Leading
health and science organizations in the US call for chemicals to be banned at
the first sign of danger rather than waiting 'unequivocal proof'.
There is
overwhelming scientific evidence that toxic chemicals in food, everyday
products, the general environment and even the air are poisoning our children,
a leading group of US scientists, medical experts and health organizations have
said.
Issuing a
“call to action”, the researchers warned pregnant women had been found to be
contaminated with dozens of potentially harmful substances such as
organ-o-phosphate pesticides, PBDE flame retardants and phthalates found in
plastic.
Such toxins
can interfere in the development of the brain with unborn children being
particularly vulnerable. In paper in the journal Environmental Health
Perspectives, the group said: “We are witnessing an alarming increase in
learning and behavioral problems in children.
“Parents
report that one in six children in the United States, 17 per cent more than a
decade ago, have a developmental disability, including learning disabilities,
ADHD, autism, and other developmental delays. As of 2012,
1 in 10 (or more than 5.9 million) children in the US are estimated to have
ADHD. As of 2017, 1 in 68 children in the US has an autism spectrum disorder.”
They said
that many chemicals could interfere with the development of the brain at
“extremely low levels of exposure”.
“Research in
the neurosciences has identified ‘critical windows of vulnerability’ during
embryonic and fetal development, infancy, early childhood and adolescence,” the
paper said. “During these windows of development, toxic chemical exposures may
cause lasting harm to the brain that interferes with a child’s ability to reach
his or her full potential.”
They pointed
to a previous study that found 90 per cent of pregnant women in the US had
detectable levels of 62 chemicals in their bodies, including phthalates, lead
and mercury.
However the
group said that such harmful chemicals “likely represent the tip of the
iceberg” with only a “tiny minority” of the thousands of substances currently
in use having been tested for their effects on the brain.
“Our
failures to protect children from harm underscore the urgent need for a better
approach to developing and assessing scientific evidence and using it to make
decisions,” the paper said.
“We as a
society should be able to take protective action when scientific evidence
indicates a chemical is of concern, and not wait for unequivocal proof that a
chemical is causing harm to our children.”
Another
problem, they wrote, was when a chemical is banned because it is shown to be
harmful, manufacturers “often substitute similar chemicals that may pose
similar concerns or be virtually untested for toxicity”.
“When the
[US] federal government banned some uses of OP [organ-o-phosphate] pesticides,
manufacturers responded by expanding the use of neonicotinoid and pyrethroid
pesticides,” the paper said.
“Evidence is
emerging that these widely used classes of pesticides pose a threat to the
developing brain.
“When the US
government reached a voluntary agreement with flame retardant manufacturers to
stop making PBDEs, the manufacturers substituted other halogenated and
organophosphate flame retardant chemicals.
“Many of
these replacement flame retardants are similar in structure to other neurotoxic
chemicals but have not undergone adequate assessment of their effects on
developing brains.
“When the
federal government banned some phthalates in children’s products, the chemical
industry responded by replacing the banned chemicals with structurally similar
new phthalates. These replacements are now under investigation for disrupting
the endocrine system.”
The
signatories of the paper included Professor Deborah Bennett, of University of
California, Davis, Dr David Bellinger, of Harvard Medical School, Dr Linda
Birnbaum, director of the US National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences and director of the National Toxicology Program and Dr Alycia
Halladay, chief science officer of the Austism Science Foundation.
Several
leading medical organizations also signed, including the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the International Neurotoxicology Association,
and the US National Medical Association.
As always, stay safe !
-Bird
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