and glyphosate-based herbicides in a rat toxicology study. Thus, other scientists have since substantiated the findings of health harms originally shown by Dr. Pusztai.
Despite clear cut demonstrable health hazards from this technology, new GMOs were released, more sophisticated technologies regarding gene editing/CRISPR were made available and genetic engineering regulation by the government essentially disappeared. This is a formula for a children’s health tsunami.
While the GMO effects are significant, remember that they are consumed with their concomitant pesticides.
Since the time of Rachel Carson and her landmark book, A Silent Spring (1962), the negative effects of pesticides have been long known regarding children’s health. Again in 1993, there were
reports calling out the lack of regulatory safeguards to protect children from pesticides. These warnings have gone unheeded as global glyphosate usage continues to skyrocket. While there are many harmful effects of glyphosate, the main toxic effects can be seen in their ability to disrupt intestinal permeability, alter the microbiome (a key player in immune, neurologic and hormonal health), identified as a causative agent of autism (which has now reached pandemic levels), as well as having been shown to have a direct link to asthma. This is a brief account of the many ill effects caused by glyphosate-based herbicides on children. Additionally, industry lists many ‘inert’ ingredients in their formulations which are neither inert or reported due to proprietary discretion. The struggle is against pesticides is real, and it’s personal, affecting families universally.
A mother in Argentina describes her family’s severe health problems linked to the large quantities of pesticides (notably glyphosate) sprayed on GM soy. Toxicology tests showed that her son’s body contains a level of pesticides 120 times higher than he is capable of tolerating. Her daughter has a little less, 100 times more than she could tolerate. They both have at least twice the levels found in adults. The entire family has genetic damage. Read the full story of Sabrina Ortiz, mother of two children severely harmed by pesticides here.
The situation is in constant flux and it is only very recently that Bayer (owner of the glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup) decided to withdraw this product from garden usage in the US as litigation against Bayer spirals into the hundreds of thousands of victims. There are presently over 1,000 glyphosate-based formulations available for purchase, so the outcome of this action on the herbicide market remains to be seen.
II. Children require clean water, free from environmental pollutants
The Environmental Working Group published their landmark study collecting data from 2021 and 2023 regarding tap water contaminants. Over a three year period, 50,000 water companies were surveyed in the US comparing their findings to science-based health guidelines. More than 324 contaminants were found, and the more chemicals tested, the more chemicals that were identified.
A brief summary of their findings showed:
Over 143 million people are exposed to PFAS in their drinking water
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and benzene were widespread, which can cause liver damage, neurologic problems, and cancer
Nitrates from farming were prevalent which can negatively affect babies
Arsenic was found in drinking water in all 50 states which can cause cancers
Chromium-6 is in the drinking water of more than 250 million Americans and is linked to cancer
Disinfection byproducts such as chlorine were found in large water systems, linked to reproductive harm and cancer
Radiological contaminants such as uranium and radium exceed EPA limits and were detected in many water systems, leading to neurologic harm and cancer
Fluoride is added in over 75% of Americans water supply leading to neurodevelopmental harm in children.
It should be clear that these contaminants are more harmful during vulnerable windows in children’s’ development such as prenatally. Water contamination is especially concerning for bottle-fed babies whose formula is made from tap water. (Consider the fact that 85% of a formula-fed baby’s diet is made from tap water until solid foods are introduced.)
The call for clean water free from chemical contamination could lead to profound improvements in health. Many substances polluting drinking water are not biodegradable, such as the forever chemicals (per and polyfluorinated substances, PFAS), made infamous in a 2019 film, Dark Waters. They have been introduced in consumer products since the 1950s, contaminating water, food, and air. PFAS have broad systemic toxicity including effects on children’s growth and development, future reproduction, endocrine function, liver function and are carcinogenic. The usage of PFAS has extended from personal care products, to non-stick cookware, fast food packaging, and pesticides.
Children’s natural exploratory nature is hand-to-mouth behavior, thus increasing their exposure from oral contact from these poisonous substances. Their documented contamination particularly in water, has been studied in a recent survey in Middle Eastern and Asian countries which reported on many alarming findings regarding PFAS:
PFAS are poorly regulated in all countries examined
PFAS contaminates adults and infants
Water pollution with PFAS substances is widespread
Marine and terrestrial organisms are contaminated with PFAS
Firefighting foams and extinguishers containing PFAS are in use
Consumer products are contaminated with PFAS
PFAS substances contaminate dust and particulate air pollution
US military bases in Japan cause PFAS pollution
Japan is an important PFAS producer
III. Children require clean air
The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016, reported that air pollution contributed to respiratory tract infections leading to the death of 543,000 children under the age of 5 years old. The major contributors to the pollution crisis are fossil fuel combustion, waste incineration, dust storms, wildfires, industrial processes and cooking/heating homes. Of note, 93% of children under 15 years old are exposed to ambient air pollution with fine particulate matter (PM) levels higher than the WHO air quality guidelines. An equally staggering statistic shows that low and middle-income countries experience death rates that are 40 times higher than in more affluent countries.
Why does air pollution have a greater impact on children? Children as compared to adults spend more time outdoors, playing and breathing faster which increases their relative exposure to air pollution. Children are not mini-adults exhibiting unique physiology. Relative to their size, children breathe more than adults. Coupling their more rapid respiration with decreased biological defenses (nasal passages and detoxification pathways), they are more at risk from air pollution. The fetal risks and early life developmental exposures have the greatest potential to influence future health developments. Higher levels of PM greater than 2.5 increased children’s visits to emergency departments with asthma and respiratory-related issues, disproportionately affecting those living in proximity to traffic, from lower socioeconomic areas, and in urban areas.
There have been attempts by different states in the US to address the issue of children’s environmental health protection regarding air quality. The Children’s Environmental Health Protection Act was passed by the California Legislature in 1999, requiring monitoring and assessment of whether control measures in place were adequate to protect children. This act was designed to identify toxic air contaminants and develop new regulations to reduce exposure if contaminants were identified. Although this type of programming should be applauded, the questions to be addressed are whether it is indeed working, whether this action is substantive and lastly, does a wider net need to be casted to address a larger population of children. In this author’s opinion, this is a good start, but not enough.