The following is from Children’s Health Defense.

For decades, proponents of water fluoridation — including mainstream media, dental associations, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),  — have promoted fluoride  as a “naturally occurring” mineral that prevents cavities. However, the fluoride added to most municipal water supplies is not natural calcium fluoride, but an industrial-grade chemical byproduct from phosphate fertilizer production.

Growing concerns about the health risks associated with these fluoridation chemicals have led to new actions. Utah recently became the first state to ban water fluoridation, citing evidence linking the industrial byproducts to serious health hazards. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies these substances as hazardous waste, and water operators are facing rising costs and regulatory burdens related to their use.

Municipal water operators face growing challenges with the EPA’s classification. Facilities that use fluoridation chemicals are now considered hazardous waste generators. Disposal requires costly compliance measures, and operators report a lack of proper guidance from federal agencies.

“If this stuff gets out into the air, it’s a pollutant; if it gets into the river, it’s a pollutant; if it gets into the lake, it’s a pollutant; but if it goes right into your drinking water system, it’s not a pollutant. That’s amazing.”
— Dr. William Hirzy, Senior Vice President , EPA’s Headquarters Union of Scientists and Professionals

In several states, water districts are reevaluating fluoridation programs due to skyrocketing liability and disposal costs.

Fluoride levels in drinking water are legally allowed up to 4 mg/L under EPA standards. However, studies show skeletal fluorosis — a painful bone disease — can occur at levels near that limit. Even at the lower target level of 0.7 mg/L, researchers have linked fluoride exposure to reduced IQ scores in children.

Much of the fluoride added to drinking water is an industrial waste chemical often contaminated with heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. Companies including Mosaic, Solvay and Simplot have acknowledged that no comprehensive safety studies were conducted before their widespread use.

Accidents involving fluoride have been reported nationwide, including chemical spills that caused injuries and environmental contamination. Experts such as former EPA scientist Dr. William Hirzy and toxicologist Dr. Phyllis Mullenix warn that fluoride exposure poses serious risks, particularly for developing children.

In a recent legal challenge, the EPA lost a case brought under the Toxic Substances Control Act, which demanded stricter fluoride regulation. Although the agency is appealing, the ruling has drawn national attention to the risks associated with water fluoridation.

For more information, read the full article here.