The FASCINATING & DANGEROUS Realm of CHEMICAL SYNERGY

SYNERGY, in the world of toxicity , is the interaction or combination of two or more chemicals, creating an effect greater than the effect of any of the chemicals acting alone. Put another way: The presence of one chemical enhances the effects of the second. The ramifications are absolutely staggering. Consider the reality of this: Given that we are exposed to thousands of chemicals every day, when is a chemical in your body or in your environment isolated from all the other chemicals in your body and your environment? Never! That means we are living in—and have living inside of us!—a witches brew of potential synergistic reactions. The possible variations or permutations are so numerous they might as well be infinite. How many of these synergistic reactions have been studied by scientists? To coin a word: nano-few.

Even individual chemicals and their danger to our health are grossly understudied. It is the EPA’s job to review around 1,700 new chemicals or compounds every year. There are about 82,000 chemicals in use today and only about 25% of them have been tested for toxicity.1

Viewing this from the other side is an equally alarming perspective found in an article in the American Chronicle (2/20/07): In studying “autism, ASD, ADD, ADHD, as well as many of the autoimmune and other disorders and diseases that baffle science, the time has come to cut to the chase. We argue over the obvious and in the end get nowhere as what is right in front of our eyes eludes us. The problem lies in that scientists are looking for one specific cause to each problem.”2 Certainly in the realm of body chemistry, nothing works in isolation from anything else.

An intriguing discovery: I came upon an article published in May 1996, which looked at a breakthrough study of multiple chemical sensitivity, synergy, and Gulf War Syndrome. The results showed a link between exposure to multiple chemicals and abnormal nerve function. The author goes on to exclaim, “This research should prompt EPA to immediately require appropriate warnings. Regulations have long been based on studies of individual chemicals and their individual effects. Now EPA must take steps to regulate combinations of chemicals in order to assure appropriate levels of public safety.

“The policy implications of the synergistic effect of chemicals will cause a top-to-bottom re-vamping of chemical regulations.”3

That was almost 11 years ago! Did YOU see a re-vamping of chemical regulations?

In the workplace, material safety data sheets (MSDSs) are one line of defense—if you read them and follow the precautionary measures! And yet rare is the MSDS that contains information about the chemical product as a whole (including synergistic effects). Routinely, MSDSs explain only the effects of individual chemicals.

All of this underscores the whole premise of the ranting and raving I am so inclined to do: Preventing chemical exposures must be a top priority. And that requires individual commitment on the part of each worker. I see no quandary here: the decision of whether or not to protect my health is so blatantly clear. The consequences of compromise can be devastating. I hope it is evident to you as well.

1. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=20948
2. ibid
3. http://consumerlawpage.com/article/gulfwar.shtml