Toxic Matters

Toxic substances are chemicals and elements that can harm your health. Everyone is exposed to toxic substances every day. By reducing your exposure to these substances, you can protect your health and your family’s health.

Exposure to toxic substances can harm the reproductive systems of women and men and make it harder to get pregnant. Developing fetuses, infants, children, pre-teens and teenagers are especially vulnerable. Being exposed to even small amounts of toxic substances during important times of development can lead to disease early in life, later in life, or even across generations.

Some toxic substances build up in our bodies. This build-up can affect our health and future pregnancies long after we have been exposed. This is why the recommendations here are designed for women, men and children. They apply to all of us, whether or not we have children, are pregnant or want to have children in the future.

5 ways you can protect yourself and your family

Prevent exposure at home

Prevent exposure at work

Prevent exposure in your community

Become a smart consumer

Make the government work for you

Toxic Matter Brochures

Toxic Matters

Offers practical recommendations on how to avoid exposure to common substances encountered in everyday life that can be harmful to reproductive health.

Work Matters

Provides an easy to use, step by step guide to getting educated about workplace exposures and how you can protect yourself and your baby from harm.

Pesticides Matter

Provides information on steps you can take to prevent or reduce your exposure to pesticides and to protect your family's health.

Food Matters

Provides tips to help you make smart food choices for you and your family, and to learn what foods are good, better and the best.

En Español

Recursos para ayudarle a usted y a su familia a reducir la exposición a sustancias toxicas que se encuentran en el medio ambiente.

Toxic Matters Resources