Over 350,000 chemicals, chemical mixtures, and plastics used in everyday products, including winter gloves, toys, and electronics, are fueling rising rates of diseases like diabetes and cancer in children. These harmful substances are also linked to conditions such as autism and ADHD, according to a consortium of prominent doctors and researchers.
In a January letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine, about two dozen experts emphasized the urgent need for stricter regulations to test and monitor synthetic chemicals entering the market. Despite these warnings, countries like Canada and the U.S. regulate only a fraction of these chemicals, allowing manufacturers to use most of them without proper oversight.
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Alarming Trends in Children’s Health
“We’re seeing deeply concerning trends in children’s health due to chemical exposure,” said Tracey Woodruff, an environmental and reproductive health expert at the University of California, San Francisco.
Statistics paint a grim picture:
- Childhood cancers have increased by 35% over the past 50 years.
- Male reproductive birth defects have doubled in frequency.
- Asthma and obesity rates in children have surged three- and four-fold, respectively.
- About 1 in 6 children now faces neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD or autism.
These conditions are often linked to exposure to synthetic chemicals during pregnancy or early childhood. The long-term effects of these exposures can take years or decades to manifest, yet current chemical regulations fail to account for such risks.
The Role of Fossil Fuels in Chemical Production
The problem is poised to worsen, as chemical production grows by approximately 3% annually and is expected to triple by 2050 if left unchecked. Many of these synthetic chemicals, such as PFAS, phthalates, and bisphenol-A (BPA), are derived from fossil fuels and are integrated into plastics.
These chemicals enter human bodies through everyday product use, ingestion of microplastics, and exposure to polluted food and water. “As we move away from fossil fuels for energy, the oil and gas industry is shifting its focus to plastics and petrochemicals,” Woodruff explained, noting that this shift includes aggressive lobbying against stricter regulations.
Limited Progress in Chemical Regulation
Experts argue that regulating entire classes of chemicals, rather than individual compounds, is critical. This approach prevents companies from replacing banned substances with chemically similar but equally harmful alternatives.
Canada has made some progress, such as proposing regulations on PFAS chemicals in 2023. However, industry pressure led to significant backtracking, excluding one of the largest categories of PFAS from the proposal.
When asked about the consortium’s warning, Health Canada pointed to outdated federal guidelines for toxic substances in children’s toys. These rules focus on limiting substances like lead, cadmium, and arsenic but fail to address the broader scope of chemical exposure affecting children’s health.
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A Call for Stronger Regulations
“Parents shouldn’t have to rely on testing labs to ensure the safety of products for their children,” said Cassie Barker, toxics program director at Environmental Defense. She emphasized the need for comprehensive regulations to address the widespread and severe threats posed by synthetic chemicals.
Overcoming this challenge requires governments to prioritize children’s health over reducing regulatory “red tape.” As Barker put it, “We’ve lost focus on the real threats to children and their health.”
The Path Forward
The production and use of harmful chemicals are at a crossroads. Without swift action to enforce stricter chemical regulations and hold manufacturers accountable, children’s health will continue to suffer. Collaboration among researchers, governments, and advocacy groups is essential to curb the growing chemical crisis and secure a safer future for the next generation.
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