Controversial Chemicals: A Citizen's Guide

Merritt Clifton was an environmental journalist and lived in Brigham, Quebec.

This is the second updated edition of a series commenced as a class project by Carlton University students during 1975-1976. The object is to provide a concise handbook describing the uses and effects of 30 controversial chemicals, in layman’s language. A list of references at the end of each chapter permits further, more detailed investigation.

Covered in this edition are alcohol, arsenic, asbestos, benzene, cadmium, caffeine, captan, carbon dioxide, chlorine, DBCO and EDB, DDT, dioxins, fenitrothion, fluorides, fluorocarbons, formaldehyde, lead, mercury, nitrates and nitrites, nitrogen oxides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pentachlorophenol (PCP), radon, sulphur dioxide, sweeteners, tobacco, 2,4-D, tric, and vinyl chloride.

In each case, the editors chronicle the development of the chemicals in question, their applications, the emergence of controversies surrounding them, and the evolution of regulations dealing with them. Thus this handbook is essential for journalists, teachers, civic administrators, and others who may suddenly need to find out a great deal about a common toxic chemical in a very short time.

The one criticism that can be leveled at Controversial Chemicals: A Citizen’s Guide is that it should include at least 30 more chemicals. For instance, lindane, malathion, atrazine, matacil, marijuana, paraquat, kepone, and mirex are all in common use in Canada, and are also associated with public health problems. The volume does promise information about kepone and mirex on the front cover, but mirex gets only one passing mention inside and kepone isn’t mentioned at all.

One hopes expanded volumes or companion volumes shall keep appearing on a frequent, regular basis.