors.
It has been over twenty years since the atrocity was committed by this "Good American Company." In response to the discovery, Ford did nothing but followed its three gold policies of ethics: Deny, Deny, Deny. They denied any affiliation with the mafia;, they denied knowing of the remaining sludge;, then they finally denied the ill people of Ringwood any medical care for sicknesses caused by the extra toxins in their air and soil.
Perhaps Ford served as an example for Johnson & Johnson, which is why they were so honest with their customers and worked hard to make everything right. However, Ford seems to be slow from learning from its mistakes and is still fighting it out in courts with the people of Ringwood. Apparently a few more have to die before Ford finally gets the picture.
For more information:
Tylonel Recall of 1982: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/23/your-money/23iht-mjj_ed3_.html?pagewanted=1
Toxic Legacy: http://www.northjersey.com/specialreports/toxiclegacy.html
Ramapough Indians: http://www.netstrider.com/documents/whites/
Friday, March 5, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Agent Orange" Let Bygones Be Bygones? Not So Much
By Sharon Meyer
Agent Orange was a chemical used during the Vietnam war that contained the deadly toxin dioxin or TCDD, which is considered one of the most dangerous toxins in the world. This information can be found on any website or google search. What is harder to find out is the current situation of Agent Orange. What you do find is that there are still recent articles about people who are still being affected by this deadly toxin release in Vietnam. I found an article published on December 4, 2009 that discussed the illnesses of a young 19-year-old girl from Vietnam and two sisters from Indiana.
The first discussed was Carrie Price -Nix and Amanda Price, two girls from Indiana who suffer from Chiari malformation. It is a “structural defect in the base of the brain associated with spina bifida.” This definition is taken from the article from the Chicago Tribune written by Jason Grotto and Tim Jones. The father of the two was an Air Force mechanic who served at the U.S. Air base in Dang Nang in 1967. The article reports that he battled diseases like Leukemia, diabetes, and chloracne. He passed away in April of 2008. So not only was this man affected when he was off at war fighting for our country, but it was passed down unintentionally to his daughters. The article adds that the disease that the girls have is “recognized by the VA as a defoliant-related birth defect in the offspring of male veterans.” So it is recognized and still not being taken care of by the government. How many people must STILL be affected by a chemical that has not been used since 1970? Thousands obviously, because there are articles and stories being written as recent as less than a year ago about the people who are being affected by Agent Orange.
Let’s move to Central Vietnam to Do Thi Hang, the 19-year-old who I mentioned earlier in the blog. She suffers from “seizures caused by the fluid that accumulates in her brain. She can’t walk and has trouble controlling her bowels,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Because of the undeveloped health care in Vietnam, this young girl was never given a proper diagnosis. The article tells about the girls’ father, Diu, who also fought in the Vietnam war. He was stationed in an abandoned US air base, that has areas that new studies found are “still contaminated with extremely high levels of TCDD.” He was stationed there for four years. This man was unknowingly breathing in these deadly toxins for four years. Since the war ended, Dui and his wife have had 15 children; 12 of them died before the age of three suffering from similar symptoms of their 19-year-old Do Thi Hang, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Agent Orange had only stopped being used in the 1970’s after a study was done that it was deadly. What about other wars? Was this chemical unknowingly used then? What does this say to many of the diseases that doctors have no explanation for? There are people living in Vietnam and the United States who are still being affected by this deadly chemical that was obviously not researched enough before or even now, to get a grasp on the after effects of it.
Agent Orange was a chemical used during the Vietnam war that contained the deadly toxin dioxin or TCDD, which is considered one of the most dangerous toxins in the world. This information can be found on any website or google search. What is harder to find out is the current situation of Agent Orange. What you do find is that there are still recent articles about people who are still being affected by this deadly toxin release in Vietnam. I found an article published on December 4, 2009 that discussed the illnesses of a young 19-year-old girl from Vietnam and two sisters from Indiana.
The first discussed was Carrie Price -Nix and Amanda Price, two girls from Indiana who suffer from Chiari malformation. It is a “structural defect in the base of the brain associated with spina bifida.” This definition is taken from the article from the Chicago Tribune written by Jason Grotto and Tim Jones. The father of the two was an Air Force mechanic who served at the U.S. Air base in Dang Nang in 1967. The article reports that he battled diseases like Leukemia, diabetes, and chloracne. He passed away in April of 2008. So not only was this man affected when he was off at war fighting for our country, but it was passed down unintentionally to his daughters. The article adds that the disease that the girls have is “recognized by the VA as a defoliant-related birth defect in the offspring of male veterans.” So it is recognized and still not being taken care of by the government. How many people must STILL be affected by a chemical that has not been used since 1970? Thousands obviously, because there are articles and stories being written as recent as less than a year ago about the people who are being affected by Agent Orange.
Let’s move to Central Vietnam to Do Thi Hang, the 19-year-old who I mentioned earlier in the blog. She suffers from “seizures caused by the fluid that accumulates in her brain. She can’t walk and has trouble controlling her bowels,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Because of the undeveloped health care in Vietnam, this young girl was never given a proper diagnosis. The article tells about the girls’ father, Diu, who also fought in the Vietnam war. He was stationed in an abandoned US air base, that has areas that new studies found are “still contaminated with extremely high levels of TCDD.” He was stationed there for four years. This man was unknowingly breathing in these deadly toxins for four years. Since the war ended, Dui and his wife have had 15 children; 12 of them died before the age of three suffering from similar symptoms of their 19-year-old Do Thi Hang, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Agent Orange had only stopped being used in the 1970’s after a study was done that it was deadly. What about other wars? Was this chemical unknowingly used then? What does this say to many of the diseases that doctors have no explanation for? There are people living in Vietnam and the United States who are still being affected by this deadly chemical that was obviously not researched enough before or even now, to get a grasp on the after effects of it.
Ramapo River: What's New Floating Down the River
By Sharon Meyer
As we have been learning in the past few weeks of classes, many of nature’s resources can be seriously affected by construction, development, and basically anything man made. The Ramapo River is not an exception to this but the environmental groups like the EPA and even volunteers who live in the surrounding areas are doing their best to keep the drinking water clean.
In an article titled, “Disposing of Old Line is Easier than ever,” written by Mark Czerwinski, in the Record. The author writes about a group called East Jersey Chapter of Trout Unlimited. They have set up monofilament recycling bins where fishermen can dispose of their old fishing lines, instead of throwing them to the side and littering the river area. Many people who walk along the river also take part in cleaning up, like I mentioned earlier in the blog. These people wrote into the paper after Czerwinski wrote a piece on “keeping our fishing areas clean” saying that they also help keep the area clean by picking up fishing lines and trash. These volunteers are just residents of the area, not belonging to any particular environmental group.
The restocking of trout that was done in October 2009 and happens annually could be the cause for the group called East Coast Chapter of Trout to place those monofilament recycling bins. More trout means increased fishing, which leads to increased use of fishing lines that need proper disposing of. Not only this but the old fishing line that is disposed in these recycling bins is “then processed and made into pellets that are used for toys, tackle boxes and various other plastic items.” The disposing is not only environmentally friendly but then it is reused for other items. Who knew something so simple as reuse and recycle, is what is keeping our environment that much safer.
What is also interesting is that the trout that are restocked annually are also causing the increase in an purchase of fishing licenses. The number of people buying a fishing license “has increased for four straight years. One reason is that the Division of Fish and Wildlife has been more aggressive in marketing the sport,” according to an article in the Record called “Ramapo River boosts trout population” written by Richard Cowen.
Another article profiled a group of 14 men and women who took the initiative to clean up the Pequannock River, which provides water supplies to about 500,000 people. The article was “Paddlers reclaim the Pequannock - Group clears trash from river” an article written by Nick Clunn in the Record. These men and women were fed up with seeing bottles, and wrappers floating down the water to which then fills the faucets with drinking water of many of these people. So they took a four mile hike to clean up their water supply.
Overall, the Ramapo River seems like it is being well taken care of by surrounding residents, but there are still issues like pollution from other rivers, and river visitors dumping garbage in the stream, that need to be addressed. The actions of a few are seemingly making up for the lack of action by government and people who are damaging the river by dumping trash; but how long will these few put up with cleaning up after everyone else’s mess? Like anyone else, they may get fed up, and others will need to start caring about their water supply.
As we have been learning in the past few weeks of classes, many of nature’s resources can be seriously affected by construction, development, and basically anything man made. The Ramapo River is not an exception to this but the environmental groups like the EPA and even volunteers who live in the surrounding areas are doing their best to keep the drinking water clean.
In an article titled, “Disposing of Old Line is Easier than ever,” written by Mark Czerwinski, in the Record. The author writes about a group called East Jersey Chapter of Trout Unlimited. They have set up monofilament recycling bins where fishermen can dispose of their old fishing lines, instead of throwing them to the side and littering the river area. Many people who walk along the river also take part in cleaning up, like I mentioned earlier in the blog. These people wrote into the paper after Czerwinski wrote a piece on “keeping our fishing areas clean” saying that they also help keep the area clean by picking up fishing lines and trash. These volunteers are just residents of the area, not belonging to any particular environmental group.
The restocking of trout that was done in October 2009 and happens annually could be the cause for the group called East Coast Chapter of Trout to place those monofilament recycling bins. More trout means increased fishing, which leads to increased use of fishing lines that need proper disposing of. Not only this but the old fishing line that is disposed in these recycling bins is “then processed and made into pellets that are used for toys, tackle boxes and various other plastic items.” The disposing is not only environmentally friendly but then it is reused for other items. Who knew something so simple as reuse and recycle, is what is keeping our environment that much safer.
What is also interesting is that the trout that are restocked annually are also causing the increase in an purchase of fishing licenses. The number of people buying a fishing license “has increased for four straight years. One reason is that the Division of Fish and Wildlife has been more aggressive in marketing the sport,” according to an article in the Record called “Ramapo River boosts trout population” written by Richard Cowen.
Another article profiled a group of 14 men and women who took the initiative to clean up the Pequannock River, which provides water supplies to about 500,000 people. The article was “Paddlers reclaim the Pequannock - Group clears trash from river” an article written by Nick Clunn in the Record. These men and women were fed up with seeing bottles, and wrappers floating down the water to which then fills the faucets with drinking water of many of these people. So they took a four mile hike to clean up their water supply.
Overall, the Ramapo River seems like it is being well taken care of by surrounding residents, but there are still issues like pollution from other rivers, and river visitors dumping garbage in the stream, that need to be addressed. The actions of a few are seemingly making up for the lack of action by government and people who are damaging the river by dumping trash; but how long will these few put up with cleaning up after everyone else’s mess? Like anyone else, they may get fed up, and others will need to start caring about their water supply.
Agent Orange: Long Lasting Effects
By Dave Ragazzo
When people think of Agent Orange, most people will think about the Vietnam War when the United States used a herbicide and defoliant contaminated with Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) to spray the Vietnam fields and forests in its Herbicidal Warfare program. Most people believe that after Vietnam, the Agent Orange issue is over, but that is not the case. The side effects from the contaminant have affected many people who participated in the war and the people who live in Vietnam today, as the substance is still in the Vietnam environment. It is unfortunate that the United States used this substance during the war to prevent cover for Vietnamese soldiers in the heavy Vietnam terrain, but at the time they were not fully aware of how serious exposure to this would really be.
Agent Orange was a mixture of the chemicals known as 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T. After that mixture, it would be mixed with kerosene or diesel fuel before it was put into American aircrafts and sprayed across the Vietnam rainforests. Agent Orange sprayed over forty years ago is still in the ground and trees of the Vietnam forests, and because of this people who go through the worst contaminated areas are exposed to serious health risks. Not only humans are affected by this deadly spray; as later tests on animals have shown, they can get a wide variety of diseases from Agent Orange, many of which are fatal.
The effects on humans come in a wide variety of ways, from physical deformities to fatal illnesses. One of the more famous illnesses that has affected people who were exposed to Agent Orange is Parkinson’s disease, which is a common illness among Vietnam veterans exposed to the dangerous substance, according to Healthday News. Before this report, there was little to suggest that exposure to Agent Orange and Parkinson’s were linked. The illness has affected famous people such as Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali. Parkinson’s or PD is a degenerative disorder to the central nervous system, and can be classified as a movement disorder. It affects the motor skills of the infected, and has cut the lives short for many people. Many of the U.S. veterans exposed to Agent Orange have gotten this horrible disease later in life, but the Vietnamese people have seen much harsher effects from the Agent Orange exposure.
According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange. This exposure resulted in about 400,000 deaths during the war, and about 500,000 babies to be born with birth defects. People who live in Vietnam today also have health affects especially in the zones along the Truong Son (Long Mountains), and near the border of Vietnam and Cambodia. The people living in these areas have seen their quality of life decrease because of the Agent Orange and have seen a new string of genetic diseases that started after the war.
It is clear that Agent Orange has had a long-lasting negative effect on people who participated in the war and residents of Vietnam. The United States was doing something that they felt was the right thing to do at the time, and didn’t realize the dangers that could come from the spread of Agent Orange. It is sad to see all the effects that this substance has caused, but unfortunately these effects will continue to affect people as long as Agent Orange is in the environment.
When people think of Agent Orange, most people will think about the Vietnam War when the United States used a herbicide and defoliant contaminated with Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) to spray the Vietnam fields and forests in its Herbicidal Warfare program. Most people believe that after Vietnam, the Agent Orange issue is over, but that is not the case. The side effects from the contaminant have affected many people who participated in the war and the people who live in Vietnam today, as the substance is still in the Vietnam environment. It is unfortunate that the United States used this substance during the war to prevent cover for Vietnamese soldiers in the heavy Vietnam terrain, but at the time they were not fully aware of how serious exposure to this would really be.
Agent Orange was a mixture of the chemicals known as 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T. After that mixture, it would be mixed with kerosene or diesel fuel before it was put into American aircrafts and sprayed across the Vietnam rainforests. Agent Orange sprayed over forty years ago is still in the ground and trees of the Vietnam forests, and because of this people who go through the worst contaminated areas are exposed to serious health risks. Not only humans are affected by this deadly spray; as later tests on animals have shown, they can get a wide variety of diseases from Agent Orange, many of which are fatal.
The effects on humans come in a wide variety of ways, from physical deformities to fatal illnesses. One of the more famous illnesses that has affected people who were exposed to Agent Orange is Parkinson’s disease, which is a common illness among Vietnam veterans exposed to the dangerous substance, according to Healthday News. Before this report, there was little to suggest that exposure to Agent Orange and Parkinson’s were linked. The illness has affected famous people such as Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali. Parkinson’s or PD is a degenerative disorder to the central nervous system, and can be classified as a movement disorder. It affects the motor skills of the infected, and has cut the lives short for many people. Many of the U.S. veterans exposed to Agent Orange have gotten this horrible disease later in life, but the Vietnamese people have seen much harsher effects from the Agent Orange exposure.
According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange. This exposure resulted in about 400,000 deaths during the war, and about 500,000 babies to be born with birth defects. People who live in Vietnam today also have health affects especially in the zones along the Truong Son (Long Mountains), and near the border of Vietnam and Cambodia. The people living in these areas have seen their quality of life decrease because of the Agent Orange and have seen a new string of genetic diseases that started after the war.
It is clear that Agent Orange has had a long-lasting negative effect on people who participated in the war and residents of Vietnam. The United States was doing something that they felt was the right thing to do at the time, and didn’t realize the dangers that could come from the spread of Agent Orange. It is sad to see all the effects that this substance has caused, but unfortunately these effects will continue to affect people as long as Agent Orange is in the environment.
Agent Orange Continues To Plague Vietnam’s Children
By Karen Dougherty
Between the years of 1961 and 1971, 20 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed over the forests of Vietnam raining down on servicemen and civilians alike. A by-product of Agent Orange manufacturing was a highly toxic form of dioxin known as TCDD. Although both the U.S. government and the chemical companies producing Agent Orange were aware that even at low levels this lethal chemical cocktail produced birth defects, spraying continued unabated until 1969.
The consequences of this tragedy continue to unfold in this country as Vietnam Vets suffer debilitating and terminal illnesses. Both here and in Vietnam thousands of innocent victims who never even witnessed the war continue to be affected. Dioxin, one of the most highly toxic chemicals known, is a teratogen. Teratogens are chemicals that cause birth defects. Dioxin exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion and even absorption through the skin. There are many accounts of men, women and children getting soaked from the sticky, fruity smelling chemical shower delivered by low-flying planes. Offspring of Vietnam Vets may suffer a litany of health problems due to their parents’ exposure to Agent Orange. Often, even the grandchildren of Vietnam Vets continue this legacy of health problems.
As tragic as this situation is for American veterans, imagine the millions of people in Vietnam who continue to live in this ecological cesspool, drinking Dioxin-contaminated water and eating food grown in Dioxin-contaminated soil. The local Vietnamese have a name for the babies who continue to be born with severe physical and mental deformities; they are known as Agent Orange babies. It is not uncommon to hear stories of Vietnamese families with fifteen children, twelve of them dying before the age of three. Children are still being born with malformed and twisted limbs and severe mental deformities. Hospitals and care centers are already stretched to capacity trying to care for these victims. As their parents continue to age, who will care for those who are living at home unable to do even the simplest tasks for themselves?
The cleanup costs for the 1.4 billion hectares of Vietnam’s land ravaged by Agent Orange is exorbitant. Dr. Pierre Vermeulin, a chemist, estimates the cost to restore one hectare of land to be $1 billion. Although President Nixon promised $3.25 billion dollars in aid to Vietnam, it was never granted. Recently, President Obama has signed a bill increasing cleanup funding for Vietnam from $3 million to $6 million.
Dr. Jeanne Stellman, a professor at Columbia University and expert on Agent Orange exposure, has called the reckless spraying of Agent Orange “the largest unstudied environmental disaster in the world (except for natural disasters).” In reading accounts of the anguish and suffering continuing in Vietnam today, it is hard to disagree with her assessment.
Between the years of 1961 and 1971, 20 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed over the forests of Vietnam raining down on servicemen and civilians alike. A by-product of Agent Orange manufacturing was a highly toxic form of dioxin known as TCDD. Although both the U.S. government and the chemical companies producing Agent Orange were aware that even at low levels this lethal chemical cocktail produced birth defects, spraying continued unabated until 1969.
The consequences of this tragedy continue to unfold in this country as Vietnam Vets suffer debilitating and terminal illnesses. Both here and in Vietnam thousands of innocent victims who never even witnessed the war continue to be affected. Dioxin, one of the most highly toxic chemicals known, is a teratogen. Teratogens are chemicals that cause birth defects. Dioxin exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion and even absorption through the skin. There are many accounts of men, women and children getting soaked from the sticky, fruity smelling chemical shower delivered by low-flying planes. Offspring of Vietnam Vets may suffer a litany of health problems due to their parents’ exposure to Agent Orange. Often, even the grandchildren of Vietnam Vets continue this legacy of health problems.
As tragic as this situation is for American veterans, imagine the millions of people in Vietnam who continue to live in this ecological cesspool, drinking Dioxin-contaminated water and eating food grown in Dioxin-contaminated soil. The local Vietnamese have a name for the babies who continue to be born with severe physical and mental deformities; they are known as Agent Orange babies. It is not uncommon to hear stories of Vietnamese families with fifteen children, twelve of them dying before the age of three. Children are still being born with malformed and twisted limbs and severe mental deformities. Hospitals and care centers are already stretched to capacity trying to care for these victims. As their parents continue to age, who will care for those who are living at home unable to do even the simplest tasks for themselves?
The cleanup costs for the 1.4 billion hectares of Vietnam’s land ravaged by Agent Orange is exorbitant. Dr. Pierre Vermeulin, a chemist, estimates the cost to restore one hectare of land to be $1 billion. Although President Nixon promised $3.25 billion dollars in aid to Vietnam, it was never granted. Recently, President Obama has signed a bill increasing cleanup funding for Vietnam from $3 million to $6 million.
Dr. Jeanne Stellman, a professor at Columbia University and expert on Agent Orange exposure, has called the reckless spraying of Agent Orange “the largest unstudied environmental disaster in the world (except for natural disasters).” In reading accounts of the anguish and suffering continuing in Vietnam today, it is hard to disagree with her assessment.
Ramapo River: What is Amiss With the Mussels?
By Karen Dougherty
In January 2008, a disturbing article appeared in the Northeastern Naturalist. Written by Dr. David L. Strayer, a freshwater ecologist, it portrayed an unsettling picture of New York’s Ramapo River ecosystem. Dr. Strayer studied the mussel population in several New York locations between 1992 and 2006 and found significant deformities in all three species of the Ramapo River’s freshwater unionid mussel population. Deformities of this magnitude are often indicative of pervasive water pollution.
The National Park Service says that mussels serve important functions in aquatic ecosystems. They are an important part of the food chain and help maintain water quality. The US Fish & Wildlife Service estimates that “70% of our freshwater mussels are extinct, endangered, or in need of special protection. Many of their problems stem from how they live and changes that have occurred to their habitat during the past 200 years. Pollution, especially non-point source pollution, causes the greatest threat to native mussels.”
Deformed mussels are easily recognized. According to Dr. Strayer, the mussels have “severely shortened posterior ends. The posterior margin of the shell is irregular or ragged, the periostracal layers often are thick and distorted, and the two valves often do not fit together well at the posterior end of the shell, resulting in a marked gape. The deformation of the shell may be so severe that it is difficult to identify the species. I have not observed the soft tissues of animals affected by this deformity, but they presumably are distorted as well.”
Dr. Strayer found this mussel deformity at four other New York sites but none seemed to be as pervasive as those found in the Ramapo River. The examination of area mussel specimens prior to 1990 did not reveal deformities of this nature. Therefore, Dr. Strayer concludes that this is a recent phenomenon, possibly caused by a chemical associated with agricultural or residential use.
Today, large amounts of chemicals such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides are finding their way into our waterways, where they are wreaking havoc among aquatic ecosystems. Mussels are an important food source for many fish, birds and mammals. Based on this information, it is easy to imagine that the demise of such an important species as the freshwater mussel may trigger a cascade of detrimental consequences which we will be unable to rectify.
In January 2008, a disturbing article appeared in the Northeastern Naturalist. Written by Dr. David L. Strayer, a freshwater ecologist, it portrayed an unsettling picture of New York’s Ramapo River ecosystem. Dr. Strayer studied the mussel population in several New York locations between 1992 and 2006 and found significant deformities in all three species of the Ramapo River’s freshwater unionid mussel population. Deformities of this magnitude are often indicative of pervasive water pollution.
The National Park Service says that mussels serve important functions in aquatic ecosystems. They are an important part of the food chain and help maintain water quality. The US Fish & Wildlife Service estimates that “70% of our freshwater mussels are extinct, endangered, or in need of special protection. Many of their problems stem from how they live and changes that have occurred to their habitat during the past 200 years. Pollution, especially non-point source pollution, causes the greatest threat to native mussels.”
Deformed mussels are easily recognized. According to Dr. Strayer, the mussels have “severely shortened posterior ends. The posterior margin of the shell is irregular or ragged, the periostracal layers often are thick and distorted, and the two valves often do not fit together well at the posterior end of the shell, resulting in a marked gape. The deformation of the shell may be so severe that it is difficult to identify the species. I have not observed the soft tissues of animals affected by this deformity, but they presumably are distorted as well.”
Dr. Strayer found this mussel deformity at four other New York sites but none seemed to be as pervasive as those found in the Ramapo River. The examination of area mussel specimens prior to 1990 did not reveal deformities of this nature. Therefore, Dr. Strayer concludes that this is a recent phenomenon, possibly caused by a chemical associated with agricultural or residential use.
Today, large amounts of chemicals such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides are finding their way into our waterways, where they are wreaking havoc among aquatic ecosystems. Mussels are an important food source for many fish, birds and mammals. Based on this information, it is easy to imagine that the demise of such an important species as the freshwater mussel may trigger a cascade of detrimental consequences which we will be unable to rectify.
Agent Orange: Hidden Health Warnings
By Katie Lukshis
When Agent Orange was first used as a defoliant in Vietnam, the government and chemical companies were fully aware of the health risks that were caused by exposure. The herbicide used contained a higher concentration of dioxin than the ‘normal’ version, but because it was being used on “enemies,” no one was overly concerned. However, the reality was that thousands of veterans and even more Vietnamese civilians were being directly exposed to this herbicide over a span of about six years. The Chicago Tribune recently uncovered these long-kept secrets in order to provide social justice to the veterans and civilians that needed it most.
There are records dating back as early as 1955 that show Boehringer, a German chemical company, had started contacting US based Dow Chemical Company about chloracne and liver problems showing up in a plant that made 2,4,5-T – which was the ingredient in Agent Orange contaminated with dioxin. Once Boehringer discovered its workers were getting sick, production was brought to a halt and parts of the factory were dismantled; they remained closed for three years to study the problem before resuming production of 2,4,5-T. By completing this study, Boehringer was able to determine “that dioxin was the culprit and that they could limit contamination by cooking the chemicals at lower temperatures, which would slow production,” (Grotto, Jones 2009). US chemical companies did not follow the actions of this German chemical company, and remained open despite Boehringer’s findings.
There had been more than 300 million gallons of the chemical compounds found in Agent Orange used domestically since 1947, and the formulations for Vietnam were even more concentrated and contained more dioxin. Dow Chemical Company had been sharing the information they had about health issues with the military and the potential hazards it posed to workers as early as 1949, but the military failed to share this information with the personnel responsible for overseeing the defoliation in Vietnam. It wasn’t until 1970, after a study for the National Institutes of Health showing birth defects in laboratory animals as a result of being exposed to 2,4,5-T, did the military stop using Agent Orange.
Vietnam veterans have had very little luck during their legal battles for compensation for health issues they’ve had to deal with as a result. Not only are Vietnam veterans speaking out against the chemical companies, but Vietnamese citizens are looking for compensation as well. Since the first of the lawsuits that were brought to court, chemical companies have argued they are immune from legal action under laws protecting government contractors. Companies are still trying to avoid involvement, and the question of whether health costs associated with birth defects seen in children of veterans will be covered is still being debated.
For More Information:
Grotto, Jason, and Tim Jones. "Agent Orange's lethal legacy: Defoliants more dangerous than they had to be." Chicago Tribune. 19 Dec. 2009. http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/agentorange/chi-agent-orange-dioxindec17,0,2121785,full.story.
When Agent Orange was first used as a defoliant in Vietnam, the government and chemical companies were fully aware of the health risks that were caused by exposure. The herbicide used contained a higher concentration of dioxin than the ‘normal’ version, but because it was being used on “enemies,” no one was overly concerned. However, the reality was that thousands of veterans and even more Vietnamese civilians were being directly exposed to this herbicide over a span of about six years. The Chicago Tribune recently uncovered these long-kept secrets in order to provide social justice to the veterans and civilians that needed it most.
There are records dating back as early as 1955 that show Boehringer, a German chemical company, had started contacting US based Dow Chemical Company about chloracne and liver problems showing up in a plant that made 2,4,5-T – which was the ingredient in Agent Orange contaminated with dioxin. Once Boehringer discovered its workers were getting sick, production was brought to a halt and parts of the factory were dismantled; they remained closed for three years to study the problem before resuming production of 2,4,5-T. By completing this study, Boehringer was able to determine “that dioxin was the culprit and that they could limit contamination by cooking the chemicals at lower temperatures, which would slow production,” (Grotto, Jones 2009). US chemical companies did not follow the actions of this German chemical company, and remained open despite Boehringer’s findings.
There had been more than 300 million gallons of the chemical compounds found in Agent Orange used domestically since 1947, and the formulations for Vietnam were even more concentrated and contained more dioxin. Dow Chemical Company had been sharing the information they had about health issues with the military and the potential hazards it posed to workers as early as 1949, but the military failed to share this information with the personnel responsible for overseeing the defoliation in Vietnam. It wasn’t until 1970, after a study for the National Institutes of Health showing birth defects in laboratory animals as a result of being exposed to 2,4,5-T, did the military stop using Agent Orange.
Vietnam veterans have had very little luck during their legal battles for compensation for health issues they’ve had to deal with as a result. Not only are Vietnam veterans speaking out against the chemical companies, but Vietnamese citizens are looking for compensation as well. Since the first of the lawsuits that were brought to court, chemical companies have argued they are immune from legal action under laws protecting government contractors. Companies are still trying to avoid involvement, and the question of whether health costs associated with birth defects seen in children of veterans will be covered is still being debated.
For More Information:
Grotto, Jason, and Tim Jones. "Agent Orange's lethal legacy: Defoliants more dangerous than they had to be." Chicago Tribune. 19 Dec. 2009. http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/agentorange/chi-agent-orange-dioxindec17,0,2121785,full.story
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