USA - EPA Rejects Petition

EPA Rejects Petition to Change Fluoride Source in US Drinking Water

By Douglas Mai

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said this week it has declined a petition to change the source of fluoride in U.S. drinking water.

In May, researchers submitted a petition that called for the EPA to require the use of pharmaceutical-grade sodium fluoride in water fluoridation, which is the addition of fluoride to drinking water for the purpose of preventing dental cavities.

The current source of fluoride in most public water supplies is fluorosilicic acid, a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer manufacturing. Records show that the acid is often contaminated with arsenic, said William Hirzy, a chemistry researcher at American University in Washington, D.C.............