Melamine Scandal in the USA

Using a Freedom of Information Request the Associated Press gained access to FDA test results on melamine in infant formula – the FDA refused to release the report until the AP had gained their Request – It showed conclusively that unhealthy levels of the toxic chemical melamine has been found in 90% of baby formulas including:

· Infamil from Meade Johnson
· Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron made by Nestle

Melamine, which causes kidney failure in cats, dogs and children, has caused the death of four Asian infants and the hospitalization of an additional 54,000. The amounts that would be caused naturally, in the process of manufacture, would be .15 parts per billion. The amounts in these formulas are 16 times that amount – or .247 parts per billion. The political appointees at the FDA, once the AP got their information, decided to get proactive as only the political appointees in this current FDA can. They did not ask the manufacturers of infant formula to take the chemical out – rather they declared 1 part per billion safe. Unfortunately, they did no testing to find out if it actually was safe, they just declared it safe. This declaration came only one month after the same FDA political hacks posted the following on their website, “There are no safe levels of Melamine.”

Melamine has also been found across the United States in candies, cookies and other products containing milk products from China. Some products have been pulled, others ignored. I would strongly suggest reading labels and avoiding all products that say milk or milk products on them until the current appointees have left the FDA – perhaps we should see if the next Administration does better in its appointments to that department before using any products containing milk unless we know the milk comes from American cows and factories. In America we only have to worry about hormones and antibiotics.

Continuing with bad decisions. The EPA has been ordered not to test lead emissions from cement plants, smelters, steel mills and other factories which all but guarantees an increase in lead emissions in air pollution. Lead is so toxic to children, that when lead was banned in gasoline refining in the 1950s, the IQs of average American improved significantly. 1 molecule decreases IQ in children that breathe them.

The Bush Administration has also created regulations that banned toxic substances and hazardous products on the job. They have lowered standards so that workers are no longer guaranteed protection while working with toxic chemicals.