After an estimated 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were manufactured in the U.S. — the majority by Monsanto — it was revealed that they're incredibly toxic and persistent in the environment.
They were finally banned in 1979 after their carcinogenic potential and ability to accumulate in the environment were revealed, however their toxicity was known to Monsanto long before that, perhaps as early as the 1950s and likely by 1970.1
PCBs have also been linked to infertility and reproductive and endocrine damage along with neurological effects, including damage to learning and memory. They're known neurodevelopmental toxins and a recent study has also found an association with autism.
In Utero Exposure to PCBs May Increase Autism Risk
Pregnant women with relatively high levels of certain PCBs had children who were 80 percent more likely to be diagnosed with autism than children born to women with lower levels. Those in the higher PCB exposure groups also had double the risk of intellectual disabilities (without autism).2
Study author Kristen Lyall, Sc.D., assistant professor in Drexel University's A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, told Drexel University:3
Are Children Still Being Harmed by Monsanto's PCBs?"To examine the role of environmental exposures in risk of autism, it is important that samples are collected during time frames with evidence for susceptibility for autism — termed 'critical windows' in neurodevelopment. Fetal development is one of those critical windows.... Adverse effects are related to levels of exposure, not just presence or absence of detectable levels ... In our Southern California study population, we found evidence for modestly increased risk for individuals in the highest 25th percentile of exposure to some of these chemicals ...The results suggest that prenatal exposure to these chemicals above a certain level may influence neurodevelopment in adverse ways."
According to the researchers:4
The PCBs most significantly linked with autism were PCB 138/158 and PCB 153, which increased the risk of autism up to 82 percent at high exposure levels in utero. PCB 170 and PCB 180 were linked to a 50 percent increased risk of autism at high prenatal exposure levels."The overall pattern of our results suggests increases in risk of ASD [autism spectrum disorder] and ID [intellectual disability] with prenatal exposure to higher levels of a number of OCCs [organochlorine compounds], and in particular, PCBs."
Even though PCBs haven't been used for decades, they don't break down easily in the environment, which means virtually everyone's been exposed. While you can be exposed from breathing PCB-contaminated air, the most common route of exposure is via your food, especially seafood.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR):5
PCBs are, unfortunately, another one of Monsanto's toxic legacies that continue to cause immeasurable harm."Although PCBs are no longer manufactured in the United States, people can still be exposed to them ... Because they are resistant to degradation, highly chlorinated PCB compounds can persist in the environment for decades ... Food is the main source of exposure to PCBs for the general population."
In addition to the recent Drexel University study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai identified PCBs as one of 11 environmental chemicals that disrupt brain development and cause brain damage, neurological abnormalities, reduced IQ, and aggressiveness in children.6
Monsanto Faces Hundreds of Lawsuits Over PCBs
Monsanto (and Monsanto-related entities) is now facing at least 700 lawsuits on behalf of people who claim their exposure to PCBs caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma.7
In addition, an increasing number of U.S. cities, including Seattle, Washington, Spokane, Washington and San Diego, San Jose, Oakland and Berkeley, California, have filed lawsuits against the company for causing disastrous environmental pollution.
In 2002, Monsanto was found guilty of decades of "outrageous acts of pollution" in the town of Anniston, Alabama, where it dumped PCBs into the local river and secretly buried the toxic chemical in a landfill.8
How Many PCBs Are in Your Fish Dinner?
Many people choose to eat seafood because they believe it to be a healthy food source. Unfortunately, decades of pollution from PCBs and other toxins have left many waterways full of chemical cocktails that bioaccumulate in the creatures living within. As a result, most seafood is too polluted to eat.
The exception is the fairly limited selection of seafood that comes from pristine, non-polluted waters, like wild-caught Alaskan salmon, or fish that are too small to accumulate many toxins during their lifespan (like sardines and anchovies).
In the U.S., however, farmed salmon is one of the most popular seafood choices, with many being misled to believe it is a safe choice for dinner. In reality, farmed salmon is one of the worst seafood choices available, especially in terms of PCBs.
For starters, their pens are often placed near shore, which means they're close to land-based sources of pollutant run-off. In addition, they're fed a diet of ground-up fishmeal, which may lead to concentrated levels of PCBs.
In a global assessment of farmed salmon published in the journal Science, PCB concentrations in farmed salmon were found to be eight times higher than in wild salmon.9
Similarly, when the Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested farmed salmon from U.S. grocery stores, they found farmed salmon had, on average:10
- 16 times more PCBs than wild salmon
- 4 times more PCBs than beef
- 3.4 times more PCBs than other seafood
Seafood Fraud: Seafood Is Often Mislabeled"PCBs concentrate in oils and fat, and previous tests of salmon feed have consistently found PCB contamination. If farmed salmon with the average PCB level found in this study were caught in the wild, EPA advice would restrict consumption to no more than one meal a month.But because farmed salmon are bought, not caught, their consumption is not restricted in any way."
It's incredibly important to know what type of seafood you're eating, because different varieties vary widely in their level of pollutants like PCBs. Unfortunately, it can be virtually impossible to know what type of seafood you're actually eating.
According to a report by oceans advocacy non-profit organization Oceana, 1 in 3 seafood samples tested in the U.S. were mislabeled. Red snapper and tuna were mislabeled most often (87 percent and 59 percent of the time, respectively), but even salmon is often not what it claims to be on the label.12
In one Oceana study, for instance, 43 percent of U.S. salmon samples were mislabeled, with many samples labeled "wild" in restaurants and grocery stores turning out to be farmed.13
This is potentially health harming for anyone, but for those at high risk from PCB exposure, such as pregnant women, breastfeeding women, young children and the elderly (who may have a harder time excreting these toxins), consuming mislabeled "wild" salmon that is actually farmed could be devastating, especially if you consume it often.
For Lower PCBs, Look for Alaskan or Sockeye Salmon
If you're looking for salmon that is not dangerously contaminated with PCBs, avoided all farmed salmon. Among the safest in terms of contamination, and the highest in healthy omega-3 fat, is wild-caught Alaskan and sockeye salmon. Neither is allowed to be farmed and is therefore always wild-caught.
The risk of sockeye accumulating high amounts of pollutants is reduced because of its short life cycle, which is only about three years. Additionally, bioaccumulation of toxins is also reduced by the fact that it doesn't feed on other already-contaminated, fish. The two designations you want to look for on the label are: "Alaskan salmon" (or wild Alaskan salmon) and "Sockeye salmon." Canned salmon labeled "Alaskan salmon" is also a good choice and offers a less expensive alternative to salmon fillets.
Glyphosate: Another Monsanto Product Associated With Autism?
As the saying goes, a leopard doesn't change its spots, and it's not a stretch to assume that a company like Monsanto, one of the producers of not only PCBs but also Agent Orange, would continue to manufacture toxic products, i.e., glyphosate.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide and the most used agricultural chemical in history, is a probable carcinogen and also leads to the creation of ammonia (a byproduct created when certain microbes break down glyphosate in your body).
Children with autism tend to have significantly higher levels of ammonia in their blood than the general population. In your brain, ammonia causes encephalitis, i.e., brain inflammation.
Further, according to research by former U.S. Navy staff scientist Nancy Swanson, Ph.D., the incidence of autism has risen in a near-perfect correlation with glyphosate usage. As it stands, the exact causes of autism remain unclear, but it's becoming increasingly likely that environmental exposures are involved.
To protect not only the people on earth now but also those that will make up future generations, it's important that the widespread environmental contamination caused by chemicals like PCBs is not allowed to happen all over again.
SAD NEWS: House Passes DARK Act Compromise
The House passed a compromise to the DARK Act that will force food distributors to disclose the presence of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients with a smartphone scan code. President Obama has signed the bill that removes states' rights for labeling GMOs. The bill is full of loopholes, which may allow genetically modified ingredients to slip through unannounced.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), aka GE foods, are live organisms whose genetic components have been artificially manipulated in a laboratory setting through creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and even viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.
GMO proponents claim that genetic engineering is "safe and beneficial," and that it advances the agricultural industry. They also say that GMOs help ensure the global food supply and sustainability. But is there any truth to these claims? I believe not. For years, I've stated the belief that GMOs pose one of the greatest threats to life on the planet. Genetic engineering is NOT the safe and beneficial technology that it is touted to be.
The FDA cleared the way for GE Atlantic salmon to be farmed for human consumption. Thanks to added language in the federal spending bill, the product will require special labeling so at least consumers will have the ability to identify the GE salmon in stores. However, it's imperative ALL GE foods be labeled clearly without a smartphone scan code because not everyone owns a smartphone.
The FDA is threatening the existence of our food supply. We have to start taking action now. I urge you to share this article with friends and family. If we act together, we can make a difference and put an end to the absurdity.
Boycott Smart Labels Today
When you see the QR code or so-called Smart Label on a food product, pass it by. Products bearing the Grocery Manufacturer's Association's (GMA) Smart Label mark are in all likelihood filled with pesticides and/or GMO ingredients.
The GMA's 300-plus members include chemical technology companies, GE seed and food and beverage companies. Monsanto, Dow and Coca-Cola are just some of the heavy-hitters in this powerful industry group, which has showed no qualms about doing whatever it takes to protect the interest of its members.
Don't waste your time searching through their website, which may or may not contain the information you're looking for. If they insist on wasting your time and making your shopping difficult, why reward them with a purchase?
A little known fact is that the GMA actually owns the "Smart Label" trademark that Congress has accepted as a so-called "compromise" to on-package GMO labeling, and that's another reason why I believe the Smart Label mark is the mark of those with something to hide, such as Monsanto.
- Shop at local farms and farmers markets
- Only buy products marked either "USDA 100 percent Organic" (which by law cannot contain GMOs), "100 percent Grass-Fed" or "Non-GMO Verified"
- If you have a smartphone and you don't mind using it, download the OCA's Buycott app to quickly and easily identify the thousands of proprietary brands belonging to GMA members, so you can avoid them, as well as identify the names of ethical brands that deserve your patronage
Campbell's, Mars, Kellogg's, ConAgra and General Mills all vowed to voluntarily comply with Vermont's GMO labeling law by labeling all of their foods sold across the U.S. Will their plans change now that the law has been passed by Congress and signed by the President? That remains to be seen, but if you like these companies, I would encourage you to reach out to them and ask them to remain steadfast in their promise.
Non-GMO Food Resources by Country
If you are searching for non-GMO foods, here is a list of trusted sites you can visit.
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