What We're Reading

Exposed: the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products: Who's at Risk and What's at Stake for American Power

Author: Mark Shapiro
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
$22.95 Cloth (216p.)
ISBN: 9781933392158
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Reviewed by Sonya Detwiler, Customer Service Bibliographer

Schapiro, Editorial Director of the Center for Investigative Reporting in San Francisco, shares a wealth of knowledge in this book through his thorough research and interviews with important figures in the global environment sector and chemical industry.

The author has successfully exposed the U.S. government's refusal to follow the new environmental standards that Europe, Japan, and other countries have enacted in regards to banning all chemicals that pose a health or environmental risk from everyday products. He eloquently explains how this refusal is costing us economically, as countries we've marketed to in the past no longer want our chemically contaminated foods and products.

What is most alarming about this book is to learn about the number of chemicals (i.e., carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins) that we are exposed to everyday through our food, toys, cosmetics, and electrical devices and how these chemicals are currently being found in the blood of people of all ages. Schapiro states, "We are marinating in a chemical soup…chemicals, it turns out, are being tested-on us, in real time…" Further alarming is how the U.S.'s Toxic Substance Control Act of 1977 has grandfathered into the market over 60,000 chemicals that to this day have never been tested or reviewed for their safety. The chemical industry's huge lobbying force in Washington continues to maintain the status quo despite the growing need to take a new direction.

Many Americans will feel cheated by the government after reading Exposed, especially if they had the prior belief that the government's duty was to protect us from harm. One piece this book is lacking is an added chapter with suggestions for how we as citizens could affect changes. The author has left this responsibility to his readers. I, personally, was moved to write a letter to my legislator.

With ample notes for each chapter covering all resources and references, and a thorough index, I highly recommend this book for all public, academic, medical and environmental libraries.