Toxic Truths and Tender Love: Why Mothers Must Speak Out

By Chinkie Peliño-Golle, IPEN Regional Coordinator for Southeast and East Asia; she is based in the Philippines where she works with the EcoWaste Coalition

I remember the moment I first held my son, his tiny fingers wrapped around mine, his breathing soft and steady. In that instant, like every mother, I vowed to protect him with everything I had. I marveled at his perfection, overwhelmed by a love so fierce it felt like both fire and shelter. I dreamed of a world where he would be safe, cherished, and free.

I never imagined I’d one day be asking why that same world allowed silent poisons to surround him before he could even speak or walk.

My son has autism. He is sweet, bright, beautiful, and full of wonder. Every day, he teaches me about joy, strength, and unconditional love. His laugh lights up rooms. His presence grounds me. But I still ask: Why did his early years feel different?

What might have shaped his development beyond genetics?

The answers are not simple, but they are urgent.

A mother’s grief, a mother’s fight

The more I learned, the more my heart broke. So many everyday things we trust—plastics, cosmetics, packaging, paints, even baby toys carry invisible threats from hazardous chemicals. These chemicals can harm children even before they take their first breath. And the worst part? They’re not far away. They’re right here, inside our homes, in our kitchens, our schools, and everywhere, woven into the very spaces where our children are meant to feel safest.

Chemicals like phthalates and bisphenols, known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), interfere with hormones that guide brain and body development. Studies have linked prenatal exposure to these chemicals with neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism, ADHD, and behavioral challenges¹.

Lead, still present in old paint, contaminated water, and some imported toys, is also linked to reduced IQ, attention disorders, and learning delays². These risks are even higher in low- and middle-income countries, where regulation is weak or enforcement is lacking³.

Even with this knowledge, these chemicals remain widespread, unlabeled, unregulated, and dangerous.

This isn’t our fault, but it is our fight

Mothers carry so much: worry, guilt, hope. But let’s be clear, this is not our fault, and our children are not broken. They are not a tragedy. They are miracles, growing and thriving in a world that still doesn’t fully understand or support them.

What must change is not our children but the systems that allowed toxic chemicals to silently enter our homes, our bodies, and our future.

This is why I speak out. This is why many mothers are turning pain into power, demanding safer homes, cleaner air, toxin-free water and food, and laws that protect our children, not corporate profit.

When science meets a mother’s story

This is also why the work of IPEN means so much to me as a mother. IPEN connects hundreds of organizations worldwide to expose the threats of toxic chemicals, support communities, and push for safer environments for our children.

IPEN’s research has revealed hazardous substances in products we use every day: phthalates in toys⁴, bisphenols in plastics⁵, lead in paints⁶, even harmful chemicals in personal care items marketed to women and girls⁷.

One of IPEN’s strongest messages is that plastics are not just a waste issue; they are a toxic threat. From production to disposal, plastics release chemicals that can disrupt hormones and impair brain development, putting children at risk before they are even born⁸.

But IPEN doesn’t stop at raising alarms. It equips communities with science, tools, and collective strength. Our work empowers mothers like me with the knowledge to protect our children and advocate for a healthier, more just world.

In a world full of hidden dangers, IPEN helps shine a light. And that gives me hope.

A mother’s love is a force for change

Through advocacy, I’ve come to realize that caring for children with special needs must go beyond therapy or education; it must include environmental justice. Because autism and other developmental conditions are not just medical or genetic issues—they are environmental too⁹.

So, I am advocating for:

1. Stronger national and international laws banning harmful chemicals in products and plastics;
2. Global accountability for industries producing and profiting from toxic substances;
3. Community education so families can make informed choices;
4. And above all, inclusion, so children like mine are not just accepted, but protected and celebrated.

IPEN reminds us that change is possible. That science can serve justice. That is when we act together, across borders and backgrounds, we can turn grief into power.

I raise my voice not out of fear but out of fierce, unrelenting love.

I don’t want any more mothers to carry the burden of unanswered questions. I want us to carry the torch of truth together.

Our children are not statistics. They are the reason we fight for cleaner air, safer products, stronger protections, safer and livable world for all.

To every mother reading this: You are not alone. Your love is powerful. Your voice is needed.

Let’s rise not just as mothers but as protectors of a generation that deserves so much more.

Footnotes

1. World Health Organization (WHO). (2013). State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. UNEP and WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241505031 ↩
2. IPEN & UNEP. (2023). Global Lead Paint Elimination Report. https://ipen.org/documents/global-lead-paint-elimination-report ↩
3. Landrigan, P. J., et al. (2018). The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health. The Lancet, 391(10119), 462–512. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32345-0 ↩
4. IPEN. (2020). Toxic Plastics: The Health Impacts of Plastic Additives. https://ipen.org/documents/toxic-plastics-health-impacts-plastic-additiv...↩
5. IPEN. (2022). Bisphenols in Plastic Products: A Threat to Health. https://ipen.org/documents/bisphenols-plastic-products-threat-health ↩
6. IPEN. (2022). Lead in Solvent-Based Paints for Home Use: A Global Update. https://ipen.org/documents/lead-solvent-based-paints-home-use-global-upd...↩
7. IPEN. (2021). Toxic Chemicals in Beauty and Personal Care Products Marketed to Women and Girls of Color. https://ipen.org/documents/toxic-beauty ↩
8. IPEN. (2021). Plastics, EDCs and Health: A Global Crisis. https://ipen.org/documents/plastics-edcs-and-health-global-crisis ↩
9. Hertz-Picciotto, I., et al. (2018). A Review of Evidence: Environmental Contaminants and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 48(10), 275–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.08.006 ↩