[CPEO-MEF] Perchlorate in Lettuce - a new report from EWG

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

High Levels of Toxic Rocket Fuel Found in Lettuce

a new report from the Environmental Working Group



Eating lettuce or other vegetables grown in fields irrigated by the
Colorado River may expose consumers to a larger dose of toxic rocket
fuel than is considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, according to test data and documents obtained by Environmental
Working Group (EWG). Test results never before made public show that
leafy vegetables grown with contaminated irrigation water take up, store
and concentrate potentially harmful levels of perchlorate, a thyroid
toxin that is the explosive main ingredient of rocket and missile fuel. 

Sworn depositions and other courtroom documents show that the giant
aerospace and defense contractor Lockheed Martin - a major user of
perchlorate responsible for widespread contamination of Southern
California water supplies - knew as early as 1997 that vegetables stored
high concentrations of the chemical, but said nothing to the EPA or
state health officials. [PDF documents: Lockheed letter | Test results]
Since most perchlorate-related work by defense contractors is done for
the U.S. military, the Department of Defense may also have known, but
said nothing to warn other agencies, consumers - or farmers whose crops,
through no fault of their own, may be tainted by contaminated irrigation
water. 

...

For the entire report and supporting documents, see
http://www.ewg.org/reports/rocketlettuce/

-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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