Environmental Justice and The Precautionary Principle

Low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of health effects from environmental contamination. For example, children living in inner cities or children of migrant farm workers are disproportionately exposed to cancer-causing pesticides and industrial pollution. Furthermore, many communities remain at higher risk for exposure to toxic chemicals because decades of racism have led to the increased presence of polluting industries, power plants and hazardous waste incinerators in minority and low-income neighborhoods. Using a precautionary approach means that communities participate in the decision-making that directly affects their health and well-being.

The Precautionary Principle was passed recently in San Francisco as part of its new Environmental Code. Two specific laws (the Purchasing and Green Building Ordinances) are going to be voted on soon and need public input.

How can I learn more?

Learn more about the precautionary principle by visiting the following web-sites:

www.greenaction.org www.breastcancerfund.org//pp_main.htm
www.sehn.org

See Also:

Read about the Precautionary Principle

6/18/03 San Francisco Passes Historic Precautionary Principle Ordinance! Read SF Chronicle Editorial

See the San Francisco Draft Purchasing Ordinance

Greenaction Supports the Be Safe Campaign

For more information, contact:

Greenaction

(415) 248-5010

Precautionary Principle

Preventing Harm before it Happens

Is there a relationship between increasing rates of disease and environmental toxins?

• YES! The rise of disease in the U.S. coincides closely with the increase in the use of synthetic chemicals that began in earnest in this country around the time of WW II.
• We absorb toxic chemicals in our bodies as part of everyday life – the by-product of eating, drinking, breathing and touching synthetic products of the industrial world.
• Today there are more than 85,000 synthetic chemicals that have been introduced into commerce -- fewer than 10% have ever been tested for their effects on human health.
• Cancer, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, birth defects and developmental disabilities are becoming increasingly common and mounting evidence is linking these diseases to environmental toxins.

What is the Precautionary Principle?

• The Precautionary Principle seeks to prevent harm before it happens. It says that where there is a threat of harm to human health or the environment, we should act to prevent harm even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.
• The precautionary principle shifts the current approach toward decision-making from "risk assessment" to "alternatives analysis." Risk assessment asks "how much harm is allowable?" The precautionary principle asks "how little damage is possible?"
• For example, instead of a local Recreation and Parks manager asking “how much arsenic in arsenic-treated wood is allowable in children's playground equipment?” she would instead look for alternatives to arsenic treated wood. Instead of "setting limits" for arsenic in wooden playgrounds, she would ask "do we need to use treated wood at all?"