Toxic chemicals – the invisible threat

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Awareness is growing about the presence of toxic chemicals in our consumer products and the risks these chemicals pose to our health and environment. In the Unites States, over 80,000 chemicals are in production yet only 200 have been tested for human health effects. Very few have regulations governing their release into the environment and are not subject to monitoring. Learn what toxic chemical exposure means for everyday Minnesotans and their communities.

To read the full stories and watch the videos, click on the links below.

Lisa Miller: New Brighton Water Contamination Has Lasting Legacy

Getting diagnosed with cancer is a life altering moment. Imagine learning three people in your family have cancer and it is probably a result of drinking contaminated water. That is what the Miller family, formerly of New Brighton, Minnesota, is currently experiencing.

Lisa Miller, mother of three, is only 40 years old yet she has battled brain cancer twice. Her cancer–which had been in remission for two years – is now back. Doug, her husband, was diagnosed in 2002 with chronic, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Lisa’s mom, Lynne, was diagnosed with bone cancer of the face. This is a cancer so rare there are only 10 cases in the world according to the Mayo clinic. “What are the chances I get a brain tumor and others in my family get cancer? We have no history of cancer in my family. ” states Lisa.

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Cassandra Hainey: Shopping Decisions Impact Our Health

Many people never think about the potential health impact of toys, food or other things they buy before making a purchase. Cassandra Hainey, a St. Paul mom, started thinking a lot more about her shopping choices when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease which affects the digestive system. According to the Mayo clinic, the exact cause of Crohn’s disease isn’t known. Evidence suggests it results from a combination of factors such as genetic predisposition, environmental influences and an abnormal immune response system.

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Dianna Anderson: Cancer Survivors More Vulnerable

Exposure to toxins affects all our health. Some people are more vulnerable to toxic chemical exposure–children, the elderly and people with compromised health. People like Dianna Anderson, a longtime Stillwater resident who is vulnerable to toxic pollution.

“Exposure to harmful chemicals could bring back my cancer.” Dianna calmly states this fact to me during our interview. “My gene mutation doesn’t prevent cancer cells from growing so it’s all the more important I stay away from toxins.” At age 41, Dianna has successfully battled breast cancer twice, but had to undergo a double mastectomy last summer. This is a reality for too many women. Cancer rates in the US are on the rise and one out of three women will have cancer in their lifetime.

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Melinda Stella: Nursing Student With a Passion for Prevention

St. Catherine’s nursing student Melinda Stella will be entering the nursing field when she graduates in December. Although Melinda will be new to nursing, protecting her family’s health is something she’s been practicing for years.

Melinda is a St. Paul mom with six children ranging in age from 13 to 3. She first began protecting her family’s health by changing the way they eat, “We started eating organically, shopping at the local farmer’s market and doing a lot of home baking to avoid all the preservatives and other chemicals added to food.”

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Asia Schultz: Motivated Mom Starts Own Business

During her work as a makeup artist and esthetician, Asia Schulz always wondered about the ingredients in the makeup and other products she was using. She got an eye-opening answer to her question when she attended the Not Just a Pretty Face–The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry book tour. The exposé on the American beauty industry reveals only 11 percent of chemicals used in cosmetics have been assessed for human health effects. Many contain toxic ingredients linked to cancer, infertility and other health issues.

“After reading the book, I started throwing things out at home. It was upsetting to learn there isn’t enough regulation. A lot of ingredients in products are harmful, the research is clear,” says Asia.

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Vicki Hendricksen: Distrust of Drinking Water

Many Minnesotans pour themselves a glass of water from their kitchen faucet without a second thought. However, more and more people are becoming concerned about the safety of their drinking water.

“I don’t trust our water,” states Vicki Hendricksen, a Woodbury mom of three, “we get all our water for drinking and cooking from our fridge because it’s filtered.” When Vicki moved to Woodbury two years ago to be closer to work, she learned the city’s water was contaminated with PFCs— chemicals used in non-stick pans, stain resistant clothing, and thousands of other products. Even though the level of PFCs in Woodbury’s water is considered to be at safe levels according to the state, Vicki has her doubts. “I wonder if the level they set is really acceptable—will this change years later when they learn more?”

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Brenda Myran: Our Purchases Are a Vote For or Against Environment

Brenda Myran, an Inver Grove Heights mother of three, has been on a journey of discovery that has lead to changes in way she views food, consumer products and the use of our natural resources. Her family, including her husband, Mike Lorentz, and their children Maya, age 8, Simone, 4 and Thomas, 3, have all made changes in their lives as a result.

“This really started with my husband who is a meat processor in Cannon Falls. Through his work with customers like Thousand Hills and Organic Valley, I became interested in sustainable agriculture. I began to read books like Omnivore’s Dilemma and attend local gatherings about food and food origins.”

Read the full story here