On 14 September 2012 (the day after the Health & Environment Alliance’s (HEAL) Annual General Assembly (AGA), a special workshop was organised in Brussels to highlight the growing body of science and tools related to endocrine disruptors (EDCs) and chronic diseases. It also stressed the important contribution that health groups are making in this critical area of human health.
Chronic Diseases and endocrine disruptors (EDCs)
Objectives of the workshop were:
- To facilitate dialogue with important groups working on major chronic diseases on the role of EDCs in incidence and prevention, and especially between HEAL members and chronic disease group representatives.
- To explore interesting examples of how different groups are examining the role of environment in chronic diseases incidence and prevention.
- To discuss national, EU and WHO policies and approaches on the prevention/reduction of chronic disease via EDCs policies
- To communicate meeting outcomes to Members of Parliament for their imminent EDC report and to mobilize the chronic disease community to develop positions and liaise with European Parliament on the report.
The EU legislation on EDCs (non-legislative and legislative measures)
The political importance of EDCs has been underpinned by international law since the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) considers EDCs as a new emerging policy issue (see draft agenda Item 4 (e) of the provisional agenda and draft Decision OEWG.1/4) for the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM3), Nairobi 17-21 September 2012
Although the recent Regulations on pesticides (1107/2009/EC Regulation) and biocides (528/2012/EC Regulation) foresee removing EDCs from the EU market, implementation of the protections from those and other laws such as REACH (1907/2006/EC regulation) is far too slow. New science highlights in particular the dangers of both EDC mixtures and exposures at low doses in early life.
The EU is revising its 1999 strategy on EDCs and the European Parliament is set to publish an “own initiative” report on EDCs in the autumn.
Commission’s plan for further revision
The main objectives of the Com (1999) 706 strategy on EDCs were to identify the problem of endocrine disruption, its causes and consequences and to identify appropriate policy action on the basis of the precautionary principle in order to respond quickly and effectively to the problem. The strategy contains short-term (1-2 years), medium-term (2-4 years) and long-term (4 years or more) actions.
The Commission has published 4 reports on the implementation of the strategy so far COM (2001) 262, COM (2004) 1372, COM (2007) 1635, and COM (2011) 1001. There are 2 main working groups working on this issue: an ad-hoc policy group and a technical expert group composed of the representatives of Member States, the Agencies, the industry and the civil society (NGOs).
The ongoing review process is to be finished at the end 2012 when the Commission puts forward its proposal accompanied by an impact assessment. Although substances containing EDCs cannot be authorised under the above referred Pesticide (1107/2009/EC Regulation) and Biocide (528/2012/EC Regulation) regulations, there are currently no agreed criteria as to what exactly constitutes an endocrine disruptor.
Because of this, the Commission is planning to put forward suggested criteria in 2013.
The Spanish example of the Health Defence Organisation/ Fundacion Vivosano, Spain
In order to reach the goal of a home without toxic substances, Fundacion Vivosano helps homeowners identify where harmful substances might be. ‘Simplifying things’ is the key approach: Fundacion Vivosano shows people in a straightforward and clear way where the risks are and how to deal with them. With that knowledge homeowners can then put into action measures to eliminate the risks.
Main conclusions of the workshop
- Even a small exposure to EDCs during an accident may be enough to leave a large amount of EDCs in the human body
- Environmental chemicals and nutritional imbalance in early life (during the vulnerable periods of pregnancy, childhood and puberty) show up later on in life. There is enough scientific evidence to prove that some negative effects are inherited from previous generations’ who may have had exposure to EDCs
- There is a need for early warning signals, since insufficient knowledge may not be an excuse not to intervene. There is certainly a need for more scientific data, but the data currently available sufficient for some action to be taken
- Exposure to one single endocrine disruptor (EDC) can affect many different systems. Primary prevention and environmental interventions are required with a main focus on early life, to reduce the non-communicable disease burden and its associated impacts at personal, economic and social levels.
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) was present at the workshop and it will continue to work in close co-operation with the Health & Environment Alliance’s (HEAL) to work towards an endocrine disruptor-free, healthy environment.
– Further sites to visit:
- Agenda of the workshop.
- Sick of Pesticides: a Europe-wide campaign
- Review of the Science Linking Chemical Exposures to the Human Risk of obesity and Diabetes
- Chemical Cocktails: Harmful mixtures upset our hormones
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EPHA related articles:
– EPHA position on the European Commission’s 7th Environment Action Programme
– EU Environmental Ministers call for greater protection from “chemical cocktails”
