Babies are born pre-polluted with potentially harmful levels of phthalates and Dioxins, as well as other chemicals that may possibly cause lifelong health problems.

For their weight, children eat, drink and breathe more than adults - so pound for pound they take in a greater quantity of toxic contaminants. A small exposure translates into a big dose. Children are not “little adults” - their developing brains and bodies, their metabolism and behaviors make them uniquely vulnerable to harm from toxic chemicals.

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The number of children in special education programs classified with learning disabilities increased 191% from 1977 to 1994.

 Muir, T. and Zegarac, M. 2001. Societal costs of exposure to toxic substances: economic and health costs of four case studies that are candidates for environmental causation.  Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements Volume 109, Number S6, December.

Asthma is a leading reason for school absenteeism and the number one chronic childhood illness.  

American Lung Association. 2008. “Childhood asthma overview.” April. Online: http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22782  (22 October 2009).

One in a hundred American children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Wallis, C. 2009. “New studies see a higher rate of autism: is the jump real?” Time Magazine, October 5. Online:http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1927824,00.html

8,000 American children are diagnosed each year with cancer, and the incidence of cancer in children jumped 26% between 1975 and 1998.

US EPA. 2003. America’s children and the environment: measures of contaminants, body burdens, and illnesses, 2003, U.S. EPA. Online:http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/46/e5.pdf  (22 October 2009).

The incidence of testicular cancer in young men has increased by 60% and the incidence of hypospadias (abnormal positioning of the opening of the urethra on the penis) in newborn boys doubled from 1968 to 1993.

Landrigan, P. 2004. Environmental health threats to children: a look at the facts. INFORM. Online: http://www.informinc.org/enchil.pdf (22 October 2009).

An average of one out of every 13 school-age children has asthma. In fact, asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism: 14.7 million school days are missed each year due to asthma.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2009. “Managing asthma in schools.”

Online: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/asthma.html (20 October 2009).

A 2008 study found an association between concentrations of phthalates in indoor dust and wheezing among preschool children. The presence of PVC flooring in the child’s bedroom was the strongest predictor of respiratory ailments.
Kolarik, B. et al. 2008. The association between phthalates in dust and allergic diseases among Bulgarian children. Environmental Health Perspectives 116(1): 98-103.

According to recent studies, the incidence of learning and developmental disabilities appears to be rising, affecting about one in six children in the U.S. under the age of 18.

Boyle CA, Decoufle P, Yeargin-Allsopp M. 1994.  Prevalence and health impact of developmental disabilities in US children. Pediatrics March 93(3):399- 403.

Recent research also shows that the developing fetus and children are particularly vulnerable to environmental exposures. Given this, protecting children from exposures to neurotoxicants starting as early as fetal development is an essential public health measure if we are to help prevent further increases in LDDs.

Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative. Online: http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html (22 October2009).

A number of chemicals released by the PVC lifecycle have been linked with or have been shown to cause learning and developmental disabilities. These include Dioxins, Lead, and Mercury.   

Schantz, S.L. and Bowman, R.E. 1989. Learning in monkeys exposed perinatally to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD). Neurotoxicology and Teratology 11: 13-19.  Seo, B-W., Sparks, A.J., Medora, K., Amin, S., and Schantz, S.L. 1999. Learning and memory in rats gestationally and lactationally exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD). Neurotoxicology and Teratology 21: 231-239.

Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative. 2007. Practice prevention – lead.  December. Online: http://www.iceh.org/pdfs/LDDI/PracPrevention/lead.pdf   

(22 October 2009).

Preliminary research suggests phthalates may also be linked to learning and developmental disabilities.

Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative.  2007. Practice prevention – plastics. September. Online: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/working_groups/ childrens_health/columns_facts (22 October 2009).

A study published in 2009 found a statistically significant link between PVC flooring and autism spectrum disorder. The study found that children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit phthalates, are twice as likely to have autism.

Larsson, M. et al. 2008. Associations between indoor environmental factors and parental- reported autistic spectrum disorders in children 6-8 years of age. Neurotoxicology.  doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2009.01.011

A number of the cornerstone chemicals used and released by the PVC lifecycle into our environment have been found to cause or may be linked with breast cancer. These include vinyl chloride, Dioxins,  and phthalates.  For example: Vinyl chloride is classified as a known human carcinogen by the EPA, National Toxicology Program, and IARC [International Agency for Research on Cancer]. It’s been linked to increased mortality from breast cancer among workers involved in the manufacture of PVC. Additionally, animals exposed long-term to low levels of airborne vinyl chloride show an increased risk of mammary tumors.  Exposure to phthalates have been linked to reproductive problems including shorter pregnancy duration,  premature breast development in females, early onset of puberty, sperm damage, and impaired reproductive development in boys.

Swan, S. et al. 2005. Decrease in anogenital distance among male infants with prenatal phthalate exposure.  Environmental Health Perspectives 113: 1056-1061.

Exposure to dioxin can cause or has been associated with birth defects, decreased fertility, inability to carry pregnancies to term, endometriosis, lowered testosterone levels, decreased sperm counts, and decreased testis size.

Gray, L.E., Jr., Wolf, C., and Ostby, J.S. 1997. In utero exposure to low doses of 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin alters reproductive development of female Long Evans hooded rat offspring. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 146: 235-237.

Murray, F.J. et al. 1979. “Three- generation reproduction study of rats given 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in the diet. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 50: 241-252.

Allen, J.R. et al. 1979. Reproductive effects of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons on nonhuman primates. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 320: 419-425.

Gray, L.E., Jr., Ostby, J.S., and Kelce, W.R. 1997. A dose response analysis of reproductive effects of a single gestational dose of of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in male Long Evans hooded rat offspring. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 146: 11-20.