'Slow Death' is a Fast and Frightening Read

Written by Darren Moore Wednesday, 24 February 2010 23:34

Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects Our Health, by Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie, edited by Sarah Dopp. (Hardcover, Knopf Canada, May 2009 ISBN: 9780307397126)

Who would have every thought that the baby-faced, gently curved yellow lump of plastic in the shape of your child’s rubber duck could be so frighteningly menacing? This book is a cornucopia of information on the common chemicals we encounter and consume on a regular, daily basis. And the list of contaminants and the products they are found in are substantial. Toothpaste? Check. Shampoo? Check. The bottle your organic ketchup is packaged in? Yes they’re in that too. Turns out that phthalates and their chemical cousins are all over the place, in just about every plasticized material there is. And as if that wasn’t enough, the authors reveal that Teflon – the infamous non-stick coating championed by Dupont – doesn’t even stay stuck to the pan. In an analysis of household dust, it was discovered alongside flame retardants that producers assure us will never leech out of the products they are put on. We eat, breathe and drink this stuff every day. And in many cases, the main source of exposure comes from direct use of such harmless things as deodorants, couches, carpets, cookware, food packaging, and yes, our dear old rubber ducks.

Smith and Lourie do an excellent job of digging up reams of information on the subject. They communicate the information well with a subject that, were the material poorly written or presented, would inspire more yawns than concern. And they do it all without sounding too apocalyptic, all the while using pop culture references and, wit and specific case studies to engage the reader. Throughout the book, they perform small tests on themselves to determine just how easy it is to affect levels of common human-pollutants in their systems – to surprising effect.  It often takes very little to dramatically increase their personal pollution; especially in the case of mercury via tuna consumption.

But for all of this, the book isn’t without stories of success. They point to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and the ban on DDT. They show examples of communities and individuals acting to affect major change – and sometimes at the national level, as was the case here in Canada when it came to the banning of pesticides for cosmetic uses, with three provinces on board and more considering the move. Although the authors are Canadian, the book spans the globe in scope, examples and solutions to the growing problem of Homo Contanimus; even as they discuss the very real possibility that the chemical soup that courses through our bodies has the potential to affect or very evolution.

An informative, if frightening read, it is well-researched, finely written and engaging. A highly recommended book – even if it does change your bath routine forever.