Failure to Launch: The Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The regulation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals to minimize their impact on health

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances generated by human industrial activities that are detrimental to human health through their effects on the endocrine system. The global societal and economic burden posed by EDCs is substantial. Poorly defined or unenforced policies can increase human exposure to EDCs, thereby contributing to human disease, disability and economic damage. Researchers have shown that policies and interventions implemented at both individual and government levels have the potential to reduce exposure to EDCs. This Review describes a set of evidence-based policy actions to manage, minimize or even eliminate the widespread use of these chemicals and better protect human health and society. A number of specific challenges exist: defining, identifying and prioritizing EDCs; considering the non-linear or non-monotonic properties of EDCs; accounting for EDC exposure effects that are latent and do not appear until later in life; and updating testing paradigms to reflect 'real-world' mixtures of chemicals and cumulative exposure. A sound strategy also requires partnering with health-care providers to integrate strategies to prevent EDC exposure in clinical care. Critical next steps include addressing EDCs within global policy frameworks by integrating EDC exposure prevention into emerging climate policy.

Pesticide drift mitigation measures appear to reduce contamination of non-agricultural areas, but hazards to humans and the environment remain

Pesticide drift onto non-agricultural land is a common problem in intensively farmed regions, and national action plans have been established across Europe to prevent it. Here, we analyzed official data on pesticide residues in grass samples collected over six years to determine whether implemented measures to reduce pesticide drift were effective. We used 306 samples collected between 2014 and 2020 on non-agricultural land in one of the most intensively managed apple and wine growing regions in Europe, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol, Italy. Samples were analyzed for up to 314 substances by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Percentage of sites with multiple pesticides and number of pesticides decreased between 2014 and 2020. Fungicides were most often detected, with fluazinam found on 74 % and captan on 60 % of the contaminated sites (53 sites out of a total of 88 sites were contaminated). The most frequently found insecticide, phosmet, was detected in 49 % of the contaminated sites. Only one herbicide, oxadiazon, was detected in <1 % of the sites; glyphosate was not analyzed. The percentage of residues with human hazard properties increased significantly across years regarding reproductive toxicity (from 21 % of the detected substances in 2014 to 88 % in 2020) and specific target organ toxicity (0 % in 2014 to 21 % in 2020). Percentages of substances associated with endocrine-disruption (89 % of substances across years) or carcinogenic properties (45 % of substances across years) remained constant. The percentage of sites where concentrations in grass samples exceeded the surrogate maximum residue levels (MRLs) for lettuce also remained constant. Potential ecotoxicological hazards of detected residues regarding acute contact toxicity to honeybees remained high over the study years, while the acute and chronic toxicity to earthworms decreased. Our results suggest that while drift mitigation measures contributed some reduction in pesticide contamination, they were not sufficient to eliminate substantial risks to human health and the environment in nontarget areas.