Brussels, 23/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - A study carried out at the behest of the European Commission (DG Environment) on endocrine disruptors has shed light on the worrying failings in the assessment of such products before they are used in consumer products. The study, entitled “State of the Art of the Assessment of Endocrine Disruptors”, the results of which were published on 21 February, causes utmost concern at the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC), which calls for thorough recasting of the EU regulations applying to chemical products and urgent measures for protecting the most vulnerable consumers.
The main conclusions reached by the study: - confirm the “chemical cocktail” effect whereby non-dangerous chemical products can become toxic when combined with other substances; - place emphasis on the fact that risk is heightened when exposure to such chemicals occurs during critical stages of human development, with the foetus and infants being particularly vulnerable to developing chronic illnesses later in life; - and criticise the international testing methods that do not allow endocrine disruptors to be identified. These conclusions are circumvented during tests carried out prior to the marketing of chemical products and are not taken into account in the existing European legislation. Monique Goyens, BEUC General Director, has commented: “The report confirms that currently we cannot trust international testing methods or European laws to remove dangerous chemical products from our daily food consumption. There is now proof of this, and we call upon the lawmakers to rapidly take measures to protect consumers and especially children of a very young age.”
BEUC therefore calls on the Commission to review EU strategy on endocrine disruptors as a matter of urgency, and to reduce consumers' exposure to such substances. It urges EU lawmakers to define “endocrine disruptors” as a distinct kind of chemical substance and to regulate them separately. The Danish Presidency of the EU Council, for its part, is urged to seize the opportunity provided by the Environment Council on 9 March to recognise the dangers of the cocktail effect of endocrine disruptors and to invite the Commission to propose ambitious measures in order to better regulate chemical products in consumer products. Endocrine disruptors are suspected of having an adverse effect on the human hormonal system and of causing cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, fertility problems and brain damage in babies. For further information: http://www.ec.europa.eu/environment/endocrine/documents/studies_en.htm . (AN/transl.jl)