Do we have any estimates on how many actual deaths (or sicknesses) occur due to the use of these chemicals? I care because if we can't positively attribute death or sickness to the use of these chemicals, it seems unfair to tarnish them.
http://healthvermont.gov/response/environmental/pfoa-drinkin...
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/13/nyregion/military-base-co...
The second link mentions more contaminated water supply, and mentions cancer.
I am asking if anybody can directly demonstrate that using this in food liner has an even detectable rate of harm.
If it doesn't then there is no reasonable basis, just fear, to remove the chemicals from the liners.
If not, isn't the precautionary principle good?
I guess this highlights how poor humans are at identifying and thinking about risk.
in this case it's almost certainly true that food liners do not contribute enough of the toxin to have an effect- below a certain dosage the body simply mops up all the toxin and there is no cumulative harm. On the other hand where people are exposed to massive amounts, they develop obvious and clear health problems.
This isn't really abotu advancing chemistry or biology, either. We have a pretty good understanding that these contaminants need to be consumed repeatedly, at high exposure levels, to have a detectable effect. Epidemiology would be more likely to create a compelling for or against case than additional medical research.
I mean, I'd have an easier time if you could show at least a compelling argument that harm has been done.
I'm not proposing that the safety of all chemicals be proven before they are used, I realize that it is logically impossible. I'm saying that spraying tons of stuff that is chemically similar to known problematic compounds out into the environment to see if it is bad is the wrong approach.
Stuff that isn't chemically similar to known problematic compounds? Take a more relaxed approach.
As for similar reactions- well, that's nice, but again, just seeing that a molecule participates in some chemistry has little to no predictive ability for health outcomes.