The FDA just banned fluorine-based chemicals in food packaging because of their toxicity ... but won't ban fluoride in public water supplies

Friday, February 26, 2016 by: Jennifer Lea Reynolds
Tags: fluorine chemicals, fluoride, FDA

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(NaturalNews) In response to a petition filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Environmental Working Group (EWG), and other environmental groups, the FDA has announced that it will ban a variety of toxic food packaging chemicals and cancer-causing food flavoring chemicals – chemicals they had previously approved.⁽¹⁾

Specifically, the food packaging chemicals they're banning are all perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which belong to a class of coating chemicals associated with causing cancers, neurological problems, hormone imbalances and other serious health problems. Items typically coated with PFCs include take-out food containers, non-stick cookware and pizza boxes.⁽¹⁾

The organizations final ruling on the matter is stated as follows:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is amending the food additive regulations to no longer provide for the use of three specific perfluoroalkyl ethyl containing food-contact substances (FCSs) as oil and water repellants for paper and paperboard for use in contact with aqueous and fatty foods because new data are available as to the toxicity of substances structurally similar to these compounds that demonstrate there is no longer a reasonable certainty of no harm from the food-contact use of these FCSs.⁽²⁾

So, why isn't the FDA banning fluoride in public water supplies?

While this is certainly good news, their move still begs the question: if fluorine-based chemicals, "... no longer [show] a reasonable certainty of no harm ..." then why isn't the FDA interested in banning fluoride in public water supplies?

Seriously, just because many people have it in their heads that fluoride builds healthy teeth (cavity prevention), and that it's not harmful (because the medical professionals say so, because ads say so, etc.), that doesn't make it true.

Health-conscious people like Natural News readers know this, but the point is that the FDA, which has regulatory oversight regarding tap water quality standards, isn't on board with the concept that fluoride is unhealthy. In fact, they downright embrace fluoride in the water system; their website states that, "... fluoride is voluntarily added to some drinking water systems as a public health measure to help reduce the incidence of cavities among the population."⁽³⁾

Most fluoride in tap water isn't naturally-occurring; even some dentists say it's not safe

The sad reality is that fluoride in water – contrary to what many people think – doesn't necessarily come from naturally-occurring elements within the earth. Oh no, much of the fluoride that's added to the public water system comes from industrial waste systems' dangerous byproducts which haven't even been tested to gauge safety levels. Needless to say, they certainly don't do a thing for oral health, let alone other health aspects.⁽⁴⁾

Just ask Dr. Hardy Limeback. He's a dentist and former head of preventative dentistry at the University of Toronto who used to be in favor of water fluoridation. Today, however, he sings a different tune, one that hones in on the harms of such a method. "The chemical used in over 90 percent of cities in North America are fluorosilicates," he says. "[Fluorosilicates] are contaminated with cancer-causing arsenic and radioactive particles," Dr. Limeback explains, "and have never been tested for safety in humans."⁽⁴⁾

Water fluoridation linked to a host of health problems

Indeed, according to the Fluoride Action Network (FAN), "fluoride is a highly toxic substance that can cause a range of adverse health effects." Such health problems range from cancer and cardiovascular disease, to brain and fertility issues.

With dental professionals, environmental organizations and residents coming forward about the health problems associated with water fluoridation, we can't help but wonder why the FDA continues to ignore the issue. Enough tap dancing around what's in the public's best interests and of acting as "anti-science front groups," as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, says. It's time the FDA announces a ban on fluoride in our entire water system.

Sources for this article include:

(1) CivilEats.com

(2) GPO.gov

(3) FDA.gov

(4) NaturalNews.com

(5) Science.NaturalNews.com

(6) FluorideAlert.org