EPA Orders Chemical Testing for Hormone Effects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the first test orders for pesticide chemicals to be screened for their potential effects on the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by human and animal endocrine systems, which regulate growth, metabolism and reproduction.

These changes are in response to a growing grassroots movement to oppose toxic pesticides and raise the alarm about the health risks of endocrine disruptors, found in pesticides and other consumer products.

"There's a growing body of scientific evidence and growing grassroots effort to bring to the public's attention the new concerns about endocrine disrupting chemicals," said Kim LaBo, an organizer working with Clean Water Action on toxic chemicals. "The EPA has known for awhile the potential health impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals in pesticides and other products.  We are finally seeing some movement because advocacy organizations have created a national movement in which the people are demanding action."

In the past, the political and economic ties between regulators and industry have caused grave concerns about the validity and independence of EPA studies. Federal laws on toxic chemicals require those with concerns about the safety of a given chemical to prove it is harmful before it will be taken off the market, rather than requiring manufacturers to prove chemicals are benign before marketing them.

“After years of delay, EPA is aggressively moving forward by ordering the testing of a number of pesticide chemicals for hormone effects,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. “These new data will be carefully evaluated to help identify potential hormone disruptor chemicals.”

On October 21, 2009 EPA made available the battery of scientific assays and test guidelines for conducting the assays, as well as a schedule for issuing test orders to manufacturers for 67 chemicals during the next four months.

EPA will use these results to determine "whether additional testing is necessary, or whether other steps are necessary to address potential endocrine disrupting chemicals."  Testing, conducted through the agency’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, will eventually expand to cover all pesticide chemicals.