'Rapid action' needed to stop chemical pollution causing defects, obesity and death in UK
POLLUTION from hormone-disrupting chemicals in everyday products costs the EU up to £188billion a year in sickness, scientists claimed today.
A series of papers said illnesses range from nerve problems such as attention deficit disorders to male reproductive problems and birth defects and from obesity to death.
The main sources of exposure are pesticides, plastics and flame retardants.
The papers in the journal Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism said the endocrine -disrupting chemicals are commonly found in food and food containers, plastic products, furniture, toys, carpeting, building materials and cosmetics.
The chemicals - which can also have gender-bending properties - can enter the human body through dust or the food chain.
The studies said: “In the EU, researchers found the biggest cost driver was loss of IQ and intellectual disabilities caused by prenatal exposure to pesticides containing organophosphates. The study estimated the harm done to unborn children costs society between €46.8 billion (£33billion) and €195 billion (£141billion) a year.
"About 13 million lost IQ points and 59,300 additional cases of intellectual disability per year can be attributed to organophosphate exposure.
"Adult obesity linked to phthalate exposure generated the second-highest total, with estimated costs of €15.6 billion (£11.2billion) a year.”
Campaigners at the CHEM Trust last night demanded "rapid action" .
We need rapid action from the EU and governments to get these chemicals out of our lives
Ninja Reineke of CHEM Trust said: “This research finds that the benefits to society from reducing exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals are tremendous.
"People and wildlife are exposed to a wide range of hormone disrupters, including from food, household products and house dust. We need rapid action from the EU and governments to get these chemicals out of our lives.
“The research shows the scale of the economic savings that Europe could gain by identifying and phasing out exposure to hormone disrupters.
"The European Commission needs to move rapidly to define good criteria to identify hormone disrupters, and must refuse the proposed authorisation for continued use of DEHP in everyday PVC products.”
But Nick von Westenholz, chief executive of the Crop Protection Association said; "Crop Protection Products authorised for sale in the EU are subject to one of the most stringent approvals processes in the world.
“It takes ten years and costs £150 million to bring a product to market and the majority of that time and cost goes on studies which ensure these products are safe for consumer health and the environment.
“The authors of the report acknowledge the ‘uncertainty’ of their findings.<They are likely to be highly presumptuous estimations. It's concerning that such serious claims are being made without providing any sight of the supporting evidence, and therefore preventing objective and independent scrutiny.
“A number of products interact with our endocrine system, for example, coffee, milk and sugar all have endocrine active properties. This interaction is normal and an interaction does not necessarily mean an adverse effect. Our industry believes the public should be protected against harmful substances.
"That is why each crop protection product on the market has been rigorously evaluated and is highly regulated. As a result, there is no evidence of adverse effects in humans resulting from the endocrine activity of crop protection products.
“A recent study by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) found that EU legislation on endocrine disruption has the potential to cost UK agriculture over £3billion by removing products the EU’s own regulatory system has proven to be safe for consumer health and the environment.”
