Powdered Infant Formula + Tap Water = Too Much Perchlorate
by Phyllis Wheeler ~ April 20th, 2009.A study by the Centers for Disease Control has identified cow’s milk-based powdered infant formula, when reconstituted with tap water, as a possible significant hazard for children because of contamination with the rocket fuel perchlorate.
The study was published in March by the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. In it, Joshua G. Shier, of the CDC Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, led a team that reported on testing 15 powdered infant formula brands. The study did not name the brands but said that just two of them acounted for 87 percent of the market in the US for powdered infant formula in 2000.
A summary at medicalnewstoday.com said that the study found perchlorate contamination in all brands, and that cow’s milk formulas contained significantly higher perchlorate contamination than soy and other formulas.
But the study conclusion that caught the public’s eye was the one that said the EPA safety limit may be exceeded when certain cow’s milk formulas are mixed with perchlorate-contaminated water, according to medicalnewstoday.com.
Perchlorate was spread across America during Cold War weapons testing and now contaminates food as well as drinking water. The compound also occurs naturally in small amounts.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) identifies perchlorate as a thyroid toxin that particularly affects infants and fetuses.
The EPA last year decided not to regulate perchlorate as a drinking water pollutant, according to the medicalnewstoday.com article.
I don’t know about you, but I am pretty concerned about the state of our tap water. I hope you consider a home water filter.
April 24th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
[...] Powdered Infant Formula + Tap Water = Too Much Perchlorate [...]
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Drinking Water: Perchlorate Supplemental Request for Public Comments has been extended to October 8th, 2009
SUMMARY: In an August 19, 2009, Federal Register notice, EPA announced that it was seeking comments on additional approaches to analyzing data related to the Agency’s preliminary regulatory determination for perchlorate. (Perchlorates are the salts derived from perchloric acid (HClO4). They occur both naturally and through manufacturing.) The additional comments are sought in an effort to ensure consideration of all the potential options for evaluating whether there is a meaningful opportunity for human health risk reduction of perchlorate through a national primary drinking water rule. In response to requests from several stakeholders, this action reopens the public comment period for an additional 15 days.
DATES: EPA must receive your comments on or before October 8, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2009-0297, by one of the following methods:
* http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
* Mail: Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
* Hand Delivery: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
74 FR 48541 — Sep. 23, 2009 EPA data from http://www.CyberRegs.com