I saw a documentary by Bill Moyers on PBS a few years back. It was about the American chemical industry and its depredations — about how it dumped chemicals on the poor, introduced thousands of foreign substances into our environment and gutted the EPA.

Lately, I’ve begun to wonder which chemical(s) might be responsible for the current epidemic of autism.

Now this:

Congress Examines Role Of Industry in Regulation

Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 27, 2008; Page A01

Despite more than 100 published studies by government scientists and university laboratories that have raised health concerns about a chemical compound that is central to the multibillion-dollar plastics industry, the Food and Drug Administration has deemed it safe largely because of two studies, both funded by an industry trade group.

[...]

“Tobacco figured this out, and essentially it’s the same model,” said David Michaels, who was a federal regulator in the Clinton administration. “If you fight the science, you’re able to postpone regulation and victim compensation, as well. As in this case, eventually the science becomes overwhelming. But if you can get five or 10 years of avoiding pollution control or production of chemicals, you’ve greatly increased your product.”

Studies on Chemical In Plastics Questioned – washingtonpost.com