On Environment Blog Index
April 30, 2007
What's in your body?

Political figures often seem uncomfortable with a lot of personal scrutiny.

Rep. Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, is opening herself up, to the extreme.

Pingree, the 30-year-old House Majority Leader and fast-rising star of the Maine Legislature, has given up samples of her blood, hair and urine to be tested for toxic chemicals. It’s part of a study to be released within a few weeks by a coalition of environmental and public health organizations.

Pingree, who has made no secret of findings that she is carrying around an assortment of toxins that have no business in the human body, sponsored a bill this session to phase out a common fire retardant chemical. (The phase out of deca-BDE got the initial support of the Natural Resources Committee last week, although committee members brought it back for a follow-up discussion today.)

We’ll bring you the full study details as soon as they’re available. In the meantime, the Lewiston Sun Journal had a story about Pingree’s role as a very public guinea pig and her decision to forgo sushi and tuna as a result.

All of which makes you wonder: If a 30-year-old woman who grew up on a fairly remote Maine island has this stuff in her body, what are the rest of us packing around?

Posted by at 10:53 AM

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Comments

It's terrible what people are exposed to, b/c chemical companies aren't subjected to the kind of scrutiny the drug companies are. Now we are susceptible to all sorts of toxins b/c most products on the market are not tested for these sorts of things.

Posted by Jim
April 30, 2007 12:11 PM

Granted there is farther to go, but things are much improved from lead based paints, etc. We are always improving.

Posted by Janice
May 1, 2007 07:56 AM

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John covers environmental issues for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. A reporter for 20 years, he always hoped to find some use for his undergraduate degree in International Environmental Studies. He also has a master's degree in journalism, though back then they taught writing on a thing called a typewriter. He's married and has two children.

About this blog

Down To Earth is a place to keep tabs on the environment beat at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. Staff Writer John Richardson will post updates on past news stories, share tidbits and behind-the-story stories, answer questions and get feedback and ideas from you.



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