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ATSDR - MCS Report Info

Responses of various people living with MCS, and MCS organizations
http://www.ehnca.org/www/atsdr/atsdrmcs.htm#Rebuttals

 

Summary of Public Comments Received for the
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Report

Prepared For:
National Center for Environmental Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4770 Buford Highway, NE MS-F29
Atlanta, GA 30341
September 29, 2000
http://www.health.gov/environment/mcs/comments/toc.htm


Dear Visitors:

First let's read from OSHA's mission statement. OSHA??, you query, for you thought you were here for the ATSDR Report on MCS. Well you are, but first I'd like to take you through the writings of OSHA ... at least as they appeared when this was first put up in 1998.

Over 100 Million Workers Count On OSHA

The mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America's workers. To accomplish this, federal and state governments must work in partnership with the more than 100 million working men and women and their six and a half million employers who are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
http://www.osha.gov/oshinfo/mission.html (This will open a new page, just close it to get back to EHN's page.)


Now, I hope you are as outraged as I am that OSHA, in its infinite wisdom, declared "MCS is clearly not occupationally related." This immediately after "Because the cause of MCS is not currently known, control methods could only be based on unproven theories." How praytell, if OSHA cannot possibly figure out that MCS exists in part because of :
  • Refinery blowouts;
  • Diesel exhaust;
  • Laboratory work with various chemicals;
  • Dental and medical work with various chemicals;
  • Industry work with various chemicals; and also because schools, workplaces, hospitals, places of worship ,... are laden with
  • superfluous toxins, which exist in our commonly and unwittingly used personal care products, as well as in our household and janitorial cleaning and maintenance products, and these include pesticides and air "fresheners"
How can OSHA then state categorically that "MCS is clearly not occupationally related"?
http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/multiplechemicalsensitivities/index.html

I JUST know, that IF it weren't for office workplace management decisions of yesteryear, today I'd not have MCS, nor a tumor. Luckily benign. Nonetheless, I was injured in the workplace. Anecdotal as that may be, it IS true. And sadly, I'm merely one of millions upon millions of people now disabled with MCS who were injured in their workplaces. OSHA, where are you? Do you not take to heart your Mission Statement?

OSHA also references the "The Interagency Workgroup on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Predecisional Draft" August 24, 1998. See Multiple Chemical Sensitivities http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/multiplechemicalsensitivities/index.html

The "ATSDR Report" -http://web.health.gov/environment/mcs/index.htm - was not formally released as a final document, and for good reasons -- just one of which is its industry bias is clearly in place and that raises quite a barnsmell to those of us who know MCS! To read some of the comments sent in by the REAL experts, link out to the opinions of the people/organizations given below -- Rebuttals and responses of various MCS experts and organizations

Next, take a moment to write to OSHA -http://www.osha-slc.gov/html/suggestion2.html. They obviously have not done their homework from a public health and well being aspect. They have done an excellent job of protecting industry. OSHA should hear from you ... the REAL experts, mustering all the credible documentation you can. And copy your comments to the political candidtates, while you are at it, as well as the sitting politicians. -- barb

MCS Report, Predecision Draft
This is the final release ... the draft! -- barb
http://web.health.gov/environment/mcs/index.htm


Rebuttals and responses of various MCS experts and organizations to the MCS Report:

NOTE: Of 392 comments received, including form letters:

  • 14 were not supportive of the report and recommends no final report be written;
  • 268 were not supportive of the report and recommends substantive changes in report;
  • 98 were supportive of report but with editorial changes; and
  • 12 were supportive of the report as written.
This, according to Appendix E: Tables and Charts at http://web.health.gov/environment/mcs/comments/appendE.htm#exhibite1a


Had been at page top, while still timely --

The Interagency Workgroup on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Also known as The MCS Report.
Comment deadline was extended until Dec. 15, 1998.

Please read and send them your comments! Remember, do not send any truly personal information as comments may be made public.

If this has just come to your attention, past the deadline, try using their forms for sending your comments anyway. ("Nothing ventured, nothing gained.")

    imho, They had five years to work on this draft which does little to shed light on MCS -- except to carry forth the wisdom of the chemical and mainstream western medical industries, which is all old hat to us anyway.

    Don't worry about responding line for line. The experts did that. Let them know how it is to live with MCS . . . how it will affect the economy as more and more become ill. Tell them how it is. -- barb


Comment deadline was: Dec. 15, 1998

Written comments relating to the report were to be mailed to:

ATSDR's Information Center
1600 Clifton Road, Mail Stop E57
Atlanta, GA 30333

attention Alice Knox


Unfortunately, the Workgroup did not see its way clear to extend the deadline until Jan. 15, 1999, which would have better enabled students of all ages to respond. A six months extension would better serve the MCS community, but thus far the Workgroup doesn't seem to want to go beyond their extension of Dec. 15, 1998.

Please read the MCS report and send in your comments! Remember, do not send any medical or truly personal information as comments may be made public.

If you'd like to view some suggestions for responding to ATSDR, please see How do I respond? (http://www.ehnca.org/www/ehnhompg/atsdrtip.htm).

Comments? (Barb's email is no longer valid, please contact EHN). Please put WWW in subject line. Thanks.


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The Environmental Health Network (EHN) [of California] is a 501 (c) (3) non profit agency and offers support and information for the chemically injured. EHN brings you topics on this page that need your immediate attention The URL for this page is http://www.ehnca.org/www/ehnact.htm