JULY 2010

Chemicals & Our kids

There’s growing world-wide concern among scientists, activists and parents that many
unregulated chemicals are toxic to our children

By: Dorothy Ciminelli Delmonte

There’s a quiet crisis going on in our children. The rate of autism is growing at over 1,000%. The Environmental Working Group, (EWG) a research organization in Washington, D.C., estimates one in three American children now has autism, ADHD or asthma. The incidence of childhood cancer, obesity, diabetes and learning disabilities is increasing daily.

While synthetic chemicals have played an important role in improving our lives, providing life-saving drugs, modern conveniences and life-enhancing products, there is a growing world-wide concern among scientists, activists and parents that many unregulated chemicals are toxic to our children, damaging their fragile neurological systems.

In a 2004 test of the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborns, EWG discovered almost 300 chemicals already present at birth, including pesticides and wastes from burning coal, garbage and gasoline. EWG says our babies “are born pre-polluted.”

The Environmental Protection Agency lists 80,000 chemicals presently used in our daily lives. Of those, only 200 have been thoroughly tested for harmful effects on humans and few of those tests have considered our children.

And, despite the fact that 700 new chemicals come to market each year, the Toxic Substance Control Act hasn’t been updated since 1976, when it was enacted, meaning that every day our children are exposed to more unknown substances, which may be altering them both physically and neurologically.
Are phthalates — a group of widely used chemical compounds added to plastics to increase flexibility and commonly found in most consumer products, but also linked to hormonal changes and cancer — safe at any level for developing young minds?

Does bisphenol A, now commonly known as “BPA,” a building block for polycarbonate plastic found in canned goods, beverages and baby bottles, which scientific studies have linked to disruption of hormone function, obesity, early puberty and an increase in breast and prostate cancer, affect the growing fetus or evolving young child?

Do parabens, a synthetic preservative widely used in cosmetics, cause asthma and cancer?
Chemical corporations insist the evidence is inconclusive and only safe levels of exposure exist. Groups like EWG believe we need to reform the nation’s toxic chemical laws, calling for a “KidSafe Chemicals Act,” which would force corporations to disclose what substances they use (presently, chemical companies need not disclose any information on the chemical make-up of products) and how those products affect humans, especially developing children.

While the debate rages on, the average parent is overwhelmed with alarming statistics. Chemicals are so widely used in our society that traces of them can be found in humans and animals in even the most remote areas of the world. Yet our children are our most vulnerable and precious resource, and when it comes to their welfare, we can only err on the side of caution.

 

A growing concern and awareness:
Presently, The World Health Organization is conducting studies around the globe on how chemicals in the food supply and in our daily products affect kids.
In January of 2010, the journal Scientific American published an article linking flame retardants to reduced human fertility, and ADHD to chemical exposure to phthalates. (Chemical Exposure Linked to Attention Deficit Disorder in Children, Jan. 20, 2010.)

A 1993 National Academy of Sciences report indicated that children are more susceptible to pesticides than adults and that 50% of lifetime pesticide exposure occurs in the first 5 years of life. (The results of this study were widely disputed by the Cato Institute, a non-profit research foundation that promotes limited government.)

A 2003 Journal of the National Cancer Institute report indicated that kids exposed to pesticides have more leukemia and brain cancer.

A 2002 PBS report, “Now with Bill Moyers. Are we poisoning our children?,”quoted internationally recognized ecologist, Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. who said, “Children have home and garden pesticides in their urine and they’re peeing out wood preservatives. Women have termite poisons and toilet deodorizers and flame-retardants in their breast milk.”

 

Actions Taken:
In 2008, the Green Peace organization successfully lobbied Congress to outlaw six toxic chemicals in children’s toys. (A 2009 National Public Radio report indicated the bill does not ensure toy safety because those toxins were replaced with other unknown chemicals.)

In 2004, the European Union banned the use of phthalates in small children’s products.
In 2009, the Canadian government banned BPA in baby bottles and the chemicals D4 and D5 siloxanes in beauty products.

 

The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act:
Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Environmental Health, has introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010, (known as The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act.) The bill is designed to update the antiquated Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, which is crammed with loopholes, provides secrecy to chemical manufacturers and lacks a burden of proof of safety. Lautenberg previously introduced a 2005 version of this bill, which failed, but momentum for this legislation is growing with the support of the EPA and many national health groups. The Act will require safety testing of all chemicals, transparency in products brought to market, and fast action to address known problem chemicals.

 

Important Web Sites:
• The Environmental Working Group: www.ewg.org. .
A non-profit established in 1993 to protect public health and the environment made up of scientists, engineers, policy experts and lawyers. Provides public information, health tips, suggestions for safer living and links to tools, resources and publications like “EWG’S Kid-Safe Chemicals Act Interactive Magazine.”Also provides a venue to sign the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act petition.

• Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition: Represents 11 million individuals, parents, health professionals, environmentalists and advocates. www.saferchemicals.org.

• Children’s Environmental Health Network: Provides pertinent information on protecting the fetus and developing child with links to the World Health Organization, the EPA Offices of Children’s Health Protection, and the National Children’s Study. www.cehn.org.

• Learn About Chemicals Around Your House: www.epa.gov/kidshometour.

• The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys: www.healthytoys.org.

• Kelly Preston, wife of John Travolta, became a proponent of chemical-free homes as a result of an illness her son experienced. Check out “Kelly Preston’s Tips on Chemicals” for safer alternatives for everything from cleaners to lawn products. www.celebrityparents.com/picks/kelly-prestons-tips-on-chemicals-5995.

• Chemical Free Baby Products: www.earthturns.com.

• Studies by the New York Board of Pesticide Control showed that 8 of 10 people do not read Caution, Warning and Danger labels on pesticide products, says the site www.safelawns.org.

• Read “A Beyond Pesticides Fact Sheet” at www.lawns4kids.com which, among other statistics, informs us that studies show children living in households where pesticides are used suffer elevated rates of leukemia, brain cancer and soft tissue sarcoma.

• United Green Products: Eco-friendly products for home and office. www.unitedgreenproducts.com

• The Green Guide: National Geographic’s guide to green living. www.thegreenguide.com.

• Safer Child, Inc.: Addresses indoor air pollution issues and solutions. (The EPA estimates we spend 90% of our time indoors, where we are exposed to many toxins and that pound for pound children ingest more chemicals than adults.) www.saferchild.org.

 

Finally:
• Eat locally and organically grown foods. Freeze summer-fresh products for later use. www.americantowns.com/ny/buffalo-local-foods.

• Avoid canned goods/plastics with BPA.

• Dispose of medicines properly. (St. Joseph’s Hospital in Cheektowaga recently scheduled an unused prescription drug drop-off day.)

• Ask for the green section at your supermarket.Wegman’s recently expanded their Nature’s Market section to include many kid-safe products such as paraban-free shampoo, lotion and powder and organic baby foods.

 

Stay Informed:
The Consumer Products Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov ) is investigating Pampers diapers with Dry Max technology, which many parents claim are causing burns, blisters and red rashes on toddlers. A chemical in the diapers is suspected.

If you have experienced problems with this particular diaper, fill out and submit the form found at www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx to register your complaint.

For a monthly email service that alerts parents to faulty products visit www.kidsindanger.com. The site was started by parents, whose16-month-old child strangled in a crib that had been recalled 5 years earlier.

 

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Dorothy Ciminelli Delmonte is a freelance writer living in Cheektowaga, NY, who writes frequently on health issues. She worked in the food industry for 22 years, and advises consumers to contact manufacturers with issues and concerns about products.