news release

 

ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive

 SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director of Communications

CONTACT:  SUSAN TOLCHIN                                                                                      (914) 995-2932

                       DONNA GREENE                                                                                      (914) 995-2935

                                                                                                                                            

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                            Oct. 26, 2004

 

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND FOOD INDUSTRY TEAM UP TO EDUCATE PEOPLE
ABOUT RISKS OF MERCURY IN SOME FISH

Fish is an important part of a healthy diet, but some people should avoid some kinds of fish

            Westchester County has teamed up with a food industry group to get the word out that young children and women of child-bearing age should avoid fish with high levels of mercury. 

            County Executive Andy Spano and Patricia Brodhagen of the Food Industry Alliance of New York State announced the cooperative effort today and unveiled a brochure, “Mercury and Fish,”  that will be displayed at 79 food stores in Westchester.

            Spano said, “Fish is a very important part of a healthy diet, but there are some fish that have high amounts of mercury. Mercury can be toxic and can cause birth defects and neurological problems. It is best that young children and women of child -bearing age -- particularly those who are pregnant or nursing – limit their intake of fish with mercury. This joint effort will help people make informed decisions.”

            Commented Brodhagen, “On behalf of the Food Industry Alliance of New York State, I am pleased and proud that 100 percent of the Alliance's Westchester County members are participating in this collaborative project to educate our customers about fish consumption, including how pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children can avoid the health risks from mercury while still reaping the health benefits of fish by selecting from a variety of different species.”

 Although all species of fish and shellfish contain trace levels of mercury, some varieties of fish have relatively high levels. The Food and Drug Administration has recommended that women of childbearing age and young children not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish (also known as golden snapper and golden bass.) While too much mercury can have health impacts on everyone, women of childbearing age and children under six are especially at risk.  

            A  report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 1 in 10 women of childbearing age in the United States is at risk of having a newborn with neurological problems due to in utero mercury exposure. But the number could drop dramatically  (to about 1 percent) if women followed the FDA's existing advice to avoid fish that contain high levels of mercury. 

Because the developing nervous system is vulnerable to mercury toxicity, fetuses exposed to mercury through their mother's consumption of fish are particularly at risk of adverse effects, including developmental deficits during fetal development, and attention deficit and developmental delays during childhood. Children born to women exposed to relatively high levels of mercury during pregnancy have exhibited a variety of developmental neurological abnormalities, including delayed onset of walking and talking, cerebral palsy and reduced neurological test scores. Far lower exposures during pregnancy have also resulted in delays and deficits in learning abilities of children. 

Some species of fish, such as haddock, tilapia, salmon, cod, pollock and sole, as well as most shellfish, are relatively low in mercury. As a result, it is possible to have the nutritional benefits of a moderate amount of fish consumption (about two servings a week) and avoid fish high in mercury.

The campaign with the food industry is one of a series of initiatives that Spano has taken over the last four years to protect people and the environment from mercury. He signed legislation to ban the sale of all mercury-containing thermometers and other products and the county also now requires that junk yards remove mercury switches from cars before they care crushed.

Here is the list of companies that have agreed to make the Mercury and Fish brochures available in their stores (a total of 79 individual locations) in Westchester County:

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