Exposed

Subtitled 'The toxic chemistry of everyday products and what's at stake for American power', this powerful book shows that much of the world is now following the lead and the higher health and environmental standards developed by the EU. A significant intellectual difference is that Europeans have adopted a precautionary interpretation of new science, seeking to prevent harm before it happens, even if there is some uncertainty involved. Americans, on the other hand, have prioritised economics, but, paradoxically, this has led to a huge loss of foreign markets, as corn exports have plummeted from 3.15 million metric tons in 1996 to a mere 33,000 metric tons in 2005; Schapiro observes that this decline has tracked the rise of genetically engineered food in the US food system. American companies now find themselves obliged to adopt European standards if they want to reach desirable export markets. It is no longer enough to have powerful lobbyists in Brussels. Such interference would certainly not be tolerated if European politicians were to visit Washington to lobby against a bill being considered by Congress. Moreover, there are very serious issues to be addressed with the gradual build-up of toxic chemicals in the human body, which may well be partly related to the obesity crisis. Ultimately, human health must come before economic growth.