US EPA chemical study criticised

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study into the health effects of household chemicals has been called ‘unethical’ and harmful by a green campaign group. The EPA’s CHEERS (Children’s Environmental Exposure Research Study) involves participants maintaining their normal pesticide and chemical applications around their homes for a period of two years. During that time, the EPA will monitor developmental changes in sixty children with varying exposure to everyday chemical materials, and chart their developmental progress. Participating families receive money and electrical items such as camcorders and video recorders.

“The EPA’s role is to protect infants and children from harmful pesticides, not encourage exposure,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). “CCE believes this study is unethical and dangerous to infants and children. We are sickened by the fact that the EPA views infants and children as acceptable test subjects. Frankly, we are appalled and horrified by the whole study,” Esposito added.

The group has called for the test to be abandoned.

Household chemical exposure, which can come from a wide variety of sources, is believed to be capable of causing a number of health complaints including asthma.