Stolen Future: Minority children bear greater burden from toxic chemicals
Birth Defects
Lower-income children of color are exposed to more harmful chemicals and suffer more significant harm than children from higher-income and white families, according to new research that shines a light on the long-term health impacts of environmental racism.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, involved research by a group of scientists, medical professionals, and environmental advocates focusing on exposure by children to harmful chemicals including lead and pesticides, as well as phthalates, which are often found in plastics, vinyl flooring, personal care products, and industrial lubricants. The research examined exposure to car exhaust, industrial emissions and chemicals used in constructing homes. Lead and phthalates received particular focus because lead has been linked to developmental delays in children, and phthalates interfere with human hormones.
According to the study, children from lower-income families are more likely to be exposed to neurotoxic chemicals because of the nation’s long history of discriminatory public policy that has allowed polluting sources to be located in and around communities of color. The study also highlighted government-backed policies that dispossess Native Americans of their lands and cultures as contributing to these issues.
The researchers emphasized that environmental injustices negatively impact the health of all age groups and compound over time. The problem, as noted by the study’s co-lead author, Devon Payne-Sturges, is that exposure is not just a one-time event. Children in disadvantaged communities are often exposed to multiple harmful chemicals simultaneously. Payne-Sturges is an associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health.
The study highlighted the higher rates of lead exposure among Black and Hispanic children and the increased exposure of children of color to pesticides used in agriculture. Black and Hispanic mothers were also found to have higher levels of exposure to phthalates, which interfere with human hormones.
The authors of the study hope their work will inspire targeted interventions, influence new policies, and encourage increased investment in efforts to eliminate health disparities. They stress the importance of considering race in research on harmful environmental exposures.
The study also underscores the responsibility that corporations have to ensure that dangerous chemicals are properly handled. A combination of community action and government intervention will be necessary to combat environmental racism and help ensure that all children, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, have clean air and water and are protected from harmful chemicals that will cause lifelong damage.
What is neurotoxicity?
Neurotoxic chemicals cause damage to the brain or nervous system. These substances include lead, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, benzene, arsenic, and mercury. Although some neurotoxins are naturally occurring, many are man-made.
How We Help Victims of Pesticides
The attorneys of our birth defects victims’ alliance understand the pain that families face when coping with life-altering birth defects—and the frustration of knowing they could have been prevented. Our team has over 40 years of combined experience in birth defects litigation in cases involving semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, pesticides, and energy production. We have the resources and experience to fight on behalf of our clients against corporations who put them in danger. Contact us to see how we can help you and your family receive justice for birth defects.