[CPEO-MEF] EPA to limit cancer risks for babies

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The guidelines referred to in the article below can be viewed at:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=55445

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EPA to limit cancer risks for babies
Infants, toddlers 10 times more vulnerable to some chemicals
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON, March 3 — Infants and toddlers have a 10 times greater
cancer risk than adults when exposed to certain gene-damaging chemicals,
the government said Monday, in proposing tougher environmental
guidelines that would take into account the greater hazards to the very
young.

IF ITS guidelines are made final, the Environmental Protection Agency
would for the first time require that the substantially greater risk to
children be weighed in the development of regulations covering a variety
of pollutants.

While scientists have long known that very young children are more
vulnerable than adults to gene-harming chemicals, this is the first time
the EPA has formally proposed calculating the difference in assessing
the danger from some pesticides and other chemicals.

The guidance on cancer and children, which must still be reviewed by
EPA’s panel of science advisers and has to be subjected to a lengthy
process before becoming final, is part of a broader reassessment of how
the EPA evaluates cancer risk.

The agency on Monday also issued a separate guidance document, expected
to be made final in a few months, that is to be used by EPA scientists
when they evaluate cancer risks to all segments of the population.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/880130.asp

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