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Rikard's avatar

"...why not mandate a black box label—which should be done with pharmaceuticals, too—and let both Mr. Market and the ‘sovereign consumer’ decide?"

Because that doesn't adress the issue, and wouldn't work for the very simple reason that chemicals don't care about economic/behavioural theories.

Years ago, ski wax containing PFAS was banned here in Sweden and every year since, samples are taken from the Vasaloppet-course, since it's been in constant use since the 1920s. What is encouraging is that the PFAS disappears from the area quickly, but what is not where it moves to:

Aquifers, ground water, and eventually wells, streams and rivers. It will take generations to be rid of it, and "rid of it" means it will have accumulated in river, lake and ocean beds.

Blanket ban, unless there are products where it simply must be used (health care-tools perhaps?) and marking what few products are allowed would be best, and a good start to banning other cancerous and otherwise dangerous additives too - there's nothing dangerous with a cast iron skillet, except to the bottom line of capitalist profiteers, since a well-made skillet lasts well over a century.

Now, if we could get around to in one scale ban most food additives, and in the other make domestic food production as tax free as possible. . . Might as well dream that Sweden would force foreign lorries and trucks to switch to studded winter tyres when driving here.

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