Endocrine disruptors in EU legislation
Dr Rosalinda Gioia of Yordas Group overviews the key issues in regulating EDCs in the EU
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals ( EDCs ) are substances that interfere with the endocrine system , leading to adverse effects in humans and wildlife . In mammals , the endocrine system is a complex network of glands and organs , which control and coordinate reproduction , metabolism , growth and development . EDCs are found in many products , such as electronics , furniture , food contacts materials , children ’ s products , pesticides and herbicides . The most common EDCs are :
• Bisphenol A ( BPA ), commonly used to make plastics bottles or food storage containers
• Phthalates , which are used in plastics and fragrances
• Flame retardants , used among other things in furniture to prevent the growth of fire Public concern over exposure to EDCs is growing rapidly , leading to extensive research programmes and policy responses in the EU to better understand the risks of these substances . However , identifying and establishing causal relationships between potential EDCs and observed adverse effects on health or the environment is still a challenge because of the complexity , and the multiple triggers and responses of the ED system at different stages of life .
State of play
In October 2020 , the European Commission ( EC ) published the results of a fitness check on policies
!
Toys
- Limit values in some products
Figure 1 . Regulatory impact of the ED assessment : Example of BPA
and legislation aimed at controlling EDCs . 1 This is part of the developing Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability : Towards a Toxic-Free Environment . 2 This review discusses the different regulatory , sector-specific approaches to managing risks posed by EDCs questioning the coherence of the EU legislation on this topic . It found that , while there were similarities between different legislative regimes in the definition of an EDC , large differences existed in the data required to identify these chemicals and make an assessment . In the EU , the Biocidal and Plant Protection Product regulations ( BPR and PPPR ) are currently the only pieces of legislations requiring an assessment of the ED properties of active substances as part of their evaluation for approval or renewal . Both lay out criteria to identify EDCs , which are described in a guidance
REACH - Candidate List
REACH ! - Restricted - Candidate List !
- Restricted REACH
- Candidate List - Restricted
Toys - Limit values in some products !
- Banned in
Medical
Medical devices - Justify use
Food contact material
- Banned in some products
document for the identification of EDCs released in 2018 by ECHA and EFSA in order to support Competent Authorities ( CAs ) and the industry . 3 Several other pieces of EU legislations also include specific provisions regarding EDCs ( Table 1 ), but very few provide specific criteria to identify EDCs . For example , REACH does not require information on ED properties of a substance as part of a registration ; it nevertheless represents a key potential source of information on EDCs . Suspected ED activity may indeed represent a rationale for including substances in the REACH evaluation process . Figure 1 shows the regulatory impact of the ED assessment during substance evaluation for BPA . Currently , there are 36 ongoing substance evaluation CoRAPs , of which 13 were included as potential EDC in the initial grounds of concerns .
38 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981