The European Commission has committed to finally proposing scientific criteria to identify hormone (or endocrine) disrupting chemicals (EDCs) by summer 2016. They've already been found guilty of breaking EU law by the European Court of Justice for failing to do this by a legal deadline of December 2013. In CHEM Trust's view the criteria should be similar to those already used … [Read more...] about After a long wait, now is the time for the EU to decide on criteria to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (updated 4th May)
EDC Criteria
Endocrine disruptors: ‘Better Regulation’ or better public health?
CHEM Trust, together with Health and Environment Alliance, have just published a comment piece in Euractiv: "Endocrine disruptors pose a substantial risk to public health, yet the European Commission has dawdled time and again on introducing measures that would finally limit their use. Now is the time to put this right, write Genon Jensen and Michael Warhurst." text continues … [Read more...] about Endocrine disruptors: ‘Better Regulation’ or better public health?
Is the EU Commission trying to allow continued use of harmful pesticides by misinterpreting an exemption?
Europe's pesticide regulations aim to ensure a high level of protection of human, animal and environment health. An important part of the law is that certain harmful pesticides, including those that cause cancer or are endocrine disrupters (disrupt hormones, EDCs), cannot be approved unless there is 'negligible exposure' of people and the environment to them under realistic … [Read more...] about Is the EU Commission trying to allow continued use of harmful pesticides by misinterpreting an exemption?
Leading health professionals agree that toxic chemicals threaten healthy reproduction and development
In recent weeks the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics has expressed their concerns about the impact of exposure to toxic chemicals on reproduction and development, while scientists from the Endocrine Society have re-affirmed their concerns about endocrine (or hormone) disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Meanwhile, the authors of an important WHO/UNEP report on … [Read more...] about Leading health professionals agree that toxic chemicals threaten healthy reproduction and development
Setting criteria to identify endocrine disrupters: proposed option ‘4b’ from German BfR is not a solution
The European Commission is currently investigating the potential impacts of different ways of setting criteria to identify Endocrine (or Hormone) Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and has proposed four options. At a recent European Commission conference at the beginning of June the German Risk Assessment Institute (BfR) presented an additional option, which they called 'option 4b'. … [Read more...] about Setting criteria to identify endocrine disrupters: proposed option ‘4b’ from German BfR is not a solution
Exposed: Impact of industry lobbying – and potentially TTIP – on regulation of hormone disrupting chemicals
Two recent reports have highlighted the way in which certain industries have been lobbying against EU regulation of hormone disrupting chemicals. … [Read more...] about Exposed: Impact of industry lobbying – and potentially TTIP – on regulation of hormone disrupting chemicals
EU Conference on hormone disrupters: What did we learn?
CHEM Trust was among the many participants in yesterday’s European Commission conference on hormone (or endocrine) disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The Commission's Health Department (DG Santé) had organised the conference to discuss the next steps of an impact assessment on the potential socio-economic impacts of draft criteria to identify EDCs. Once finalised, these criteria will … [Read more...] about EU Conference on hormone disrupters: What did we learn?
Talks and comment pieces
2026 On 29th September 2026, Dr Shubhi Sharma gave a presentation on PFAS: From Source to Solution at a webinar hosted by CIWEM. On 16th and 17th of June 2026, Dr Ninja Reineke, HEAL, and PAN Europe gave a presentation at a Stakeholder Workshop conducted by ECHA on New CLP Hazard Classes for Endocrine Disruptors for HH and ENV. Their presentation was on CLP ED hazard classes … [Read more...] about Talks and comment pieces
The CHEM Trust view on the EU consultation on criteria for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
We are now in the final week of the European Commission’s consultation on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), and today CHEM Trust submitted our response to the consultation. [Update: consultation has now finished]. Here are some of the key points we make in our response: We support the proposal to use three different categories to define endocrine disrupting chemicals – … [Read more...] about The CHEM Trust view on the EU consultation on criteria for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
Hormone disrupting chemicals: New FAQ & a chance to tell the EU to act! (updated)
Today we are launching a new list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about hormone disrupting chemicals (or endocrine disrupting chemicals - EDCs - to use the more technical term). The full list of questions & answers is here, examples include What are EDCs?, Is Hormone Disruption a new issue?, What sort of chemicals are Hormone Disrupters, what are they used for? In … [Read more...] about Hormone disrupting chemicals: New FAQ & a chance to tell the EU to act! (updated)
