There are currently over 80,000 chemicals on the market in the U.S., the vast majority of which lack even basic information on health effects and toxicity. We do know that at least 1,400 chemicals have known or probable links to cancer, birth defects, reproductive impacts, and other health problems such as learning disabilities. While the incidence of these diseases has been increasing for decades, a whole host of other obstacles to healthy development have also been on the rise, including premature birth, low birth weight, early puberty and childhood obesity. Recent science indicates that these problems, too, very well may be related to chemical exposure. While millions of affected children and their families cope with the reality of these conditions right now, we also must consider the profound future implications of a drop in average IQ or a decrease in the average age of sexual maturation. [Read more.]
Critical Solutions
Environment Illinois is working to:
- Pass the Child-Safe Chemical Act to protect children from lead, cadmium, and phthalates in products they use everyday, provide parents with information to make safer product choices, and put Illinois on track to addressing the many other hazardous chemicals in consumer products. Read More.
- Eliminate the toxic flame-retardant decaBDE from consumer products. Read More.
- Establish a convenient, state-wide, manufacturer funded system to recycle electronic waste.