I read your article (‘Forever chemicals’ linked to gut inflammation in children after early exposure, 24 July) on prenatal and early-life exposure to Pfas leading to higher levels of intestinal inflammation in children – and by extension colorectal cancer – with interest.
I’m a mum of two. Since my first pregnancy, I have grappled with the endless advice and contradictions on health. Should I use glass bottles of non-organic milk, or plastic bottles of organic milk. Organic broccoli wrapped in plastic, or plastic-free non-organic broccoli.
As I read the article, I also processed the solution: “Mothers can take some steps to protect themselves, including using water filtration systems that remove Pfas, buying organic, avoiding waterproof clothing, and avoiding stain guards.”
My immediate reaction was of despair and rage. How can these huge, systemic issues be just another thing for us to solve? How many working families can afford to eat only organic food? How many of us can afford to fit water filter systems? How many of us can avoid getting wet during school pick ups?
It is outrageous that these issues are now so commonplace and uncontested that the burden of solving them gets shunted on to the shoulders of parents.
It is not our responsibility. It is the government’s responsibility to legislate. It is big agriculture’s responsibility not to cover our food in chemicals. It is the water companies’ responsibility to ensure we have clean water. As if these things even need to be said.
I cannot read another article about how I am irreparably damaging my child’s long-term health, with the solution just to “buy x or y”. The solution is bigger and harder than this. And it is not our responsibility to shoulder it.
Kendal Archer
Exeter
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