PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: September 25, 2003

mothers advised not to diet while breastfeeding

95% of CHEMICAL SOUP UNIDENTIFIABLE

Toxico-patholigist, Dr Vyvyan Howard, advised mothers NOT to go on a low fat diet while breastfeeding because low fat diets release fat stores into the body, and into the milk supply given to the young child.  Dioxins and other toxic substancas attach themselves to fat molecules, and increased fat released into the body results in a higher level of contaminated fat in breast milk passed on to the infant.*

Dr Howard was speaking in the Imperial Hotel at a public meeting organized by CHASE (Cork Harbour Area for a Safe Environment) at the weekend.

Dr Howard stressed that dioxins were only the tip of the iceberg as far as contaminants from incineration were concerned.**  “95% of the chemical soup that comes out of the stack of an incinerator is unidentified.”

Mr Sean Cronin said, “Just because contaminants are unmeasured does not mean that they are not harmful.  Just because they are unidentified does not mean that they do not exist.  To think that they are not dangerous is foolish, to ignore them is suicidal.”

The meeting was attended by concerned members of the public and public representatives, and was chaired by journalist Roz Crowley.

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Notes

* When breast-feeding first starts with a first child, a build up of contaminants is released to the child through the milk.  This build up is greater the older the mother.  Dr Howard stressed that despite this breast milk is still considered the most suitable first milk for babies.

** Dioxin measurements measure chlorine dioxins, and do not measure bromine dioxins, which are on the increase, and are just as harmful.  Among many other unmeasured compounds is PAH, (polycyclicaromatichydrocarbons), found in soot and one of the main carcinogenic constituents in cigarette smoke.  PAH is extremely dangerous and is produced en-masse during incineration.

For further information contact:

Linda FitzPatrick, CHASE PR Team

Tel:      021 4374506

Mobile: 086 8181025

e-mail: Linda@mediasat.ie

For comment contact:

Sean Cronin, Chairperson, CHASE

Mobile: 087 6777358

ABOUT CHASE

CHASE is the umbrella group for anti-incinerator organizations in Cork, and now represents: Ringaskiddy & District Residents' Association Ltd; Carrigaline for a Safe Environment; Crosshaven for a Safe Environment; Monkstown & Passage for a Safe Environment; Mothers and Children Against Incineration, Ringaskiddy; Cobh Action for Clean Air; Kinsale Environmental Group; East Cork for a Safe Environment; Middleton and East Cork Environmental Association; Youghal Action for a Safe Environment

CHASE is supported by the Irish Doctors Environmental Association and the Irish Midwives Association, and is currently finalizing the support of a number of other large Irish organizations.