People should “consider washing their hands or using a hand sanitizer after playing in the sand or water.”
The Los Angeles Times reports,
Take warning, beachgoers: That carefully built sand castle could turn out to be a real pain in the gut.
Digging and playing in beach sand puts people at higher risk of getting sick than swimming or sunbathing, according to a new study led by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Researchers surveyed some 5,000 beach visitors and found that those who dug in the most contaminated sand were twice as likely to fall ill with diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach aches. Those who had been buried in the sand showed an even greater tendency to get sick…
I would like to say that this EPA report was very useful information that we will learn from and thereby avoid lots of sickness among beach goers. But my mother taught me that it is important not to lie, except when justice is served by a lie and hurt by the truth (like when the Nazis ask if you’re hiding any Jews in your attic and you are). There is sometimes a need to confirm the obvious. but how many studies do we need on whether it really is dangerous to play on the freeway or run with a stick in your hand … I’m just not sure I feel that gullible.
The greeniacs are gloating over Gaia’s revenge on those who dare scratch her surface.
“those who dug in the most contaminated sand” Well duh! If you play in contaminated sand you might get sick. Who’da thunk? And where pray tell is this contaminated sand? Having spent at least one day per week of the summer at Jones Beach State Park on Long Island, NY for the first 19 years of my life and never once becoming ill from either the sand or the water forgive me if I’m somewhat skeptical that this is a major problem. Scare em to control em, the Left’s favorite tactic.
“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” H. L. Mencken
Abolish the EPA!
EPA is the most politicised agency in the Gov’t. They have spent millions on these Beach Projects when you chances of illness ranges from 2 to 5 in 100 swimmers. I have worked on these studies so I know the EPA from the inside. What a waste of millions!!
CDC says, “Get outside and play, fat kids.” EPA says, “Quick, everybody back into the Plastic Bubble!”
As I commented on the LA Times site: There are thousands of miles of beaches in the USA. The EPA checked 2 near waste water falls. They take 144 samples. Then they extrapolate this small sample into saying going to the beach is dangerous. This isn’t science – it’s pure idiocy from an agency that has nothing better to do than go to the beach on the taxpayer’s dime.
Which is riskier? Playing in the sand or feeding the sharks?
Surprised they didn’t mention the sand monsters that tunnel under you and gobble you up in less time than it takes to say ‘frackit’.
The EPA sounds like they have too much time on their hands and to little to do, so they invent things that need correcting.
Not to mention the number of cancers caused by exposure to all of that crystalline silica.
EPA is a bigger health risk than beach sand.
Study of EPA and Beach sand reveals too much money for EPA.