Media Release: Earth Day Statement
Delivered 21 April 1997
National Press Club, Washington DC, USA
By Trisha Noack, Director of Public Relations, LLLI
SCHAUMBURG, IL (April 22,
1997) Today Greenpeace focuses our attention on the role of polyvinyl
chloride, or PVC, in producing harmful contaminants such as dioxin which
appear in human milk. While we acknowledge this message, La Leche League
International reminds everyone that research indicates that even in
a contaminated world, human milk is still best for babies. La Leche
League International helps mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother
support, information and education. Part of our mission is to promote
better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the
healthy development of the baby and mother.
Both human milk and the unique
relationship between a breastfeeding baby and nursing mother offer significant
advantages to mothers and babies. Other feeding methods draw raw materials
from the same environment as human milk and are likely to contain the
same contaminants. The production and disposal of artificial baby milk
products add to our environmental problems by consuming energy and producing
waste. Human milk contains dioxins only because it is the product of
a contaminated world. Fortunately, human milk also helps children combat
the effects of pollution while it has no negative impact on the environment.
Indeed, the benefits of human milk may prove to be essential to compensate
for and outweigh toxic effects from the environment.
La Leche League International
acknowledges that human milk contains suspect compounds, reflecting
general environmental contaminant levels. We urge society to examine
the role of such substances as PVC in contributing to this condition.
While science and industry search for a way to resolve this problem,
we urge health care providers and parents to examine the research which
overwhelmingly indicates that breastfeeding is still the very best start
for our babies.
We call the attention of
environmentalists to the message of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding
Action, of which La Leche League is a charter member. The theme for
this year's World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, is Breastfeeding:
Nature's Way. We ask the help of all environmentalists in supporting
breastfeeding as the optimal form of infant feeding while the use of
damaging substances is brought under control. Human milk is a valuable
natural resource that should be promoted and protected. Environmentalists
and breastfeeding support groups alike have a common interest in promoting
breastfeeding--the healthiest and most ecologically sound way to nurture
our babies.
PO Box 4079,
Schaumburg, Illinois 60168-4079 USA 847.519.7730, 847.519.0035 fax,
www.lalecheleague.org/
Last updated January 23, 2007 by jcg.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:36 UTC 2007.
