On June 7, 2018, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published the guidance on identifying endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in pesticides and biocides. “The European Commission tasked EFSA and ECHA with developing harmonized guidance to ensure that the endocrine disruptor criteria adopted by the EU in 2017 are applied consistently for the assessment of biocides and pesticides in the EU,” EFSA explained.
EFSA and ECHA, with the support of the European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC), began developing the guidance in December 2016 (FPF reported) and held a public consultation on the draft guidance from December 7, 2017 until January 31, 2018 (FPF reported).
The guidance will be used for the assessment of biocides starting today, June 7, 2018, when the criteria to identify EDCs in the field of biocides enter into force. The EDC criteria for pesticides will apply from November 10, 2018. The disclaimer in the EDC guidance published today notes that the document “is an early version, published to ensure availability of guidance on the recommended assessment approach for Endocrine Disruptors by 7 June 2018, i.e. the date by which the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2100 becomes applicable.” The final typeset version, with “no material change to the document,” is scheduled to be published in the EFSA Journal in mid-July 2018.
Read more
EFSA (June 7, 2018). “Guidance on identifying endocrine disruptors published.”
ECHA (June 7, 2018). “Guidance on identifying endocrine disruptors published.”
Chemical Watch (June 7, 2018). “EU criteria for identifying EDCs under BPR take effect.”
Emma Davies (June 7, 2018). “ECHA and EFSA specify mode-of-action analysis for EDCs.” Chemical Watch
Reference
ECHA and EFSA with support from JRC (June 2018). “Guidance for the identification of endocrine disruptors in the context of Regulations (EU) No 528/2012 and (EC) No 1107/2009.” (pre-publication version; pdf)
