Statement from Cassie Barker, Senior Program Manager for Toxics, Environmental Defence
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – We echo the researchers sounding the alarm this week on the urgent need to regulate toxics linked to increasing diseases in children. Federal regulators have the power to better protect our kids and future generations from preventable suffering and death. They must act now.
Without stronger rules, the chemicals and plastics industry will continue to prioritize profits over children’s health. Governments must stand up for stronger toxics laws and champion industry-reforming regulations. For example, they can advance much-needed restrictions on PFAS “forever chemicals”, phthalates and bisphenols — known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. It should go without saying that children’s health must be put first. There is no time to waste when it comes to protecting our youngest and most vulnerable from these known and emerging harms.
Background:
- The research group, the Consortium for Children’s Environmental Health, published “Manufactured Chemicals and Children’s Health — The Need for New Law” in the New England Journal of Medicine on January 8, 2025. The article is available here (subscription required)
- The research highlights that, in the past 50 years, exposure-related health harms for children have increased significantly, stating that “chemicals and plastics is a major planetary challenge that is worsening rapidly,” and that this “endangers the world’s children and threatens humanity’s capacity for reproduction. Inaction on chemicals is no longer an option.”
- Researchers flagged that there are 350,000 chemicals, mixtures and plastics on the market and that this ever-increasing number of substances is increasingly being linked to harms such as:
- Pediatric asthma, which has tripled in the past 50 years in the US
- Childhood cancer, which has increased by 35%
- Neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting one in six children, including one in 36 children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
- The research group has also launched a law and industry reform initiative focused on pre-market proof of safety for all synthetic chemicals, implementing rigorous post-market health monitoring, and using Global Treaties and National Legal Frameworks for protecting children’s health from the harm being caused by toxic chemicals.
- Last year, Environmental Defence identified several harmful chemicals in children’s products, including highly toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” coatings on children’s winter gloves, and neurodevelopmental-harming phthalates on children’s toys, electronics, and shoe charms.
- Polling shows that 4 out of 5 people living in Canada want action on plastics and PFAS, and are concerned about the health and environmental impacts of this toxic class of chemicals.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Lauren Thomas, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca
