A federal judge in California on Wednesday ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its rules around fluoride in drinking water, writing that the compound could pose a risk to children’s intellectual development.
In an 80-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco noted that while it is not certain that the amount of fluoride that is typically added to drinking water can lower the IQ in children, he concluded that new research suggests that it might pose such a risk.
In August, the federal National Toxicology Program found that there is a link between higher amounts of fluoride exposure and a lower IQ in children, potentially upending the longstanding practice of adding it to tap water to prevent tooth decay. The agency based its conclusion on studies involving fluoride levels at about twice the recommended limit for drinking water….