M8.4 Blog Chemical Policy Reform

In reading the Louisville charter reform, I decided to look into background paper #3, "Give the public and workers the full right-to-know and participate". I found this paper to be quite informational and informative. As a consumer of fruits and vegetables and of course as a Public Health professional I feel like the public is entitled to know what chemicals are being used and what we are consuming. his paper goes into why the public deserves to know about chemicals, pesticides and toxins that are found around us everyday. The paper starts off with why honoring the right to know, it states it helps engage the public to take action on how to improve health and safety, provides relevant data, informs the public on the 100,000 chemicals that are out there and how they affect short and long term health effects. The paper goes into detail on how to make the right to know laws useful such as providing error correction on data that provided false information, electronic reporting such as posting reports on line making them accessible to the public and standardized and specific reporting which entails reaching out to industries and companies and being able to ask for a full reports on experiments that have been conducted using harmful chemicals. Also stated in the paper, are notable initiatives such as lead paint right to know which entails the federal publicly posting lead levels found in homes and apartment buildings so when future renters or home owners come to look at the location they are well aware of whether these sites are safe to live. Beach pollution right to know informs the public pm whether there is sewage or pollution making it public if it is safe to swim or not. There is also the toddlers right to know (something new to me), which informs consumers on the antifreeze that is added so they wont get sick by the pesticides found on foods. That initiative makes no sense due to the fact we are exposed everyday by pesticides and by adding one that will minimize the taste makes no difference. OSHA is explained in detail how it exists to inform and keep workers safe. One note about OSHA is the amount of workers they have that the paper states "there is enough OSHA inspectors to inspect a workplace every 80 years!". How depressing is that? More workers need to be hired to ensure work places are safe and viable. The paper overall was informative on the rights and initiatives the public has to take control on their health and safety.