July 11, 2018
The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes the publication of three long-awaited UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reports on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The three reports present an overview, as of 2017, of (1) worldwide initiatives to identify EDCs and potential EDCs; (2) scientific knowledge on the lifecycles, environmental exposures, and environmental effects of a series of them; and (3) existing regulatory frameworks related to EDCs.
The publication comes after a long delay and unprecedented industry lobby to oppose the reports and the science underlying them. In 2015, the international community adopted a resolution at the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4) asking UNEP to develop and share information on EDCs. ICCM has recognized EDCs as an Emerging Policy Issue because of their adverse effects on the environment and human health, including cancer, obesity, diabetes, developmental and neurological disorders, and reproductive disorders such as infertility and reduced sperm count.
The reports present a non-exhaustive list of identified and potential EDCs, such as phthalates, bisphenols, and parabens: We find these chemicals in a wide variety of products — including UV filters, pesticides, packaging, children’s toys, food wraps, textiles, plastics additives, and personal care products — showing that EDCs are everywhere in our daily lives.
With over 1,000 chemicals identified as EDCs or potential EDCs, and even more yet to be identified, the publication of the reports is a first step, but now they must be further developed and updated. As noted in the third report, there is a lack of regulatory frameworks that explicitly address EDCs, especially in developing countries. It is therefore critical that these reports be widely disseminated and that the SAICM Beyond 2020 process include EDCs on its agenda to continue to expand this important work to protect public health and the environment.
We are looking forward to the long overdue transformation of this sound scientific information into more effective policies and regulations.
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Link to the reports:
- Overview Report I: Worldwide initiatives to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and potential EDCs as of July 2017
- Overview Report II: An overview of current scientific knowledge on the life cycles, environmental exposures, and environmental effects of select endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and potential EDCs as for July 2017
- Overview Report III: Existing national, regional and global regulatory frameworks addressing Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) as for July 2017