I can’t stand accusations that environmentalists are “hippies”, “alarmists” or “anti-science”. It couldn’t be any more of the opposite. While many toxicants can cause neurodevelopmental disorders, it’s not the only problem. Endocrine disruptors for example cause false signals that disrupt the normal functioning of the reproductive system and affect the production and amount testosterone and estrogen. Humans may be at risk from endocrine disruption since it causes reproductive disorders, infertility and hormonally related cancer.

I dislike hysteria and one issue that keeps being brought up, and which annoys me every time is mental retardation, when we have a myriad of other potential health effects such endocrine disruptors like Bisphenol A. It makes it too easy to divert attention to autism when it’s much more difficult to deny the dangers other toxicants. Why o’ why would you then choose to talk about autism, instead of keeping the term neurological disorders? It brings into the mind the same hysteria that caused many parents to stop vaccinating their child, which was disastrous.  There are so many discussions on what cause autism, that it would be wiser for activists for the environment to leave it to the medical community. It’s less likely to sidetrack the discussion and discredit the threat if there isn’t a strong enough correlation, even if pollution causes a variety of other health problems.

Endocrine disruptors aren’t the only toxicants which may affect human beings. There are several toxic chemicals which exhibit traits like bio-accumulation¹, biological magnification² and persistence³. There’s Phtalates, an ingredients in cosmetics, fragrances and common plastics which can cause birth defects and abnormalities. Some other examples are dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane or DDT, radioactive isotopes, heavy metals such as lead and mercury, flame retardants such as PBDE’s or polybrominated disphenyl ethers and industrial chemicals such as dioxins polychlorinated biphenyls.

1. Bio-accumulation occurs when the body stockpiles a substance faster than it can get rid of it.

2. A term designation the increased concentration of toxic chemicals in the higher echelons of the food web. Keep in mind we’re normally at the top.

3. Chemicals that are stable and won’t break down for years into simpler forms. They can remain in the body for a long time in other words.