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Slideshow: 13 States that Need an Erin Brockovich
Disease clusters are still too little understood and there is great need for more research. The Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Disease Cluster Alliance make the following recommendations:
There is a need for better documentation and investigation of disease clusters to identify and address possible causes. Meanwhile, toxic chemicals should be identified and controlled through reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), so these chemicals don't pollute communities and sicken people.
Due to a lack of resources, the limited statistical power in doing investigations of small communities or rare diseases, and a lack of knowledge about exposures, it has been difficult for state and federal agencies to shed light on most disease clusters and their causes. There is a need for better documentation and investigation of disease clusters and their causes.
Specifically, the organizations call for:
1. Directing and funding federal agencies to swiftly assist state and local officials, and investigate community concerns about potential disease clusters and their causes;
2. Reducing or eliminating toxic releases into air, water, soil and food through stronger environmental controls and tough enforcement of those requirements; and
3. Requiring chemical manufacturers to ensure the safety of their products.
Read more here.
Last week, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Disease Cluster Alliance released a health alert (
Arkansas
Location : Prairie Grove, Washington County
Disease: Testicular cancer
California
Location: Oroville, Butte County
Disease:Pancreatic cancer
Location: Kettleman City, Kings County
Disease: Birth defects
Location: Montecito, Santa Barbara County
Disease: Childhood le
Delaware
Location: Lower Christiana, New Castle County
Disease: Lung and all cancers
Location: Uper Christiana, New Castle County
Disease: Prostate cancer
Location: Central Pencader, New Castle County<
Florida
Location: Tallevast, Manatee County
Disease: Cancer
Location: Imokalee, Collier County
Disease: Birth defects
Location: Loxahatchee (Acreage), Palm Beach County
Disease: Brain cancer
Louisiana
Location: Mossville, Calcasieu Parish*
Disease: Various
Location: Coteau, Iberia Parish
Disease: Childhood leukemia
Location: Amelia, St. Mary Parish
Disease: Neuroblastoma, spina bifid
Michigan
Location: White Lake, Muskegon County
Disease: Cancers
Location: Midland, Saginaw, and Bay Counties
Disease: Breast Cancer
Missouri
Location: Herculaneum, Jefferson County
Disease: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Montana
Location: Libby, Lincoln County
Disease: Respiratory diseases
North Carolina
Location: Bynum, Chatham County
Disease: Various cancers
Location: Camp Lejeune, Onslow County
Disease: Birth defects, childhood cancer, and male breast cancer
Ohio
Location: Clyde, Sandusky County
Disease: Childhood cancer
Location: Marion, Marion County
Disease: Leukemia
Location: Wellington, Lorain County
Disease: Multiple sclerosis
Location:
Pennsylvania
Location: Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County
Disease: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and lupus
Location: Schuylkill, Carbon and Luzerne Counties
Disease: Polycythemia vera
Tennessee
Location: Dickson, Dickson County
Disease: Oral cleft birth defects
Texas
Location: El Paso, El Paso County
Disease: Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Location: Midlothian, Ellis County
Disease: Birth defects
Location: San Antonio, Bexar County
Disease: Liver cancer
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