American Cancer Society Funded by Same Corporations Producing Cancer Chemicals

The vast majority of cancer research money goes towards the treatment of cancer rather than preventing it in the first place. That is because it is more profitable to diagnose and treat, rather than to prevent cancer. The health industry spends millions of dollars convincing us that they are on our side, working to "cure" cancer. Did you know that the health industry, consisting of huge multi-national corporations specializing in producing and marketing diagnostic instruments and treatments, is a major contributor to the American Cancer Society? This is why the ACS doesn't stress prevention. Like the politicians, the Bushes and Gores of the political world, the ACS has grown accustomed to the steady flow of cash. The result is fogged vision and an agenda that caters to the health industry. What can you do about this? Contact your representatives and demand that they stop taking payoff money from industry. And tell the American Cancer Society that we want prevention, not treatment.

We live in a soup of toxic chemicals, many of which we don't even need. I clearly remember when the word plastic was synonymous with inferior. Today we are taught that by the American Plastics Council that we can't live without plastic, and that plastics make it possible! They don't ever tell us what they mean when they say that plastic is recyclable because most of it isn't recycled. Even when it is, it has a very short useful life. It can be reused only a certain limited number of times. They also don't talk about how the chemicals that make up plastic can leach into food stored or heated in it.

The Ecology Center in Berkeley, California has run the recycling program in Berkeley for many years. It has done a comprehensive study of plastics. The Report of the Berkeley Plastics Task Force is a comprehensive, scientific and independent look at the full life cycle of plastics, from production through disposal. It states that there is a link exists between the promotion of plastics recycling and an increase in production of virgin resin. Plastic packaging production has outstripped plastic recycling by as much as a six to one-margin, and most of that production is from virgin materials. Plastic packaging is not produced from petroleum waste, but from natural gas that could be used otherwise or not extracted at all. Although all plastic containers bear the recyclable symbol, most are not recyclable. Picking up plastics at curbside costs about $800 of taxpayer money or more per ton. Much of the plastic collected for recycling is shipped overseas, and processed under, at best, dubious conditions. Many of the products made from the plastic resin that is being recycled are not themselves recyclable, making the "recycling" only temporary diversion from landfill. The entire 32-page report is available by mail for $5.50 for Ecology Center members and $7.50 non-members or at the Center for $3.00 members and $5.00 nonmember. Corporate and Governmental agencies cost by mail is $17.50. Contact: Plastics Task Force, Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley 94702; 510-548-2220 x233, or email erc@ecologycenter.org  http://www.ecologycenter.org/plastics/plastics.html. Seven Misconceptions about Plastic and Plastic Recycling can also be found on their website.

PVC = Dioxin One clearly evil plastic is PVC. PVC is used to make all sorts of products such as water piping, food containers, shoes, windows, roofing, furniture, toys, medical blood bags, tubing, refrigerators, building siding, car parts, and much more. Its use brings dioxin into all regions of our lives. Dioxin is a cancer cause chemical that is an unintended contaminant or byproduct during combustion or during the manufacture of certain chlorinated chemicals. Most dioxins escape into the environment from incinerator stacks, pulp and paper industry discharges, and the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, chlorinated solvents, and chlorinated pesticides. Recently, backyard burning has been discussed as a large source of dioxin.

Dioxin causes many forms of cancer and malfunctions of the body in both females and males. In males it can cause stomach cancer, lung cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the soft and connective tissues, decreased sperm counts, prostate cancer and more. In females it can cause endometriosis, cervical cancer, breast cancer, and much more. It is passed on to coming generations through breast milk and genetics. (Breast milk is still the best form of nutrition for nursing infants.) For some great information on dioxin that the American Plastics Council would rather you didn't see, go to the The American People's Dioxin Report by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.