Autism Rates Rise With Increased Mercury Pollution

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/apr/2/autism_mercury.htm

 

Autism Rates Rise With Increased Mercury Pollution

 

Consider the facts: Hundreds of coal-burning plants in the United

States send about 48 tons of mercury into the air every year. It is

estimated there are 1.5 million people in the United States diagnosed

with autism (mostly children) and the number of cases has sharply

increased within recent years. A connection? You bet.

 

According to a study, mercury released primarily from coal-fired

plants may be contributing to the sharp increase in autism rates.

Researchers specifically focused on Texas county-by-county levels of

mercury emissions recorded by the government and compared the results to:

 

* Autism rates

* Special education services in 1,200 Texas school districts

 

Main finding: On average, for each 1000 lb of environmentally released

mercury, there was a 61 percent increase in the rate of autism.

 

This concern is being studied by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC), though the organization is unsure how many cases

of autism exist in the United States, or whether the number has

increased. The Bush administration has also taken a hand in the case

and has ordered power plants to reduce mercury pollution by 50 percent

within 15 years; however, environmentalists have called for a 90

percent mercury emission reduction.

 

Health and Place February 17, 2005

 

Reuters March 16, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

A recent study confirmed my concerns that there are a rising number of

children suffering from autism in America. Autism used to be quite

rare, but now it appears to range from one in 500 to one in 1,000

cases each year in the US.

 

In addition to the study above, a number of other studies have linked

these rising autism rates to mercury exposure. And while recent

attention has been drawn to the effects of childhood vaccines, this

Texas study focuses on another major contributor to the demise of our

children's health: Coal-burning plants releasing mercury in the

environment at an alarming rate.

 

Mercury's Journey From Power Plants to Your Body

 

We know that coal-fired utility plants are already releasing 48 TONS,

or 80,000 pounds, of mercury a year into the air, but where do you

think this mercury winds up?

 

Much of it goes into the water system and now even pristine lakes in

the mountains, far removed from society, are contaminated with mercury

as a result of the winds--which blow this mercury around. Mercury has

now become a part of our fish supply and a major contributor to a

number of severe health issues, autism, of course, included.

 

Yet even without the water becoming contaminated, people may still

become exposed to mercury pollution. They may even breathe some of the

particles in before they fall to the ground. And what happens to the

mercury particles that fall, not in the lakes and waterways, but on

the ground? Some of these will be tracked around on the bottoms of

people's shoes, even winding up in the home, since most people don't

follow the important rule of removing their shoes when entering the

home. Once in the home children can get them on their hands, which

inevitably wind up in their mouths.

 

Therefore, to safeguard your health and that of your vulnerable child,

I urge you to review the previous articles I have run, such as Learn

How Mercury Is Affecting You and the Ones You Love and Is Toxic

Mercury Exposure Ruining Your Life?, so you can educate yourself on

the dangers of mercury exposure and how to prevent this toxin from

affecting you and your family.

 

Related Articles:

 

Autism and Mercury

 

Mercury Pollutes Nation's Rivers, Lakes

 

Mercury From Chlorine Plants Pummels You & the Environment