BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The City of Buffalo has said it is committed to keeping fluoride in the city’s water supply despite impending recommendations from incoming Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that the chemical be taken out.
RFK – the former independent presidential candidate who has a history of spreading conspiracy theories – was officially tapped by President-Elect Donald Trump last week to lead the Department of Health and Human Services as part of his cabinet.
Kennedy said one of his first acts for the administration would be to advise municipalities to remove fluoride from their water supply.
Fluoride in water has been a point of contention in Buffalo in recent years. In 2023, a report found that fluoride was taken out of the water without anyone’s knowledge. The chemical was returnedto the city’s water supply in September following delays.
The governance of fluoride in water is not handled by the Department of Health and Human Services. It is a combination of state and local decisions, along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“They could certainly put guidelines to make it harder, but not eliminate a healthy amount of fluoride in water,” Buffalo Common Council member Mitch Nowakowski said.
Community water fluoridation began in the United States in 1945 and is responsible for reducing cavities and tooth decay in both children and adults. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, water fluoridation projects currently benefit over 200 million Americans.
Original article online at: https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/buffalo/buffalo-committed-to-keeping-fluoride-in-water-despite-impending-rfk-recommendations/