In an article published on May 20, 2016 the non-profit organization Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) provides an English translation of an article by journalist Stéphane Horel entitled “Endocrine disrupters: the secret history of a scandal.” The article was originally published on May 20, 2016 in the French newspaper Le Monde and entitled “Perturbateurs endocriniens: l’histoire secrète d’un scandale.” In her article, Horel summarizes the controversy surrounding the regulation of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the EU and specifically highlights the European Commission’s (EC) socio-economic impact assessment (IA) on criteria to identify EDCs. Horel illustrates how the IA – according to Horel “one of the best kept secrets in Europe” – was allegedly initiated by the EC only after lobbying efforts by pesticide and chemical industry groups and caused the delay in setting EDC criteria (FPF reported). Further, Horel notes that the EC insisted on carrying out the IA despite a ruling by the EU General Court that economic considerations are irrelevant for the definition of EDC criteria. Lastly, Horel raises the question whether, in addition to the impacts on industry, the IA also takes into account the cost of disease related to exposure to EDCs in Europe. Such costs are estimated at over €150 billion per year (FPF reported). According to her article, the final EDC criteria should be presented by the EC on June 15, 2016.
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Stéphane Horel (May 20, 2016). “Endocrine disrupters: the secret history of a scandal.” HEAL
Stéphane Horel (May 20, 2016). “Perturbateurs endocriniens: l’histoire secrète d’un scandale.” Le Monde
