Children and Toxics

Toxic emissions in Florida must be significantly reduced.

 
Inadequacies in existing state and federal laws exempt many polluting facilities from reporting toxic releases. It is no longer good enough to clean up after pollution or remediate health problems caused by contamination.
 

 
Only a sharp phase-out and ultimate ban on the manufacture, use, and disposal of carcinogenic chemicals, and their replacement with non-carcinogenic alternatives, is needed to reduce cancers and serious toxic-related harm that destroys a child's promise almost before they begin their travels through life.
 

 
Much attention has been paid to the lifestyles of adults and their medical problems, particularly concerning food, cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs. Little attention is paid to children's lifestyles.
 

 
Children differ from adults. Their lifestyles differ drastically from the lifestyles of adults. Perhaps nothing better illustrates these differences between children and adults than children's exposure to toxic chemicals.
 

 
Children receive higher doses of chemicals because they consume more food, water, and air. Toxic chemicals cause more damage than in adults because of the immaturity of some organ systems and the need of children to grow.
 


 
Children are involved in many activities that adults are unlikely to do. Children crawl, roll, climb on floors, grass, turfs or shrubs.
 

 
Further, cell type and configuration have also been correlated with increased susceptibility of the young to toxic chemicals. The target organs are physiologically immature and more susceptible to the toxic action of chemicals.
 

 
Neurotoxins can cause learning problems at school, hyperactive behavior and seizures. If exposure to neurotoxins continues long enough, permanent brain damage can result. Lead is a potent neurotoxin and lead poisoning has long been known to cause permanent damage in young children.
 

 
It is vital that citizen organizations play an increasing roIe in ensuring the success of this process by using the toxic release inventory and other informational tools available to help citizens be more informed about what exposures are in their area.
 
Additional information on Children’s Health and Toxics can be found at:
 
 
EPA Facility Search – Enforcement and Compliance Data
 
Florida Department of Health

To achieve the goal of reducing the use of toxics, industrial facilities must submit pollution prevention plans to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. FDEP needs to set a statewide goal of reducing discharges of toxic substances into the environment by 50%. To reach this goal, owners and operators of all plants in the state that must file a federal Toxic Release Inventory report must also submit their report to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
 
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Secretary Alexis A. Lambert
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard M.S. 49 
Tallahassee, FL 32399

 Public.Services@FloridaDEP.gov

Glenn Compton is the Chairman of ManaSota 88, a non-profit organization that has spent over 30 years fighting to protect the environment of Manatee and Sarasota counties.