Environmental Group Seen As Stooge For Lawyers

NU Online News Service, Jan. 21, 9:55 a.m.EST?An environmental group that drew national attentionwith a study warning that farmed salmon is a poisonous food, usesjunk science to create reports that act as a tool for personalinjury lawyers creating class lawsuits, according to a businessgroup.[@@]

The American Tort Reform Association based in Washington, D.C.also suggested that the Environmental Working Group lacked staffwith good credentials. EWG, also in Washington, said ATRA was"ranting."

According to EWG their analysis of fish consumption data Shows800,000 U.S. adults eat enough toxic PCB chemical from farmedsalmon to exceed allowable lifetime cancer risk 100 times over.

EWG said it bought salmon from local grocery stores and foundseven of 10 fish were so contaminated with PCBs that they raisecancer-risk concerns, relative to health standards of the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency.

ATRA said that the EWG fish study was funded by Pew CharitableTrusts, which it said had "close ties to personal injury lawyers."It said that EWG reports are featured on InjuryBoard.com and otheronline tools created by personal injury lawyers to solicit classmembers.

EWG, according to ATRA creates "public anxiety and hysterianeeded for personal injury lawyers to solicit plaintiffs and filean onslaught of reckless lawsuits.

ATRA cited a variety of criticism about the report for itslimited sampling, and remarks by some scientists that any risk isoutweighed by the benefits of fish.

It mentioned professors from the University of Florida, HarvardSchool of Public Health, Purdue University and University ofAlbany, SUNY among other sources including Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan,president of the American Council on Science and Health.

Dr. Whelan cited a report that EWG has no doctors or scientistson staff.

ATRA's members include insurers and a wide spectrum ofbusinesses from other sectors.

Asked to react to the ATRA charges, EWG released a statementfrom Mike Casey, its vice president for public affairs saying that"it seems there are still people left on earth who can be found totake a check from industry to try convincing the public thatpolluting our food sources with industrial contaminants is no bigdeal--or even a good idea.

"This is some pretty hysterical ranting, even for a corporatefront group like ATRA. Maybe they served too much PCB-laden farmedsalmon at the ATRA's holiday party and they're still feeling theeffects?"