Chemical regulations are an essential component of safeguarding children’s health in today’s world. A recent report published in the New England Journal of Medicine by the Consortium for Children’s Environmental Health highlights the urgent need for testing and regulating chemicals and chemical products to prevent rising rates of chronic illnesses among children.
The report emphasizes that the current regulatory systems for prescription drugs must be extended to cover chemicals and chemical-based products. With an estimated 350,000 products in global chemical inventories, the risks of environmental pollution and human exposure are significant. However, the manufacture of synthetic chemicals and plastics is currently subject to inadequate legal or policy constraints.
The authors of the report, including experts like epidemiologist Philip Landrigan, environmental law scholar David Wirth, biologist Thomas Chiles, and epidemiologist Kurt Straif, advocate for new laws that prioritize health protection over the mass production of chemicals and plastics. They propose that chemicals should undergo rigorous premarket testing to ensure they are not toxic at anticipated levels of exposure before entering the market.
Furthermore, the authors suggest that manufacturers and brands of chemical products should be required to monitor their products post-market release, similar to the monitoring of prescription drugs. This comprehensive approach aims to evaluate any potential long-term negative health effects on children.
The call to action stems from a two-year project involving independent scientists from prestigious institutions in the U.S. and Europe. The report aims to address the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among children, which are linked to synthetic chemicals. Childhood cancer rates, male reproductive birth defects, neurodevelopmental disorders, pediatric asthma, obesity, and type 2 diabetes have all seen alarming increases in recent years.
The production of synthetic chemicals and plastics, primarily derived from fossil fuels, has expanded exponentially since the mid-20th century. Despite their widespread use, few of these chemicals have been thoroughly tested for toxicity, especially in infants and children. Associations between commonly used chemicals and childhood diseases continue to emerge, underscoring the urgent need for stricter regulations.
To protect children from the dangers of synthetic chemicals, the authors recommend fundamental changes to current laws and a restructuring of the chemical industry. These include laws mandating premarket safety testing, chemical footprinting, development of safer chemicals, and policy reforms at both national and global levels.
Lead author Philip Landrigan emphasizes that pollution from synthetic chemicals and plastics poses a significant threat to children’s health and reproductive capacity. Urgent action is needed to curb the escalating production and use of these harmful substances to safeguard the well-being of future generations.
In conclusion, the report underscores the critical importance of implementing new chemical regulations to protect children’s health in the face of increasing environmental and health risks posed by synthetic chemicals. By prioritizing health protection over industrial interests, we can create a safer and healthier environment for our children.
