You're getting downvoted, and I don't necessarily think this is correct. But we should study it anyway since we live in an extremely different environment than even just ten years ago. There is probably no link to autism, but the environment may be the cause of other disease states.

HOWEVER As the father of an (high functioning) autistic child, I think the main reason there is push back against looking at environmental factors is that it implies the autistic person is in some fundamental way "damaged." I can both assure that this is not he case and that that way of thinking, really, really pisses autistic people off. And rightfully so IMHO.