Why More Washington Men Are Asking Questions About Fertility, Testosterone, and Toxic Chemicals

For years, fertility and reproductive health were often seen as women’s issues. Not anymore.

More men are asking questions about their own health — from low testosterone and fertility challenges to cancer risks and healthy aging. Fathers and young men planning families are paying closer attention to what may affect their long-term health and the health of the people they love.

And increasingly, many are asking a new question: Could chemicals in our everyday environment be playing a role?

Researchers have spent years studying whether exposure to toxic substances such as PFAS “forever chemicals,” microplastics, air pollution, pesticides, and other industrial chemicals contribute to reduced sperm quality, hormone disruption, fertility challenges, cardiovascular disease, immune-system impacts, and some cancers.

Concern among men is growing. Recent polling conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Environmental Protection Network found that 85% of younger men are concerned about microplastics in drinking water. More than eight in ten are concerned about air pollution and toxic chemicals on fruits and vegetables. Three-quarters say they worry about chemicals in products used at home and at work.

For many Washington families, these concerns feel close to home.

PFAS contamination has been detected in communities across Washington. Questions about drinking water quality continue to affect residents around military installations and industrial sites. And many Washingtonians are still processing the devastating industrial accident in Longview that claimed multiple lives and raised concerns about chemical safety.

“Many fathers are asking practical questions about what’s in their water, what they’re breathing, and what exposures could mean for their health and their family’s future,” said Peter Murchie, a Washington resident, former EPA official, and Senior Director of Policy with the Environmental Protection Network.

At the same time, many of the federal safeguards designed to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals and pollution are being weakened. 

The Trump administration’s EPA has moved to roll back or reconsider protections involving PFAS contamination, air pollution, chemical safety requirements, environmental justice programs, and pollution enforcement efforts. Public health advocates argue that these changes could leave Americans with less information about contaminants in their air and water and fewer protections against harmful exposures.

These concerns are not experienced equally across communities.

Research has found that Black Americans are significantly more likely to live in communities with higher levels of industrial pollution and environmental contamination. One national study found that Black Americans are 75% more likely than the overall U.S. population to live in communities near industrial facilities.

Those disparities show up in health outcomes as well. Black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer at roughly 60% higher rates than white men, and die from the disease at more than twice the rate. Researchers point to a combination of factors, including differences in access to healthcare, socioeconomic conditions, and disproportionate exposure to environmental contaminants and air pollution.

Studies have also identified disparities in male reproductive health. Research published in the journal Andrology found that Black men had significantly lower sperm counts and sperm motility than white and Hispanic men. Researchers have pointed to neighborhood conditions, disproportionate air pollution exposure, and environmental factors as areas warranting further study in understanding these differences.

While many environmental exposures are beyond individual control, experts say there are practical steps families can take to reduce risk.

• Check your local drinking water quality report and consider a certified water filter if PFAS or other contaminants have been identified in your area.

• Avoid microwaving or heating food in plastic containers, which can increase the migration of chemicals into food.

• Reduce exposure to products with strong synthetic fragrances when possible and improve ventilation when using cleaning products and other household chemicals.

• Pay attention to local air-quality alerts, especially for children, older adults, and people with asthma or heart conditions.

• Stay informed about environmental issues affecting your community, including drinking water quality and chemical safety incidents.

Experts also note that individual actions can only go so far. Federal health protections play an important role in keeping pollution out of drinking water, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces before exposure occurs. In many cases, toxic chemicals have to be stopped at the source—and that is the job of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Whether the concern is drinking water, air quality, fertility, cancer risk, or healthy aging, more men are paying attention to how environmental exposures may affect their health.

Marc Boom, leads the Safer Not Sicker, a campaign of the non-partisan Environmental Protection Network, a nonpartisan organization comprising more than 750 former EPA scientists, toxicologists, chemists, biologists, engineers, and policy analysts — many of whom spent decades as career experts inside the agency. They assessed cancer and developmental risks, studied links between pollution and fertility and chronic disease, investigated contaminated communities, and brought enforcement actions to hold corporate polluters accountable. EPN was founded in 2017 to serve as an independent voice promoting science-based policies that protect Americans' health.