A Generation in Jeopardy

Children today are sicker than they were a generation ago. From childhood cancers to autism, birth defects and asthma, a wide range of childhood diseases and disorders are on the rise. Our assessment of the latest science leaves little room for doubt: pesticides are one key driver of this sobering trend. As the recent President’s Cancer Panel reports, we have been “grossly underestimating” the contribution of environmental contamination to disease, and the policies meant to protect us have fallen far short. Nearly 20 years ago, scientists at the National Research Council called for swift action to protect young and growing bodies from pesticides.1

Yet today, U.S. children continue to be exposed to pesticides that are known to be harmful in places they live, learn and play. This report reviews dozens of recent studies that examine the impact of pesticides on children’s health.