in chemical engineering, there is a long and rigorous body of science on toxic and poisonous properties. When a chemical result gets close to a product, things diverge. When the products are profitable in some markets, things diverge even more.
All that means to say -- "harmful" is very well studied. The design of the product on the market is not the same.
People have blocked or regulated all kinds of new chemical products over centuries.. Product liability is a "third rail" of commerce politics. There are huge incentives to bury publications, news items, science studies and other things, that might bring financial liability to the makers of products on the market. Its a systemic property. Incentives of reward to discover, produce, distribute and market products is also a systemic property.
There are multiple serious, moving works of popular science writing that do cross that third rail - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is often cited.. there are more.
All that means to say -- "harmful" is very well studied. The design of the product on the market is not the same.
People have blocked or regulated all kinds of new chemical products over centuries.. Product liability is a "third rail" of commerce politics. There are huge incentives to bury publications, news items, science studies and other things, that might bring financial liability to the makers of products on the market. Its a systemic property. Incentives of reward to discover, produce, distribute and market products is also a systemic property.
There are multiple serious, moving works of popular science writing that do cross that third rail - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is often cited.. there are more.