For those keeping tabs on the whole ‘fluoride overexposure’ issue, and especially those concerned about it, the following article ought to please you immensely.
In a recent announcement, the United States Environmental Protection Agency stated that it had taken another look at the topic of fluoride exposure and determined that with all the other sources of fluoride in our surroundings, allowing traces of fluoride in the form of a commonly used pesticide (sulfuryl fluoride) no longer makes sense.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has re-evaluated the current science on fluoride and is taking steps to begin a phased-down withdrawal of the pesticide sulfuryl fluoride, a pesticide that breaks down into fluoride and is commonly used in food storage and processing facilities. Sulfuryl fluoride is currently registered for the control of insect pests in stored grains, dried fruits, tree nuts, coffee and cocoa beans, and for use in food handling and processing facilities. Although sulfuryl fluoride residues in food contribute only a very small portion of total exposure to fluoride, when combined with other fluoride exposure pathways, including drinking water and toothpaste, EPA has concluded that the tolerance (legal residue limits on food) no longer meets the safety standard under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) and the tolerances for sulfuryl fluoride should be withdrawn. ( source )
So… if the EPA has admitted that it needs to reconsider its position on fluoride in drinking water, then perhaps we, as Americans, ought to wonder exactly how much fluoride our water contains, right? We think so. Ask your local water treatment facility for a copy of its annual Water Quality Report or for the web address where you can download a copy.
Visit the EPA SafeWater Program Web Site for information on water quality in your area.
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Testing for fluoride
Unfortunately the SPADNS chemistry required to perform fluoride testing in water does not lend itself to the development of a simple test strip or visual method… but that does not mean the average person cannot test for fluoride in their drinking water.
Over the past few months we have discussed the fact that a relatively inexpensive multiparameter water testing meter known as the eXact Micro 7+ has the ability to test for fluoride. Fluoride Test Strips for eXact Micro 7+ Photometer required and sold separately (under $15 for 25 tests) on the FiltersFast.Com web site.
Laboratory testing for fluoride?
For those who would like their water tested for fluoride by a certified water testing lab, we suggest taking a look at the National Testing Laboratories Fluoride Test Package.
