Lately, there has been a good amount of buzz surrounding a weedkiller called atrazine. It's been used for years as a very effective herbicide, and treating corn producers to a much higher yield of crop.
But as the New York Times reported, atrazine has leeched into many of the nation's reservoir's and watersheds. Places like Indiana and Ohio were the hardest hit according to the National Resource Defense Council, which is no surprise given the area's high corn production. But if you are not a Midwest resident, you should still keep an eye on your water quality.
So why should you care? Well, atrazine has a bit of a checkered past. Atrazine research has documented reports of hormone disruption and birth defects in expectant mothers. The Center for Biological Diversity warns
New research on birth defects at extremely low concentrations and documentation of widespread ground- and drinking-water contamination has strengthened the case for banning the toxic compound atrazine, the most commonly used herbicide in the United States
Now lawyers are getting involved as atrazine-maker Syngenta-AG is being pulled into a lawsuit over atrazine's rampant drinking water contamination.
Officials warn women who may be pregnant to keep an eye on chemicals like atrazine in their water supplies, and further urge them get their water tested on a regular basis.
This story follows a long line of coverage on pharmaceuticals and pesticides in the water. The common theme here is modern chemistry is moving at a much faster pace than previous contaminants.To stay ahead of these issues, a proactive approach is always a good idea.
There are consumer options out there for you to ensure water quality - especially if you are an expectant mother. If you email me at this blog, I would be happy to get you in touch with a water expert at Culligan to talk about solutions.
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