"UN rights expert urges States and businesses to prevent childhood exposure to toxics and pollution," 21 Sept 2016

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes, Baskut Tuncak, urged governments and businesses across the world to prevent the widespread childhood exposure to toxics and pollution which has triggered a ‘silent pandemic’ of childhood disease and disability…Mr. Tuncak warned…“States have an obligation to prevent children from being exposed to toxics and pollution, and businesses a corresponding responsibility…Case after case has illustrated the myriad of rights violated when States and businesses fail to prevent the exposure of children to toxics and pollution.” “Children…are exposed at higher levels than adults, including to toxic chemicals found in their mother’s body,” he said noting that his report responds to numerous cases of children poisoned by toxic chemicals and pollution in recent years…Around the world, highly hazardous pesticides continue to kill and injure children who engage in one of the worst forms of child labour or are accidentally poisoned through contaminated food…