Need for a New Federal Approach for Responding to Chemical Exposure Caused by Community-Wide Contamination

When communities are exposed to environmental chemicals, the federal government's response relies on scientific evidence to prove that adverse health conditions were caused by the particular chemical exposure. However, the lack of robust exposure information and a minimal understanding of cumulative effects means critical information required to prove causation is rarely available. As a result, the government often fails to adequately protect public health. We propose a response model based on presumptive association that would allow government to act in the absence of community-specific data linking cause and effect after community-wide chemical exposures. In this model, when a community is exposed to a chemical of concern, agencies would review scientific information about the health effects of exposure to that chemical. If the evidence indicates the chemical could cause a certain health condition, then the government would take action to benefit community members who were exposed and who have that condition. They would not have to prove that their health condition was caused by exposure to the chemical of concern. Adopting a presumptive association model for federal responses to chemical exposures would create a clear, fair, standardized, and timely approach that protects public health.