The Great Chemical Unknown

According to a report in Scientific American, only a tiny fraction of the compounds around us have been tested for safety. Those tested have mostly been evaluated in isolation, rather than in combination with other chemicals, which is how people are routinely exposed in their daily lives:

Chemicals used by U.S. consumers and industry: 50,000

Chemicals tested for safety: 300

Chemicals restricted as a result of current testing standards: 5

Environmental Defense Fund estimate of chemicals that would require more regulatory control under stricter safety testing laws: 5,000 to 15,000.