27/01/2005 Alarmed by the
rising numbers of breast and testicular cancers
and the prevalence of reproductive disorders
amongst young male Europeans, scientists call
on European leaders to take urgent precautionary
action on chemicals that interfere with the
hormone system, the so-called endocrine disrupting
chemicals (EDCs).
The ‘Prague Declaration’, signed by more
than a hundred toxicologists working on EU
funded research projects on EDCs, raises concerns
over the long-term effects of exposure to
endocrine disrupters, and warns that the proposed
EU legislation on chemicals (REACH) falls
short of adequately protecting humans and
wildlife from the harmful effects of these
chemicals.
WWF shares the scientists' view and joins
their call for action to make sure that REACH
includes chemicals with endocrine disrupting
properties in the group of hazardous substances
that will need to undergo prior authorisation
before they are allowed for continued use.
This procedure ensures that preventative action
can be taken before the damage is done.
But unfortunately, the current proposal suggests
that before EDCs can be controlled in this
way, they must be causing serious and irreversible
effects. The scientists stress that "scientific
uncertainty should not delay precautionary
action for risk reduction".
Scientists know that Europeans are exposed
to low levels of a large number of endocrine
disrupters which can act in concert, and they
warn that current safety tests do not account
for the effects of this simultaneous exposure
and may seriously underestimate the risks.
In fact, wildlife is already ringing the
warning bells, and raises concern about the
possible effects on humans. Findings like
female molluscs with male sex organs, eggs
found in the testes of male fish, and poor
sperm quality, have already been documented
as the likely result of endocrine disrupting
chemicals in the environment.
The scientists note that "the consequences
of such abnormalities for the balance and
well being of entire ecosystems are not yet
predictable, but the severity of effects observed
indicates a potential impact on wildlife biodiversity
from endocrine disrupters."
Humans and wildlife inhabit the same world,
and the chemicals in creams and potions that
we put on our bodies can end up down the drain,
and in rivers and oceans. Some of these chemicals,
along with those discharged from factories,
or leaching from products, can build up in
the food chain, to affect higher predators
and humans.
Although the links between hormone-related
disorders and exposure to EDCs are still difficult
to prove, scientists suspect that the increased
number of genital malformations in baby boys,
the rising numbers of certain cancers, or
the drastically low sperm counts in young
men in certain parts of Europe may have something
to do with exposure to endocrine disrupting
chemicals.
After all, we are surrounded by EDCs and
many of them have already been detected in
human tissue and blood. The immune system
of young children can be affected by exposure
to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins
during development in the womb. Even if the
levels are no longer rising due to a ban on
PCBs and a reduction of dioxin emissions,
this body burden will be present for generations
to come.
Other chemicals with endocrine disrupting
properties, like some of the highly persistent
brominated substances, certain phthalates,
or bisphenol A are still in widespread use,
for example, as flame retardants, plasticisers,
cosmetic ingredients, or in pharmaceutical
products, plastic bottles, food can linings
etc... These chemicals can act as imposters
in the body, and subtly derail development.
They may mimic the effects of natural hormones,
or they may block their action, or interfere
with their synthesis or breakdown.
With the ‘Prague Declaration’, the scientific
community sends a serious warning message
to European politicians about the long-term
effects of endocrine disrupters. Emphasizing
also the need for EDCs to be fully and properly
covered by the new chemicals regulation (REACH).
