As part of its “Fitness Check” on endocrine disruptors (a review of existing regulations to assess whether they are relevant and effective for the management of these substances), the European Commission has launched three consultations, aimed at the general public, stakeholders and small and medium-sized enterprises. The JRC (Joint Research Centre) has just published a summary of the consultations to draw the first findings.
“These three surveys probed concerns about the potential health and environmental effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals, solicited views on the ways in which these chemicals are assessed and regulated within the EU, and explored the social and economic consequences of regulatory action,” the JRC states.
The findings will contribute to the Commission’s assessment of the EU chemicals legislation in the context of a Fitness Check.
The public consultation
The public consultation report provides a factual overview of the 474 responses received over a twelve-week period from 16/12/2019 to 09/03/2020. In total, 431 of the 474 responses (91%) came from citizens.
A majority of citizens felt informed about endocrine disruptors and considered that their effects on health and wildlife, while poorly understood, do represent a concern. Similarly, a majority felt informed about the regulation of endocrine disruptors, but do not feel that the current regulatory framework is sufficiently protective.
A majority of respondents also expressed the view that the EU should have the same approach or more consistent approach for both identifying and managing the risks of exposure to endocrine disruptors.
Opinions were divided on whether animal testing is minimised in the assessment process. Similarly, there were mixed views on whether …
