SAY “NO” TO HORMONE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS
TELL THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION THAT YOU WANT TO REMOVE HORMONE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS
FROM OUR LIVES TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH!
Hormone disrupting chemicals, often known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are chemicals that can interfere with natural hormones, the chemical messengers of our bodies.
Our everyday exposure to these chemicals – in our food, cosmetics, homes, work places, schools, and hospitals, to name just a few routes, must stop in order to protect the health of current and future generations.
Scientific evidence links exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals to spiralling rates of hormone-related cancers such as breast or testicular cancer, fertility problems, diabetes and obesity as well as learning and behavioural problems in children. Exposure also disrupts the hormonal systems of wildlife. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called hormone disrupting chemicals a ‘global threat’.
Due to intensive industry lobbying, the European Commission has delayed action on hormone disrupting chemicals. However, a public consultation has now been launched to gather feedback on public concerns.
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We need you to help us send a strong message to the European Commission. Take part in the public consultation and help us push back against the industry lobbying that may otherwise weaken action on hormone disrupting chemicals at the expense of people’s health, the environment and wildlife!
This is the only chance you will have to directly give your opinion and to make yourself heard in Brussels.
SAY “NO” TO HORMONE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS
TELL THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION THAT YOU WANT TO REMOVE HORMONE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS
FROM OUR LIVES TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH!
Hormone disrupting chemicals, often known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are chemicals that can interfere with natural hormones, the chemical messengers of our bodies.
Our everyday exposure to these chemicals – in our food, cosmetics, homes, work places, schools, and hospitals, to name just a few routes, must stop in order to protect the health of current and future generations.
Scientific evidence links exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals to spiralling rates of hormone-related cancers such as breast or testicular cancer, fertility problems, diabetes and obesity as well as learning and behavioural problems in children. Exposure also disrupts the hormonal systems of wildlife. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called hormone disrupting chemicals a ‘global threat’.
Due to intensive industry lobbying, the European Commission has delayed action on hormone disrupting chemicals. However, a public consultation has now been launched to gather feedback on public concerns.
Urgent need to respond to public consultation
to prevent ill health
Our everyday exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals must stop in order to protect the health of current and future generations. By responding to the public consultation, you are sending a strong signal to the European Commission that there are serious concerns and public support for action to protect us, the environment and our children in Europe and beyond. Our call is based on the work from leading scientists throughout the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
With this website, we have made it easy for you to speak out on an issue that really matters for public health, our environment and for sustainable food and water supplies today. It is crucially important for our future generations.
Why we are concerned
We are very alarmed about hormone disrupting chemicals because it is impossible to avoid them in our daily lives. Recent tests in Europe worryingly show everyone is contaminated, even new-born babies. Hormone disrupting chemicals are found in many everyday products, such as food packaging and containers, cosmetics, electronic products and disinfectants. They are also used as pesticides on agricultural land and can end up in our food.
Hormone disrupting chemicals are very likely to be contributing to the dramatic increases in many serious, life threatening diseases and health disorders. Humans are vulnerable to exposure from these chemicals, particularly during infancy and childhood, but most importantly before birth. Maternal exposure can affect the child developing in the womb.
Exposure to these chemicals may be linked to low male fertility and hormone-related cancer in men, such as prostate cancer. For women, this exposure may mean an increased risk of health effects such as reproductive problems and breast cancer.
Workers may also be exposed to hormone disrupting chemicals on a continuous basis in the workplace, as well as at home and in the wider environment, increasing their risk of health problems.
Wildlife is also suffering from exposure to these chemicals. Impaired reproduction and development linked to hormone disrupting chemicals has been reported in many species, including fish, birds, otters and even polar bears.
Despite strong and growing evidence that exposure to such chemicals is contributing to a range of health problems and health costs, the European Commission has been slow in regulating and eliminating this exposure. We need you to tell them to change this.
What we want
A ban on hormone disrupting chemicals in the European Union (EU)
The European Commission should welcome the opportunity to reduce rising rates of many non-communicable diseases in Europe. The move could help prevent many cases of male infertility, certain hormone-related cancers such as breast cancer, and many other chronic diseases.
Public health costs before profits
Decisions on how to regulate hormone disrupting chemicals must focus on the impact on health and not only on the costs to industry. While short-term costs to business are easily identified, long-term health and environmental benefits of regulatory action are often impossible to quantify, and are thus ignored, leading to a significant imbalance in favour of short-term industry interests. The European Commission should give industry a clear message that all chemicals with hormone disrupting properties will be phased out. This will stimulate innovation and competitiveness in the European chemical industry and beyond.
The European Commission missed its deadline to set the criteria for identifying hormone disrupting chemicals by December 2013, due to intensive lobbying by the pesticides and chemicals industry. This has to stop.
Independent information for people and governments
During the time hormone disrupting chemicals are being identified and phased out, the European Commission should also provide citizens with information on these chemicals and how best to avoid them. This is especially important for mothers and mothers-to-be in order to protect the development of the child in the womb. Governments should be aware of the likely costs in rising health bills resulting from a lack of action on these chemicals.
Public engagement
Removing all hormone disrupting chemicals from the market will not happen overnight. While some can be removed almost immediately, others will be replaced with safer alternatives more slowly. To make this transition happen in a transparent process that puts health first, an important milestone is to have as many concerned citizens as possible - including you - participate in this public consultation. This website helps you do this.
