Donald Trump Administration Approved Toxic Chemical Linked To Fetal Heart Defects, Report Says
A report from Reveal News claims that the administration of Donald Trump pushed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve the toxic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), which is reportedly in tap water systems in 41 states, despite research linking it to fetal heart defects.
According to the report, John DeSesso was at the center of the approval. DeSesso is reportedly paid to cast doubt on the growing research that TCE is toxic to humans, with many studies showing immune disorders, cancer clusters, and fetal abnormalities in communities victim to TCE contamination.
The contract scientist, who has been on a mission to encourage the EPA to loosen its standards for years, allegedly attempted to convince the agency that TCE is not dangerous. In September of 2019, DeSesso conducted a presentation to undermine the findings that TCE causes heart defects in rats. However, EPA scientists in attendance had reportedly heard DeSesso’s criticism before and didn’t buy it.
Despite their rejection of the findings, Reveal News reports that the EPA under Trump ultimately decided to stop the regulatory process of TCE and hold off on any new restrictions until new research was conducted. Last week, the fruits of this research were released and dismissed decades of scientific research that suggested that fetal heart defects are linked to unsafe levels of TCE exposure.
NEXT? How about Trichloroethylene, or TCE, is used remove grease from metal parts. Associated with cancer, birth defects, water contaminant. pic.twitter.com/9FafNaOWxK
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) October 22, 2017
According to Reveal News, the Trump White House directed the radical alteration of findings linked to TCE’s dangers. In a 700-page draft evaluation that was sent to the White House and pre-approved by EPA scientists, DeSesso’s study was scrutinized for numerous alleged methodological limitations. Despite these findings, the White House reportedly directed the EPA to override such data, which was compiled by its own scientists.
“According to two government scientists, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs, EPA scientists were directed to substantially rewrite their evaluation by discarding the science on TCE’s role in fetal heart defects,” the Reveal report reads.
Jennifer McPartland, a senior scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund, claims the decision to green-light TCE does not bode well for public health.
“This decision is grave. It not only underestimates the lifelong risks of the chemical, especially to the developing fetus, it also presents yet another example of this administration bowing to polluters’ interests over public health.”
The Trump administration has not become known for its friendliness to science and environmental protections. As The Inquisitr previously reported, the current White House under the Trump administration rolled back endangered species protections back in August by gutting the Endangered Species Act.
