Many chemical substances can modify the functioning of the hormonal system and certain substances are suspected of causing adverse effects on human health and the environment by this mode of action. Faced with this challenge, ANSES has been mobilizing for many years and is continuing its expert appraisal work on this topic.
Five substances appraised in 2016 as part of the SNPE
The National Environmental Health Plan 2015-2019 (PNSE3) aims to contribute to the implementation of the SNPE and has entrusted ANSES with the task of “assessing in a more precise and targeted manner the hazard and exposure populations and the environment to certain endocrine disrupting substances in order to better manage them”. Within this framework, ANSES has been entrusted with the expert appraisal of at least five substances per year. ANSES has published the opinion on the assessment of the five substances included in its 2016 work programme: TMBPF (4,4′-methylenedi-2,6-xylenol), triclocarban, RDP (tetraphenyl m-phenylene bis (phosphate), dicyclopentadiene and tin sulfate.
Thus, TMBPF, triclocarban and RDP have been the subject of an analysis of the best risk management options.[1]following the procedure used by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the Member States of the European Union within the framework of the REACh regulation[2] .
Dicyclopentadiene and tin sulphate have been assessed under the REACh Regulation[3] due to a suspected reprotoxic effect and a suspected carcinogenic mutagenic reprotoxic (CMR) and sensitizing effect, respectively.
Within the framework of the SNPE, five other substances are currently the subject of expert appraisal work included in the Agency’s 2017 work programme: homosalate, triflusulfuron methyl, triphenyl phosphate, bisphenol B and BDE- 47.
Uses, sources of exposure and toxicity of substances of the polybrominated family
ANSES received a request from the Directorate General for Health in 2009 to identify and characterize situations of exposure potentially at risk to health, in particular for the most vulnerable populations, linked to the use of consumer products everyday life and articles containing certain chemical substances.
Three reports relating to the state of knowledge on the uses, sources of exposure and toxicity of several substances from the polybrominated family, commonly used as flame retardants in the manufacture of furniture and electronic equipment, have been published. The objective was to characterize the main toxic effects linked to exposure to these compounds and to determine the major sources of human exposure.
At the end of this analysis, certain brominated compounds such as BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) were considered as being able to justify an evaluation under the REACh regulation. BDE-47 was selected for an assessment of its endocrine disrupting potential for humans and the environment, under the Agency’s work program in 2017, as part of the SNPE . The expert appraisal work on this substance is in progress.
These three reports constitute the latest milestone in the expert appraisal work that was carried out and published by the Agency, at the request of the Ministry of Health in 2009, on around thirty category 2 reprotoxic chemical substances and/or endocrine disruptors. present in consumer products. These publications focused in particular on bisphenol A and other bisphenols, phthalates and perfluorinated compounds.