U.S. Playing Reproductive Roulette with Dangerous Chemicals

By Reece Rushing

Reproductive health in the United States is declining as human exposure to dangerous chemicals is rising. Fertility problems, miscarriages, pre-term births, and birth defects are all up. Meanwhile, the number of chemicals registered for commercial use now stands at 80,000 — a 30 percent increase since 1979.

These trends in reproductive health are not simply the result of women postponing motherhood. In fact, women under 25 and women aged 25-34 report an increasing number of fertility problems. Men and boys are also experiencing problems. Average sperm count appears to be steadily declining, and there are rising rates of male genital birth defects such as hypospadias, a condition in which the urethra does not develop properly.

Something is clearly not right. Americans are regularly exposed to dangerous chemicals that we know can harm reproductive health. These exposures appear to be taking a disturbing toll.

Chemical exposures occur in a variety of ways, including through industrial releases, contaminated food, household products, cosmetics, and workplaces where chemicals are used. Tests of blood and urine confirm rising and widespread exposure to a chemical soup of metals, pesticides, plasticizers, and other substances. Young children, whose bodies are going through sensitive stages of development, are often exposed to especially high levels. This heightened exposure results from typical kid-like behavior — crawling around, mouthing objects, etc. — and because of their smaller bodies. Pound for pound, children breathe in, drink, and ingest more chemicals than adults.

Dangerous exposures can also occur in the womb. Pregnant women pump blood through the umbilical cord from the placenta to the fetus. This blood provides the essential nutrients for life, but can also contain dangerous chemicals from the mother’s body. A 2004 study tested blood samples from 10 newborn umbilical cords and identified the presence of 287 industrial chemicals (out of 413 chemicals that were tested for).

Many industrial chemicals present serious reproductive risks. Studies link phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA) — chemicals commonly used in food and beverage containers and other plastic products — to birth defects as well as male and female fertility problems. A just-released study found that Chinese factory workers who were exposed to BPA are significantly more likely to experience erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems. Similarly, chemical flame retardants used in household furniture and electronics, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been found to alter hormone levels in both men and women. Infants are frequently exposed to PBDEs, as well as other chemicals, through their mother’s breast milk.

Europe is now implementing an ambitious new program that requires chemical safety testing and restricts chemicals that are identified as dangerous. Canada also recently adopted similar reforms. Laws in the United States, however, have been largely unchanged for decades. Regulatory agencies lack the authority and capacity to adequately evaluate safety and set strong standards against dangerous chemicals. And, chemical manufacturers are not required to conduct pre-market safety testing of their products. Instead, human beings in the real world end up as guinea pigs.

The Toxic Substances Control Act, enacted in 1976, places the burden of proof on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to demonstrate that an industrial chemical is unsafe. For this reason, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently added chemical safety to its “high risk list” of areas that should be addressed immediately. The “EPA’s inadequate progress in assessing toxic chemicals significantly limits the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment,” the GAO explained.

In addition, the chemicals found in cosmetics and most consumer products are presumed to be safe until proven otherwise. The Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which regulate cosmetics and consumer products, respectively, also must defer to voluntary industry actions in important ways. Occupational settings often present the greatest risks. Federal laws and standards permit higher chemical exposures for workers than for the general population. The difference in protection is frequently substantial. For some dangerous chemicals, however, including BPA, there are no workplace exposure limits at all.

Congress is beginning to pay attention. Congress banned lead and phthalates from children’s products last year, following the discovery of contaminated Chinese-made toys. Legislation has also been introduced to ban BPA in all food and beverage containers. And, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) are expected to reintroduce an improved version of their Kids Safe Chemicals Act, which would reform the ineffectual Toxic Substances Control Act. The EPA, under the leadership of new Administrator Lisa Jackson, has also joined the call for reform, offering a blueprint that is consistent with the Kids Safe Chemical Act.

Americans should urge their members of Congress to act quickly. Our reproductive health is on the line.

Reece Rushing is director of regulatory and information policy at the Center for American Progress. He is also author of a slide show on this topic located at

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/07/pdf/reproductive_roulette.pdf.