GROUP:

Commonweal Employees

health & safety concerns:	chemicals found
	on average	indivi- dual range	entire group
Birth defects and developmental delays	65	54-74	87
Cancer	63	52-72	86
Immune system (including sensitization and allergies)	63	52-72	85
Brain and nervous system	48	37-57	67
Reproduction and fertility	26	23-29	39
Endocrine system	19	16-21	30
Gastrointestinal (including liver)	10	8-13	20

bio- accumulative pollutants:	chemicals found
	on average	indivi- dual range	entire group
Persistent, accumulates in wildlife and/or people	26	23-28	32

Group members:

(5 People)

Davis Baltz
Michael Lerner
Sharyle Patton
Lexi Rome
Charlotte Brody

Locations:

Berkeley, CA
Bolinas, CA
Mill Valley, CA
Round Hill, VA

Group: Commonweal Employees
Found 134-150 of 214 tested chemicals (5 participants)

The blood and urine of the "Commonweal Employees" group contained 134-150 of 214 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to birth defects and developmental delays, cancer, and immune system toxicity.

Summary of chemicals found in Commonweal Employees

chemical family	level found in group	health effects	exposure routes
Alkylphenols	60% found, not quantified	Reproduction and fertility, Endocrine system	Cosmetics, detergents, pesticides, paints, carpet and dry cleaning
Arsenic (inorganic only)	20% high	Cancer, Gastrointestinal (including liver)	Pressure-treated (outdoor) wood, contaminated drinking water
Cadmium	20% high	Cancer, Kidney and renal system	Contaminated food and drinking water, cigarette smoke, contaminated factory air
Chlorinated dioxins & furans	20% high 80% moderate	Immune system (including sensitization and allergies), Birth defects and developmental delays, Cancer	Dietary sources, fatty meat, dairy and fish
Lead	40% high 60% moderate	Brain and nervous system, Birth defects and developmental delays	Lead-based paint in older homes, household dust, vinyl products, tap water
Methylmercury	60% high 40% moderate	Birth defects and developmental delays, Brain and nervous system	Dietary sources, particularly seafood
Organochlorine Pesticides (OCs)	50% low	Cancer, Reproduction and fertility, Birth defects and developmental delays	Contaminated food and drinking water
Organophosphate Pesticide metabolites (OPs)	20% high 40% moderate 40% low	Brain and nervous system	Contaminated food and drinking water
Phthalates	100% found, not quantified	Reproduction and fertility, Birth defects and developmental delays, Endocrine system	Cosmetics, paint, soft plastic, food packaging, and other consumer products
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)	20% high 80% moderate	Birth defects and developmental delays, Brain and nervous system, Immune system (including sensitization and allergies), Cancer	Dietary sources, fatty meat, dairy and fish
Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs)	100% found, not quantified	Birth defects and developmental delays, Cancer, Kidney and renal system	Contaminated indoor and outdoor air

Test results by chemical family (see each chemical)

alkylphenols

1 of 1 found — see each chemical

Surfactants in cosmetics, paints, detergents. Toxic to wildlife. May harm hormone system.

• geometric mean: results not quantified
• found in 3 of 5 people in the group (vs. 3 of 9 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Michael Lerner, Sharyle Patton, Charlotte Brody

found in 3 of 5 members of the group, but not quantified

chlorinated dioxins & furans

15 of 17 found — see each chemical

Pollutants from PVC production, industrial bleaching, and incineration. Cause cancer and may harm hormone system.

• geometric mean: 515 pg/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 14 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 2,725 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Michael Lerner, Davis Baltz, Charlotte Brody, Lexi Rome, Sharyle Patton

5	pg/g lipids in blood serum	1860

metals

4 of 5 found

Arsenic (inorganic only)

Known human carcinogen in pressure-treated wood and food. Common tap water pollutant.

• geometric mean: 1.84 ppb in urine (vs. 1.4 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in 1 of 5 people in the group (vs. 1 of 9 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Michael Lerner

21	ppb in urine	21

Cadmium

In batteries, pigments, coatings, plastic and cigarette smoke. Cadmium causes cancer and is linked to birth defects and kidney damage.

• geometric mean: 0.287 ppb in urine (vs. 0.339 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in 1 of 5 people in the group (vs. 3 of 9 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Lexi Rome

0.5	ppb in urine	0.7

Lead

Neurotoxic heavy metal linked to IQ deficits and behavioral problems. Found in dust from chipping lead paint in older homes, and in some tap water.

• geometric mean: 2.18 ug/dL in whole blood (vs. 1.33 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 7,896 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Lexi Rome, Sharyle Patton, Davis Baltz, Charlotte Brody, Michael Lerner

0.222	ug/dL in whole blood	4.7

Methylmercury

Forms from mercury, a pollutant from coal-fired power plants and other sources. Methylmercury accumulates in seafood and harms brain development and function.

• geometric mean: 2.92 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Charlotte Brody, Davis Baltz, Lexi Rome, Sharyle Patton, Michael Lerner

0.0735	ug/L in whole blood	25.9

organochlorine pesticides (ocs)

7 of 23 found — see each chemical

Includes DDT, chlordane, other pesticides. Largely banned in the U.S. Build up in the human body over time. Cause cancer and reproductive harm.

• geometric mean: 1.15 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 186 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 4,276 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Michael Lerner, Charlotte Brody, Davis Baltz, Lexi Rome, Sharyle Patton

0.615	ng/g lipids in blood serum	2830

organophosphate pesticide metabolites (ops)

7 of 9 found — see each chemical

Breakdown products from pesticides, including Dursban, formerly used in homes and currently used on produce. Can damage brain development.

• geometric mean: 14.8 ppb in urine (vs. 22.6 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 9 of 9 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Michael Lerner, Lexi Rome, Sharyle Patton, Charlotte Brody, Davis Baltz

4	ppb in urine	70.4

phthalates

5 of 6 found — see each chemical

In cosmetics, paint, and plastics. Linked to sperm damage and birth defects of male reproductive system.

• geometric mean: results not quantified
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 9 of 9 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Davis Baltz, Michael Lerner, Sharyle Patton, Lexi Rome, Charlotte Brody

found in 5 of 5 members of the group, but not quantified

polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs)

36-52 of 77 found — see each chemical

Banned industrial insulators and lubricants. Cause cancer and nervous system problems.

• geometric mean: 176 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 9.81 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 2,900 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Lexi Rome, Charlotte Brody, Davis Baltz, Michael Lerner, Sharyle Patton

2.95	ng/g lipids in blood serum	600

volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (vocs and svocs)

59 of 76 found — see each chemical

Used in wide range of household, craft, and industrial products. Common tap water and air pollutants. Includes neurotoxins and carcinogens.

• geometric mean: results not quantified
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 9 of 9 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Davis Baltz, Michael Lerner, Sharyle Patton, Lexi Rome, Charlotte Brody

found in 5 of 5 members of the group, but not quantified

References/Notes

[1] CDC (2005). National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. (Methylmercury results have been compared to total mercury in CDC biomonitoring.)