West Virginia official “can guarantee” people are breathing in formaldehyde

[steve2470]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-virginia-official-can-guarantee-people-are-breathing-in-formaldehyde/

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A state official says he "can guarantee" some West Virginians are breathing in a carcinogen while showering after the chemical spill.

Environmental Quality Board official Scott Simonton says the crude MCHM that spilled into the water supply ultimately can break down into formaldehyde. He says the breakdown can happen in the shower and that formaldehyde is most toxic when inhaled.

He calls respiratory cancer the biggest risk with breathing in the chemical. He made the remarks to a state legislative panel Wednesday.

Initial testing at Vandalia Grille in Charleston showed traces of the chemical. Other testing showed no traces of formaldehyde, but samples are still being processed.

[El_Johns]

1. KR. I hope this one will stay in the news.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. In the end, states aren't doing their companies any favors by not regulating them.

That company is going to go out of business from paying lawsuits. The government, of course, will be picking up the tab for the rest of the issues. It's so much cheaper to regulate. Greed for the short-term gains will bite you in the ass every time.

[jmowreader]

3. That company already declared bankruptcy

Remember this line from Fight Club?

A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.

Business thinks this way: if the possible costs of having something blow up because we didn't fix it are lower than fixing it, it stays broken.

[LuvNewcastle]

8. I hate the way so many people think in this world.

It's all about the short-term; nobody wants to build anything that lasts. I know our time on Earth is relatively short, but shouldn't we try to think about the needs of our descendants? I don't even have kids, but I think about it all the time. Of course, I believe in reincarnation, so I believe I do have a stake in how things work out, that is, unless I'm reborn somewhere else. Sorry, didn't mean to get all metaphysical this morning. Too early for that.

[Scuba]

4. Not to worry, the free hand of the market will sort it out. Except for the Supreme Corporate ....

... Court of the US killing class action suits, and the Republicans passing "tort reform" measures, and the company owners already on the lam with the dough.

[RandiFan1290]

5. I'm sure it's just more of that "liberal woo"

Like people can really make formaldehyde in their tubs.. lol
I bet the water is just fiiine.

[Shankapotomus]

6. Well, a guarantee, that's a relief

We're guaranteed so little in life. It's about time.

[madokie]

7. It seems to me

That the ruling class would like to eliminate as many of us as they can and are doing it in this way, with poisons in our air and water. All the while acting like the money is the end when in fact its a diversionary tactic. The rich ruling class doesn't need as many of us as we would like to think they do. IMO

[LuvNewcastle]

10. That's the sad truth. We're totally expendable in their eyes.

[magical thyme]

11. expendable would be an improvement. we're useless eaters,

wasting valuable resources, such as air, water, food and space, that belong to them.

We exist at their pleasure.

[Champion Jack]

9. This is what "getting the government off our backs" really means…