December 12th, 2017
Scientists are finding increasing evidence that exposure to some environmental factors jeopardizes children’s health and may relate to large increases in the number of children diagnosed with asthma,Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, and developmental impairment. Evidence is also strong that environmental health risks disproportionately affect children. Their nervous, immune, digestive, and other bodily systems are still developing while they receive disproportionately greater exposure to pollutants. They eat more food, drink more fluids, and breathe more air in relation to their body weight than adults do. To address the increasingly evident disproportionate environmental health risks for children, President Bill Clinton signed Federal Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks, onApril 21, 1997 (62 FR 19883). This Order mandated Federal agencies to place a high priority on identifying and assessing risks affecting children and to ensure their policies, programs, activities, and standards address disproportionate risks to children.