Since 1975 cancer in has increased in American Children especially childhood leukemia and brain cancer. A t the same time, approximately 80,000 chemicals have been produced in the U.S. to create commonly-used products.

These include known carcinogens such as asbestos, formaldehyde, lead, cadmium, trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride, with practically no government oversight.

The use of toxic chemicals has risen considerably in the last 50 years.  They are now at a point where they are just about everywhere in the environment. Although it is not clear exactly why childhood cancers are increasing, an extensive amount of evidence suggests that these chemicals play a large role

The President’s Cancer Panel reported in 2010 that they had strong confirmation that exposure to toxic chemicals is an important and under-recognized risk factor for cancer.

They advised the Government to take immediate action to reverse this trend. In fact, the Panel stressed the need for Congress to revise the failed 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), commenting that this law is “the most egregious example of ineffective regulation of chemical contaminants.”  The panel also noted that weaknesses in the law have prevented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from being able to properly control known and alleged carcinogens.

If You Have Been or Are Being Exposed to Toxic Substances

The first step that you should take if you suspect that you or your child has been exposed to toxic substances is to contact a doctor immediately. After getting appropriate medical care, consult with an attorney who has handled toxic tort claims before or seek to obtain additional information by contacting the Department of Public Health in your state or county.