President Trump has nominated ‘chemical industry ally’ Dr Michael L. Dourson for the role of head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, in a move that has shocked environmentalists and those who are lobbying for stricter legislation on chemicals.
This is significant because one of the key parts in Dourson’s proposed role is determining which chemicals should have stricter regulation, what the safe levels of chemicals are, and which should be banned as they are a danger to public health. The timing of the proposed appointment means that Dourson will be in charge for the upcoming reviews of the widely used chemicals 1,4-dioxane, 1-bromopropane, trichloroethylene and chlorpyrifos.
The fear, as a number of chemical insiders have noted, is that Dourson’s previous work in reviewing the safety levels of chemicals has often had favourable results for the chemical companies that have funded his research. As the New York Times reported on Tuesday (19/9/17), “The source of the concern is a consulting group that Mr. Dourson founded in 1995, which has been paid by chemical companies for research and reports that frequently downplayed the health risks posed by their compounds.”
The Associated Press also looked at Dourson’s track record, and noted that, “Court records show Dourson and his work have often been called on when his corporate clients are seeking to fend off lawsuits.”
It cites the example of when, “DuPont was accused of polluting a West Virginia town with Perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA [brand named as Teflon], a chemical that the company’s internal tests had long ago concluded were toxic. Corporate officials discussed hiring Dourson as part of a strategy to defend themselves. [When] One DuPont executive praised Dourson’s “ability to assemble a ‘package’ and then sell this to the EPA, or whomever we desired,” according to an email cited in a 2013 legal claim by people who blamed exposure to the chemical for cancer, birth defects and other health problems.”
The American news outlet, CNBC also found that, “Dourson led a team that found in 2002 that PFOA levels up to 150 parts per billion were safe, a level higher than was found in testing of 188 private wells and springs.
That was also well above the 1 part per billion Dupont’s own scientists had concluded could be considered safe years before. The EPA now says that only 70 parts per trillion of PFOA are acceptable — or only 0.05% of what Dourson’s team said was safe.
DuPont and a former subsidiary, Chemours Co., later paid $761 million to settle 3,550 lawsuits stemming from its use of the chemical.”
In a similar situation, the New York Times reports that, “PPG Industries, a paint and coatings manufacturer, uses a chemical called 1,4-dioxane, which the E.P.A. designated ‘a likely carcinogen,’ in its products. The substance is also created incidentally in some shampoos, cosmetics and personal care products through chemical reactions.
PPG hired Mr. Dourson’s group, which proposed establishing a safe level for 1,4-dioxane that would allow 1,000 times more risk than the E.P.A.’s recommended level.”
Cases such as these have led some to believe that Dourson will merely find the results that suit his chemical company paymasters, rather than conducting open-minded research.
Speaking of his proposed appointment, Sheldon Krimsky, a Tufts University professor who studies ethics in science and medicine, and who has reviewed Dourson’s recent published work, said, “It is not even subtle. He has chosen to be the voice of the chemical industry. His role as a scientist is simply the role of an industry-hired lawyer — only to give the best case for their client.”
Meanwhile, the American Chemistry Council has said that Dourson would make an excellent addition to the EPA, with Jon Corley, the group's spokesman stating that, “His knowledge, experience and leadership will strengthen EPA's processes for evaluating and incorporating high quality science into regulatory decision making."
The EPA website also boasts numerous accolades of support for his nomination. It is also known that Dourson has worked (without pay) for the Toxicology Forum and the Toxicology Education Foundation, whose primary funders include the American Chemistry Council, oil companies and the makers of food additives. Dourson has resigned or has promised to resign from these posts if his position at the EPA is confirmed.
Meanwhile, in a press release, CropLife, international trade associationthe for agribusiness, stated that, “CropLife America (CLA) commends the administration on its choice and looks forward to working with Dr Dourson, once confirmed.”
CropLife America’s president and CEO, Jay Vroom announcing that, “We welcome Dr Dourson’s nomination to serve as EPA’s Assistant Administrator of OCSPP. His extensive experience in risk assessment and science, both in the government and private sector make him a valuable addition to the office.” Adding that, “Dr Dourson’s years at EPA and practical experience as a toxicologist are just a few of the qualities that make him a perfect fit for this position.”
The nomination is, like much of the Trump administration, controversial, but is part of a long-held belief by the President that deregulation will lead the way to chemical industry growth. Others will argue that Dourson is too deep in the pocket of chemical companies to fairly evaluate proposed bans and chemical restrictions. They point to his record as a ‘pro-deregulation’ scientist, as evidence that he will remove much legislation that is keeping American’s healthy.
Certainly, the millions who voted for Trump knew that he was pro-business, and that he had campaigned on a ticket of deregulation, which included the removal of red tape that was inhibiting industrial growth, particularly in sectors such as energy, steel, automotive AND chemicals.
Clear and bold battle lines are being drawn ahead of the press release, CropLifeSenate’s upcoming confirmation hearing, with Democrats, Republicans, chemical industry leaders, lobbyists, and environmentalists all of strong opinion. Only time will tell what impact his appointment, if successful, will have on the health of the chemical industry and the health of the population.
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Photo credit: New York Times, CNN & The Sun
