Living Downstream: A Scientist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment

“Of the 80,000 synthetic chemicals now in use, only about 2 percent have been tested for carcinogenicity and, since 1976, exactly five have been outlawed under the Toxics Substances Control Act.”

This quote emphasis the risk that chemicals pose to human health. At the time that Steingraber wrote her book, testing of chemicals for cancer-causing conditions was minimal. Chemicals could be marketed without rigorous testing. Although Steingraber cites several studies that showed evidence of the link between chemical contamination and various cancers, very few of the chemicals have been banned.

“‘To ignore the scientific evidence is to knowingly permit thousands of unnecessary illnesses and deaths each year.’”

This statement was the conclusion of a recent state-of-the-science review of the links between cancer and the environment. As Steingraber suggests throughout her book, few studies have been accepted as providing definitive proof that the chemicals in question cause cancer. Although labeled as “likely” or “probable” carcinogens, atrazine and many other pesticides weren’t completely outlawed as of the publication of Steingraber’s book.

“To the 87 percent of Illinois that is farmland, an estimated 54 million pounds of synthetic pesticides are applied each year.”

Following World War II, Illinois farms increasingly used pesticides and herbicides. While chemicals like DDT were proven successful at combating illness-bearing insects, commercial use of the chemicals became popular. According to Steingraber, less than 10% of cornfields in Illinois were chemically treated in 1950. However, by 2005, 98% of cornfields routinely used chemical pesticides.