Endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs (sometimes called hormone disrupting chemicals) are chemicals that interfere with the body’s sensitive hormone system.

Some of the most concerning include certain bisphenols (such as BPA and BPB), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, aka the ‘forever chemicals’), and phthalates (pronounced ‘thalates’), but there could be over a thousand EDCs in use, and more chemicals are being listed every year.

We can be exposed to EDCs via many everyday products, including some food packaging, cosmetics, and toys. Exposure to EDCs has been linked to various health issues, such as certain hormonal cancers, reproductive issues, and obesity.

 Several EDC-Free Europe members have launched CheckED, a new tool to help you map harmful chemicals in your home. The tool also provides advice on how to lower your risk of harmful chemical exposure.

CheckED is available in multiple languages, including French, German, and Swedish. It asks participants to input some basic information about themselves and their homes, including items that may contain harmful chemicals. If you want to try it out, it will help to have a rough idea of your room sizes and materials within your home.

Some of the CHEM Trust team filled out the questionnaire, and the results were interesting! Our intern Elise found that her highest risk of exposure came from the synthetic carpeted stairs in her home, while her hardwood window frames posed a low risk.

For our campaigner, Ellie, the tool highlighted potential concerns around the paints used on her walls and ceilings but identified lower risks due to choices like not microwaving food in plastic containers and avoiding synthetic air fresheners.

CHEM Trust, alongside other NGOs, is calling on EU authorities and the UK government to protect people from harmful chemicals by introducing robust legislation to phase out the most harmful chemicals from consumer products by 2030.

Learn more about EDCs here.

You can find more advice on reducing your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals on our Reduce Your Risk webpage.

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