Manufactured Chemicals and Children’s Health — The Need for New Law

In a perspective piece just published in The New England Journal of Medicine, medical experts from the Consortium for Children’s Environmental Health have called for stronger regulation to protect children from the dangers of manufactured chemicals. Highlighting the role of synthetic chemicals in the development of noncommunicable disease (NCD), they call for current laws to be fundamentally restructured and for the chemical industry to prioritise children's health.

Over 350,000 synthetic chemicals and plastics are in use globally, production increases by 3% annually, and is projected to triple by 2050!

The authors show that over the past 50 years, NCDs in children have significantly increased, with a 35% rise in childhood cancers, a doubling of male reproductive congenital disabilities, and a quadrupling of pediatric obesity. Conditions like asthma, type 2 diabetes, and neurodevelopmental disorders have also surged. In contrast, adult NCD rates, such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, have decreased, indicating a disproportionate burden on children.

Research links many pediatric NCDs to synthetic chemicals, highlighted by cases like the thalidomide tragedy, Minamata disease, and diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure. These cases, which collectively affected tens of thousands of children globally, reveal the long-term consequences of toxic exposures during pregnancy, and demonstrate that toxic chemicals can cross the placenta, making children more vulnerable than adults.

Studies cited in the paper show that even low-level chemical exposure during critical developmental periods can cause long-term health issues, including reduced IQ, neurodevelopmental delays, and increased risks for chronic diseases. For example, low-level lead exposure during childhood is estimated to have reduced the average IQ of U.S. children by 2 to 5 points, resulting in substantial societal and economic costs.

Epidemiological studies are crucial in linking chemical exposures to health outcomes. The authors have identified connections between prenatal exposure to substances like lead, phthalates, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances with various disorders and reduced cognitive function. Reducing toxic chemical exposure, as we saw with the removal of lead from petrol, can have significant health and economic benefits. For example, the removal of lead from petrol has been associated with a cumulative economic benefit > US$8 trillion in the United States since 1980.

Flawed international chemical laws

The United States Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1977 was intended to reduce exposure to chemical risks and protect public health, but some think that it has failed to effectively empower the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

TSCA allows chemical manufacturers to produce new chemicals without premarketing toxicity tests or long-term safety monitoring, assuming chemicals are safe unless proven otherwise. The burden is therefore on the EPA to identify hazards, assess risks, and provide justification for regulations, leading to minimal restrictions on harmful chemicals. Fewer than 20% of manufactured chemicals have been tested for toxicity, and even fewer have undergone evaluations specifically addressing risks to infants and children.

In contrast, the authors discuss the way that the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) policy demands some screening and evidence-based safety analysis before products enter the market. However, REACH also depends on industry-provided data, includes numerous exemptions, and imposes significant proof burdens on regulators. As a result, only around 73 chemicals and chemical groups have been banned or restricted.

Recommendations

A paper outlines that a precautionary approach is needed to protect children's health from synthetic chemicals, prioritising safety over unchecked chemical production. Current assumptions that chemicals are harmless should be replaced by independent and objective testing to prove safety before market entry. Manufacturers should also conduct post-market surveillance, particularly focusing on long-term effects on children.

Additionally, adopting a comprehensive global treaty under the United Nations could provide a unified framework to address chemical pollution. Globally, a binding chemicals treaty under the United Nations could address chemical pollution, the known third spike in the current triple planetary crises. The treaty would require a science-policy body modeled after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to provide independent expert guidance and ensure that regulatory measures are informed by the latest research.

Manufacturers' reporting on chemical footprints can help identify and reduce chemical hazards, making risks transparent for investors. Governments and shareholder resolutions could mandate this practice.

Ultimately, the chemical industry must shift to a model focused on sustainable practices. This includes replacing rigid, outdated infrastructure with innovative, flexible systems designed to prioritise safety and sustainability. To do this will require a shift in funding and risk transfer to facilitate implementation.

Left unchecked, chemical production poses significant risks to planetary health, children, and humanity. To protect our planet and future generations, urgent legal and industry reforms akin to global clean energy transitions are required. The Consortium for Children’s Environmental Health calls for immediate action on these critical issues. Here at Hazard Evaluation, we add our voice to that call.

Journal reference:

• Manufactured Chemicals and Children’s Health — The Need for New Law. The Consortium for Children’s Environmental Health. The New England Journal of Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMms2409092,