Not satisfied by industry reassurance

I AM so sick of hearing industry spokespeople mislead the public about the toxicity of their products, as, in your story about artificial turf, when one company's chief executive says, "There's never been any incident of anyone getting sick or having ill effects associated with artificial turf fields."

The widely known science of lead's toxicity is that the lead accumulates in our bodies, so that every exposure adds to others to create long-term effects. For example, a mother's body can distribute her lead accumulation into her baby through breast-feeding.

The point is that any unnecessary exposure is unacceptable. Until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention begins to really do its job and protect the consumer, our state has the power, and should ensure that products sold in Massachusetts are free of toxic chemicals.

Lee Ketelsen
New England codirector
Clean Water Action
Boston