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The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) is pleased to announce the release  of a new book and companion friendly, abbreviated position paper, Scared to Death: How Chemophobia Threatens Public Health. The book is authored by Jon Entine, a scholar with the American Enterprise Institute and highly regarded science journalist. In response to the growing level of chemophobia -- the irrational fear of chemicals -- among the American public, ACSH compiled this resource book and position to educate legislators, industry, media, consumers and parents on the actual risks of chemical exposure and use in everyday products. 

 “Over the last several years the level of fear, misinformation and media hype surrounding the use of safe chemicals in everyday, household products has swelled to a level which we feel must be addressed in detail before this situation gets even further out of hand,” said ACSH president, Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. “Pseudoscience and fear of perceived environmental risks among the public has led to what we call Chemophobia.  Keeping in mind that exposure does not necessarily equate to risk, activists and some in the media have led Americans to believe that chemicals are not to be trusted in our environment—even those with fifty or more years record of safe use. This kind of panic can – and historically has – led to potentially dangerous outcomes and unintended consequences. A perfect example of this overhyped media misconception is the recent release of Environmental Health Perspectives on pregnant woman.  The study merely notes that chemicals have been detected in women’s bodies.  Yet, it fails to identify any definitive ill effects.”

Scared to Death: How Chemophobia Threatens Public Health addresses scientific realities and dispels unfounded fears regarding the safe use of chemicals. The position paper and resource book brings research to light that illustrates how little evidence-based support exists for Chemophobia. This paper serves as a resource for media, parents, consumers and policymakers to put risk into proper perspective and reduce public support for harmful, unnecessary regulations.

Executive Summary........ 1

Introduction........ .4

The Rise of the Environmental Movement ........  10

Evolution of the FDA........... 11

Silent Spring........... 13

Birth of the EPA........... 16

Environmental Risk........ 19

Carcinogenic Risk ...........  21

Non-­Carcinogenic Risk ...........  24

Endocrine Disruptors........... 25

Green Chemicals—Natural v. Synthetic........... ...................28

Politics of the Precautionary Principle........ 33

Environmental NGOs and the ...........  37

Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act........... 39

President’s Cancer Panel Annual Report for 2008-­2009 ........... 42

Case Study: Bisphenol A—Precautionary Regulation ........  44

Campaigns Against BPA........... 45

Low Dose Theory ...........  48

Ideological Regulation........... 52

FDA and EPA Weigh In. ...........  55

Case Study: Atrazine—Weighing Risks and Benefits ........ 58

Studies and Regulation ...........  60

Harm Versus Risk ...........  63

The “Endocrine Disruptor” Hypothesis Controversy ...........  66

A Precautionary Future?........... 72

Implications for Public Health ........  73

Benefits of a Chemical Exceed Risks ...........  73

Risks of Replacement or Amelioration Exceed Benefits. ...........  75

Psychology of Risk Perception ...........  77

Trust in Scientists and Science ...........  79

Appendix: Common Myths and Facts About Chemicals........ 83

Bibliography ........  93