September 7, 2000

Human Exposure to Phthalates Is Higher Than Expected

(A new CDC study indicates that human exposure to phthalates is higher than expected, particularly among women of child-bearing age, raising concerns about possible endocrine disrupting effects on fetuses)

Study Finds No Effects From Bisphenol A

(A two-generation rodent study conducted for the Japanese government concludes that a wide range of doses of bisphenol A do not impair reproductive capacity of adults or development of pups)

E/E Notes on: TBT in diapers; Korea to regulate EDs; Hermaphroditic bears; New PBT action plans

E/E Literature Scan: Linuron androgen effects described; Fetal exposures to EDs; ED effects on invertebrates; No male reproductive effects of NP

Word of Mouse

August 7, 2000

US Government Panel "Seriously Concerned" About DEHP

(A panel of independent scientists organized by a US government research agency has determined that some uses of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) could disrupt the endocrine systems of human infants.)

"Hormone Deception" Provides Advice On Avoiding Endocrine Disrupters

(Review of the book Hormone Deception by Lindsey Berkson, a women's health advocate)

Low dose peer review

E/E Notes on: European Parliament wants ED action; Tough Toronto sewer law

E/E Q & A with Lindsey Berkson

Word of Mouse

July 21, 2000

Theo Colborn: Crash "Inner Space" Research Program Needed

(An interview with Theo Colborn, a senior scientist at the WWF and co-author of Our Stolen Future)

Q&A With Terry Quill

(An interview with Terry Quill, an attorney who represents chemical industry clients on endocrine disrupter issues)

E/E Literature Scan: Brominated flame retardants may cause thyroid effects; Estrogenic assays compared

July 7, 2000

Royal Society Recommends Minimizing Exposures To Endocrine Disrupters

(Britain's Royal Society warned that endocrine disrupting chemicals may pose dangers to humans and wildlife, recommended tighter coordination of research efforts, and suggested that people avoid exposure to chemicals that are suspected endocrine disrupters)

Workshop Focuses On Endocrine Disruption In Wildlife

(Report on the Atlantic Coast Contaminants Workshop on Endocrine Disrupters in the Marine Environment)

US Court To Determine Venue For ED Case

OSPAR Adds EDs To List

Endocrine Disrupter Consensus Statement

Word of Mouse

E/E Notes on: Whale meat; Seagull eggs; Birth defect monitoring

Future File

June 16, 2000

EC Compiles Priority ED Evaluation List

(The European Commission has developed a draft "Priority List of Substances for Further Evaluation of Their Role In Endocrine Disruption")

EPA Presents Priority Setting Strategy, Database

(US Environmental Protection Agency officials described the agency's plans for determining which substances should be given the highest priority for endocrine disrupter screening and demonstrated a priority-setting database)

EC List of High Priority Substances

NCTR Endocrine Knowledge Base

E/E Notes on: Senator backs animal rights; Japan bans gloves; DES linked to cervical cancer risk; Testicular cancer linked to infertility; EHP developing brain supplement; UK infant/baby pesticide limits

WWF’s Theo Colborn wins Blue Planet award

Word of Mouse

June 2, 2000

Low Dose Bisphenol A Effects Confirmed

(New experiments confirm that in utero exposure to a very low dose of bisphenol A causes prostate enlargement in newborn mice Frederick vom Saal reported at an international conference.)

Literature Scan: Dioxin exposure linked to altered sex ratio; Newly identified contaminants

E/E Notes on: Diesel soot; Vinyl gloves; European phthalates ban; TBT in diapers; UK fertility up

Word of Mouse

May 23, 2000

WWF Calls Bisphenol A 'Known Endocrine Disrupter', Urges Ban

(WWF's UK branch has produced a report that calls for the imposition of strict regulations on the use of bisphenol A)

EPA's Endocrine Disrupter Program To Focus On Pesticides, Inerts

(Although the total number of chemicals that could eventually be screened for endocrine disruption effects exceeds 87,000, the US Environmental Protection Agency will focus its initial screening and testing efforts on the much smaller number of chemicals that are used in pesticides)

Quotable: WWF bisphenol A recommendations

Low dose effects of DES, isoflavones

Literature scan: Estrogenization of prostate; Low dose bisphenol A,

DES, aroclor

Canada debating home-use pesticide ban

E/E Notes on: Danish sperm counts; Phytoestrogen study; Phthalates in food

Word of Mouse

May 8, 2000

Endocrine Disrupters, Pharmaceuticals In Drinking Water Raise Questions

(Scientific and public concerns about endocrine disruption, coupled with improved analytical techniques capable of detecting minute quantities of chemicals, are forcing water utilities and governments to reconsider approaches and standards for treating sewage and purifying drinking water, according to participants in a recent workshop on Endocrine Disrupters and Pharmaceutically Active Chemicals in Drinking Water)

Animal Rights, Environmental Groups Clash Over Endocrine Disrupter Tests

(Animal rights advocates and environmental groups are sending Congress conflicting messages about the moral and scientific justification for the Environmental Protection Agency’s planned endocrine disrupter screening program)

GAO calls for more toxics exposure data

EPA to hold priority setting workshop 

Quotable: J. P. Myers to Congress 

Literature scan: DBP NOAEL; Bisphenol A embryo effects

April 20, 2000

European Parliament Considers Endocrine Disrupter Strategy

(The European Parliament’s Environment Committee held a hearing on science and policy issues associated with endocrine disrupters on April 18)

Low Dose Panel To Accept Unpublished Data

(The National Toxicology Program announced this week that it has broadened the scope of materials it will accept for consideration as part of its review of low dose effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals)

WWF urges stricter ED controls

Chemical industry comments on EDs

FOE, CIA clash 

Quotable: G8 on EDs 

E/E Literature Scan on: Estrogen feminizes boys; DDE, PCBs may alter development; Parabens; Bisphenol A

April 5, 2000

EU Environment Ministers Urge Action On Endocrine Disrupters

(European Union environment ministers endorsed the European Commission’s proposed endocrine disrupter strategy and called for urgent implementation of steps to manage the risks posed by endocrine disrupting chemicals "which, on the basis of a preliminary scientific evaluation, are likely to have some harmful effects on human health or the environment")

Canada To Designate NP, NPEs "Toxic"

(The Canadian government released a report on April 1 proposing the classification of nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPEs) as toxic substances under terms of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), a designation that could trigger tougher standards on emissions of the chemicals)

EC Revising ED List 

Canada Report Finds ED Issues Unresolved 

E/E Notes on: Bipartisan support for ED program; POPs treaty stalled 

Literature Scan: Dentists told to downplay bisphenol A; Hypospadias rate flat; Estrogens in sewage; HPTE lowers testosterone

March 7, 2000

EPA's Low-Dose Review Attracts Extensive Industry Comments

(Trade associations representing the chemical, plastics and pesticide industries are urging the US Environmental Protection Agency and the National Toxicology Program to modify the parameters of a planned peer review of lose-dose issues for suspected endocrine disrupters)

EPA Dissolves ED Task Force

(The US Environmental Protection Agency has dissolved its Endocrine Disrupter Screening and Testing Standardization and Validation Task Force and will reconstitute it later this year as a federal advisory committee)

Future File

E/E Notes on: NIEHS Microarray Center; TBT alternatives; Tear gas; School pesticide legislation; DEHP reclassified

Word of Mouse

February 23, 2000

Endocrine Disrupters May Alter Behavior

(A report about the emerging field of ethotoxicology and behavioral studies of various suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals)

Industry Says EPA Drives Endocrine Disrupter Deselection

(An update on litigation brought by environmental and industry groups seeking to influence the EPA's implementation of an endocrine disrupter screening and testing program)

Literature Scan: Estrogenic chemicals not linked to breast cancer, but may increase its aggressiveness; New insights on steroid receptors

E/E Notes on: European phthalate makers drop litigation threat; Consumer Product Safety Commission selects DINP team; Japanese toy makers under pressure to drop use of suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals; Medaka meeting

Word of Mouse: EPA goes dark

February 9, 2000

EPA Budgets $23 Million For Endocrine Disrupter Programs in FY 2001

New Strain Differences in Endocrine Disrupter Effects

(New research reinforces concerns that some tests may have underestimated endocrine disruption effects of chemicals)

States Consider Endocrine Disrupter Bills

Future file

E/E Notes on: ER-beta receptor research; Japanese plastic wrap makers to halt NP use; POPs treaty negotiations; Vegetarian diet linked to hypospadias; TBT action planned; PBBs and early puberty; Japanese group asks for vinyl phase-out

Word of Mouse

January 24, 2000

National Toxicology Program To Ponder Low Dose Issue

(A US government agency has launched an intense effort to answer the most important human health question that has been raised about endocrine disrupters: whether synthetic or natural chemicals cause endocrine disruption at doses routinely encountered in the environment)

People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA) Attacks EPA Endocrine Disrupter Program

Pandora's Poison Reviewed

EPA Pressured To Open Validation Meetings

E/E Notes on: UK Lindane campaign; Citrate esters; Caution on phytoestrogens; DDT reverses fish sex

January 10, 2000

European Commission Adopts Endocrine Disrupter Strategy

Low Dose Bisphenol A Effects Found

Yokohama Consensus Statement

E/E Notes on: Scottish sperm study; Danish endocrine disrupter research funding; EC plant protection regulations; Herbicide found in semen; Nike hit by TBT scare; No effects of pesticides on fertility

Expert Panel Finds Phthalates Safe In Toys

also see:

Consumer Information on Natural Hormones