June 19, 2003

Contact: Aaron Firestone, Clean Air Council
(215) 567-4004 ext. 273, firestone@cleanair.org
Michael Bender, Mercury Policy Project,
(802) 223-9000

Canned Tuna More Dangerous than Previously Suspected
Pregnant Women, Young Children Warned Not to Eat
"White" Albacore Tuna Due to High Mercury Levels

Philadelphia, PA - Clean Air Council and the Mercury Policy Project today released report results of independent tests, showing that samples of "white" albacore tuna contained mercury at levels that could be dangerous to a developing fetus or a young child. The report, Can the Tuna: FDA's Failure to Protect Children from exposure to Mercury in Albacore "White" Canned Tuna, found an average of over 0.5 part per million (ppm) mercury in white tuna samples tested. This high a dose would put most women and children over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's exposure recommendations and poses risks of developmental deficits to young children.

"These results show that women and children who eat 'white' canned tuna are being exposed to mercury at levels much higher than previously thought," said Aaron Firestone of Clean Air Council. "Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that poses the greatest danger to developing fetuses, infants and young children. Expectant mothers can pass this toxin on to their children. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 12 women of childbearing age in this country already has unsafe mercury levels in their blood."

For the study, cans of Starkist, Bumblebee, and Chicken of the Sea tuna were collected from Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Shaw's, and other supermarkets around the country and sent to Landmark Laboratory in Michigan. All cans contained some mercury. On average, "white" tuna proved to have levels of mercury over four times higher than "light" tuna.

"Canned tuna is one of the most consumed fish in America, and often the only fish that pregnant women and kids eat," said Firestone. "Therefore, while fish is generally a good source of protein, Clean Air Council recommends that pregnant women and young children avoid eating higher mercury fish like albacore 'white' tuna altogether."

"These tests confirm what the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] has known for over a decade about higher mercury levels in 'white' tuna," said Michael Bender of the Mercury Policy Project. "FDA's own scientists have stated in focus groups that sensitive populations need to be warned about the risks of consuming tuna. It's time for FDA to finally issue a canned tuna advisory."

"FDA is acting more like a trade association than a public health agency stop," said Bender. "The agency should stop protecting the fishing industry and start protecting the public from toxic tuna."

In the face of FDA inaction, eleven states have issued advisories of their own warning women and children to limit canned tuna consumption. Several states even warn that the "white" canned tuna contains higher mercury levels than "light" tuna. While Pennsylvania has issued consumption advisories for fish caught in local rivers and streams, it has yet to issue any advisory on tuna.

Canned tuna is consumed in 90 percent of American households and accounts for 25-35 percent of all fish consumption in the US. Children eat more than twice as much tuna as any other fish, and canned tuna is the most frequently consumed fish among women of child-bearing age. White albacore canned tuna accounts for approximately one-third of all tuna sold in the U.S.

Most mercury pollution in the US comes from the burning of fossil fuels in coal-fired power plants. Mercury levels in the environment have increased 300-500 percent over the past century.

To receive a free copy of the Can the Tuna report or to arrange interviews with scientists who have reviewed the study, please contact Aaron Firestone at (215) 567-4004 ext. 273.

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Clean Air Council is committed to the belief that everyone has the right to breathe clean, healthful air. Founded in 1967, the Council is the oldest member-supported environmental organization in Pennsylvania. The Council's team of attorneys, community organizers, and policy analysts focuses its efforts on the following key areas: Clean Air Act, Clean Energy, Sustainable Transportation, Waste Reduction and Recycling, and Indoor Air Quality.