Micro-exposure to common chemicals may cause big health problems

Will wonders never cease? The Wall Street Journal, not typically known
for its sympathy to green issues, had a blockbuster piece of
environmental reporting plastered on page A1 yesterday. In the first
part of an ongoing series, it describes new research on low-level
exposure to common industrial chemicals. Turns out assumptions that
have guided decades of public policy may be wrong: Micro-doses of some
chemicals -- minute exposures most people receive just by being alive
in modern times, long considered physically insignificant -- may cause
serious health problems. Researchers think low-dose exposures may help
explain increasing rates of autism, breast cancer, and other diseases.
The implications for health and safety regulations are profound, but
not all governments are reacting with equal force. Japan and the
European Union have already put some notable restrictions in place,
while the Bush administration is downplaying low-dose data, saying
there's no solid proof of a problem.

straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Peter Waldman, 25 Jul
2005 (access ain't free)