Mother's Day is a time for celebrating moms and honoring the life, joy and protection that they bring our families and our society. On this day, let's acknowledge the common trait mothers share across time and geography -- they will do what's necessary to protect their children from harm. They strap their children into car seats, put latches on cabinets and teach their kids how to stay safe in an increasingly violent world.
They do these things to protect their children and to ensure that they have a better life than their mothers had. Recently, however, scientists concluded that for the first time in centuries, children are not as likely to grow up to be as healthy their parents, due largely to exposure to harmful chemicals in our environment.
Given our penchant for protection, what mother would knowingly slather her newborn with a known carcinogen? Or use makeup that contains a reproductive toxin that could be passed through breast milk to her growing baby? The issue here is that few mothers realize this is happening unknowingly, right now, in homes across America. Personal care products, like bubble bath, lotions and make-up are not required to undergo FDA safety testing before they are brought to market. In the U.S., the $60-billion personal care products industry is almost entirely self-regulated. The result is that many products on store shelves -- not all, of course, but many -- contain chemicals linked to a variety of health effects, including those that, if used frequently, can cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm.
Even though moms have been known to exhibit a super-human ability to keep the family ship afloat in today's modern world, there are simply some things that moms cannot do alone. The gift that all mothers need this year -- all hands on deck to protect children from dangerous chemicals often liberally used in baby bottles, mattresses, toys and even bubble bath.
The good news is that companies need not resort to using toxic chemicals to make products that are effective and affordable. Over 550 U.S. companies and all of the companies selling in the European market have reformulated their products to remove carcinogens, mutagens and reproductive toxins. Companies intent on making good products that are also safe for our bodies, our babies and the environment are being rewarded -- the "green" personal care products industry is flourishing.
Breast milk should not be contaminated with toxins; kids should not bathe in toxic bubble bath. The market needs to clean up its act -- but strong regulation is needed as well. Despite the move companies are taking independently to switch to safer alternatives in their products, more needs to be done. We cannot rely on voluntary phase-outs of chemicals that could harm us or our natural world. Strong regulatory action is necessary.
This Mother's Day, ask your elected officials to make protecting children's health a priority. After all, the gift of a healthy future for her children is all a mother could ask.