Hazards In The Household

Everyday home-care products may contribute to developmental and learning disorders in children, according to a group of US doctors.

A report released in May by the Greater Boston Physicans for Social Responsibility revealed that most chemicals on the market haven’t undergone thorough testing in some areas. Only 12 of approximately 15,000 approved chemicals have been studied specifically for their effects on brain development.

Companies are currently required to test the effects of chemicals on the physical structure of the brain, but not how the brain works thereafter. Would they even be able to do so? Not according to the authors of the report. They argue our scientific understanding hasn’t advanced enough to be able to accurately determine all long-term effects of neurotoxins. And in the meantime, they say, it’s best to take a preventive approach to toxic exposure, both at an individual and regulatory level.

The full report is available online at < igc.org/psr >.