Our Chemical Selves by Dayna Nadine Scott, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters

Everyday exposures to chemicals found in homes, schools, and workplaces are having devastating consequences on human health. These toxic exposures derive from common personal care products and cosmetics, household cleaners, pharmaceuticals, furniture, the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe. Our Chemical Selves examines the impact of toxics on the long-term health of Canadians. Written by leading researchers in science, law, and public policy, the chapters in this collection reveal that while exposures to chemicals are pervasive and widespread, people from low-income, racialized, and Indigenous communities face a far greater risk of exposure. At the same time, the risks associated with these exposures (and the burdens of managing them) rest disproportionately on the shoulders of women. Rather than focusing on the “chemical enemy," this collection hones in on the “political economy of pollution" by critically examining the system that manufactures the chemicals and the social, political, and gender relations that enable harmful chemicals to continue being produced and consumed. Enlivened by contributions from law, science, and policy scholars, Our Chemical Selves establishes the connections between profit incentives, the unsustainable production of waste, exploitative labour practices, and differential exposure to pollutants. Ultimately, this collection calls for revisions to the way we approach the regulation of toxics. | Our Chemical Selves by Dayna Nadine Scott, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters