Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are substances that interfere with hormonal functioning humans and animals and lead to deleterious effects on these organisms or impacting the survival of the species. They can, for example, affect reproduction, development, metabolism, immunity, or promote the development of cancers. The second National Strategy on Endocrine Disruptors (SNPE 2), launched in 2019, continues and amplifies the actions carried out by France to reduce exposure of people and the environment to these substances.
In this context, ANSES was asked by the ministries responsible for the environment and health to develop two methodological tools to focus efforts on priority substances that potentially disrupt endocrine and to assess them rigorously. These two tools are:
- a list of substances of interest (PDF) because of their potential endocrine action, associated with prioritization strategy;
- an expert method (PDF), making it possible to weigh the weight of scientific evidence indicating that a substance is an endocrine disruptor, with a view to to classify as proven, presumed or suspected.
Some of this work has been presented to the European Chemicals Agency (Echa) and to the Member States engaged in the same approach to strengthening the assessment of endocrine disruptors. In effect, scientific, national and international cooperation is an essential factor in accelerating consideration of the danger of endocrine disruption presented by certain substances.
From census to prioritization
Different lists of potential endocrine disruptors have been drawn up around the world, defined according to criteria and pursuing different objectives. As a result, the number of substances in these lists varies greatly, from several tens to several thousand. According to WHO definitionthe PE hazard characterization results from the concomitance of three characteristics (see box below). The endocrine systems of living beings are complex and can react to many substances, without this necessarily representing a danger to health. Therefore, a lot of data is needed and a thorough evaluation is essential.
ANSES has compared the lists of existing substances and the methods used, in order to propose a rigorous list of substances of interest for which the available data make it possible to envisage an evaluation under the three points of the WHO definition.