Fluoride Action Network

Yanchep and Two Rocks: Fluoride fight flares up

Source: North Coast Times | October 26th, 2011 | By Lucy Jarvis
Location: Australia

THE campaign against water fluoridation in Yanchep and Two Rocks has stepped up.

Anti-fluoride group Perth Fluoride Free took to the streets on October 15 after the Fluoridation of the Public Water Supplies Advisory Committee’s decision last month to get more information on community views.

Resident Dan Stewart said the lack of fluoride in the water supply was one of the reasons his family moved to Yanchep two months ago.

“One of the reasons we moved here was there was no fluoride in the water,” he said.

“There are a whole host of reasons why I’m against it.”

Mr Stewart said his concerns stemmed from peer-reviewed research into the link between weak bone structure and fluoride and how it affected children’s IQs.

“I’ve got two children aged four and six – I don’t want them exposed to this, just in case,” he said.

Mr Stewart said adding fluoride to water was a form of “mass medication” which he had not agreed to.

“There’s also the ethical considerations here – we’ve not given our informed consent,” he said.

Mr Stewart said another concern was fluoride used in water could be a by-product of phosphate fertiliser.

The advisory committee has been investigating whether fluoride should be added to the Yanchep and Two Rocks water supply because of the population size in the area, bringing it in line with the rest of Perth.

Chairman Richard Lugg said research showed fluoridation significantly reduced the incidence of dental decay.