[Medium] Autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disabilities, and other neuro-developmental disorders are growing at an alarming rate in the United States. Nationwide, 1 in 6 children have a developmental disability, a 17% increase from a decade ago. Despite clear evidence linking chemical exposure to neuro-developmental disorders, our inability to make effective protective regulations about these chemicals is cause for concern, according to a recent consensus statement by an alliance of top scientists, health advocates, and health care providers. 

In their July 2016 statement on neurotoxicants, participants in Project TENDR: Targeting Environmental Neuro- Developmental Risks say starkly, “Our system for evaluating scientific evidence and making decisions about environmental chemicals is broken. We cannot continue to gamble with our children’s health. We call for action now to prevent exposures to chemicals and pollutants that can contribute to the prevalence of neuro-developmental disabilities in America’s children.”

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