I'm Pete du Pont with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Here's what happens when politics gets put in front of science, courtesy of the Capital Research Center.
For ten years, environmentalists have attacked Chlorine, a natural element used to manufacture plastic. They claim Chlorine may cause birth defects.
But no research has found links between Chlorine and human health effects. Even the EPA says the average adult is exposed each day to three trillionths of a gram of dioxins per kilogram of body weight. The equivalent of one human hair compared to all the hair on all the people in the world. But that doesn't stop those who want to ban Chlorine.
But losing Chlorine would be a disaster. Switching to purifying water with Ozone would cost $6 billion annually, and Ozone's not as effective as Chlorine. Phasing out Chlorinated Pesticides would cost U.S. Consumers $22 billion a year. The annual cost of a total Chlorine ban? $100 billion a year.
Just because somebody decided science isn't as important as politics.
Those are my ideas, and at the NCPA we know ideas can change the world. I'm Pete du Pont, and I'll see you next time.