Concerned citizen Andrew Molteni attended the Reading City Council meeting on Monday night to voice his concerns over the inclusion of fluoride in the city’s water supply.
In response to Molteni’s and other residents’ concerns, representatives from two local health organizations also attended the meeting to discuss the issue.
Molteni argued that there is no conclusive proof that there are benefits to having the water supply supplemented and argued that the city “doesn’t have the right to forcibly medicate people."
"The research we have done shows systemically fluoride is, even at the levels they are proposing, a toxin. It's a neurotoxin and it causes the body to pick up heavy metals,” Molteni said.
Dr. John Dethoff, a member of the City of Reading Board of Health and a local orthopedic surgeon, disagreed with the research Molteni cited.
He explained that the Board of Health recently conducted a study of the fluoride levels in the city’s water and concluded, “Reading water levels are right where they should be.”
He further explained that there is an ideal level at which fluoride strengthens children’s teeth and will only begin to cause issues, such as stains, when it is found at levels higher than 4 parts per million in the water supply.
The level in the city’s water .7 parts per million, which is the recommended level by the CDC.
The city’s level was also unanimously agreed upon by every member of the Board of Health.
"Every credible health organization that I am aware of is in support of fluoride," Dethoff said.
David Beane, Chair of the City of Reading Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), agreed with Dethoff.
The EAC developed a subcommittee to review this issue and came to same conclusion as the Board of Health.
According to Beane, the state’s Safe Water Drinking Act allows for fluoride levels of up to 4 parts per million in public water supplies.
However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends maintenance of between .7 and 1.2 parts per million as the “most protective of human health,” so the EAC approved the same level for the city’s water supply as the Board of Health.
The ultimate decision to determine the level of fluoride in the public water is up to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
City Council would have to petition the DEP to have the current levels changed, and they have no intention of doing so at this time.
from 69News:Home http://ift.tt/1wVftEj
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