Blog posts

New report commissioned by DG Environment and prepared by Andreas Kortenkamp et al, presents the up to date picture on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC’s). The report recommends that EDC’s are given a separate regulatory class category ‘ED’ and outlines the decision criteria that should be applied to determine whether a substance is an EDC or not and how they should be regulated.

Potency should not be used as a sole decider in EDC evaluation. “The weight-of-evidence approach will have to consider potency together with other factors such as severity and specificity of effect and irreversibility. Rigid potency-based cut-off values as decisive decision criteria are not recommended”.

The report can be downloaded here: State of the Art Assessment of Endocrine Disrupters

Press Release from HEAL: Report paves way for ban on “gender bender” hormone-disrupting chemicals

An opinion piece in the Medical Journal of Australia on Controlling occupational cancers in Australia raises the concern that limited recognition has been given to work related cancer from researchers and policy makers. This is especially apparent when compared to the attention given to cancers related to tobacco use and sun exposure.  There is also is no strategy for measuring rates, mitigating risk and meeting individuals’ needs.

The piece cites the Asturias Declaration, developed by the WHO, which  recommends that all countries develop education campaigns to improve public knowledge of environmental causes of cancer and strategies for prevention.

Lin Fritschi et al, MJA 196 (3) · 20 February 2012 Controlling occupational cancers in Australia.