Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances that, if allowed to enter the human body, “trigger abnormal processes in the endocrine system, with potentially severe health consequences” [1]. The endocrine system is made up of organs and glands that produce and secrete hormones. EDCs are different to ‘endocrine active substances’, which are substances that may interact with hormones but are not known to cause any adverse effects.
Are plastic products containing EDCs safe?
The majority of plastic products do not contain EDCs. Those that do, pose little to no risk to human health due to strict regulations governing the level exposure . Known EDCs (see below) will be avoided by manufacturers of plastic products.
However, some studies have suggested that micro/nano plastics containing EDCs could cause issues within the thyroid, testes and ovaries.[2]
Are EDCs regulated?
Within the UK and the EU, EDCs are subject to strict regulations to ensure the safety of consumers. Under REACH regulations, EDCs will meet the requirements for identification as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), leading to strict limits on their use and a likelihood of being subject to authorisation or restriction obligations. In addition, many substances with EDC properties are severely restricted through food contact materials regulations.
Under the EU’s Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) 528/2012), active substances with endocrine disrupting properties are only approved for use if the risk of exposure to the ‘hazard’ is shown to be negligible. Furthermore, in 2022, the EU Commission introduced a set of rules identifying EDCs in a new hazard class under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals (CLP) regulations.[3] The European Commission has also noted one of its strategic goals for EDCs is to minimise overall exposure to EDCs.
Since Brexit, UK REACH exists and is evolving. The UK government suggested within Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 that it did not plan to establish new hazard classes within GB CLP Regulation unless these were also adopted by the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of the classification and labelling of chemicals (UN GHS).[4]
In conclusion...
The UK plastics industry considers issues of chemical safety to be of paramount importance in terms of consumer safety and environmental protection. The BPF supports the stringent regulatory landscape within the EU and UK, which ensures consumers are protected from exposure to EDCs that could be harmful to their health. It should be noted that this is a complex subject and that numerous naturally occurring EDCs, such as soya and hops, exist as well.
Plastics manufactured within the EU/UK adhere to these regulations ensuring safe use of the products.
As the science continues to evolve, the BPF and the UK plastics industry will monitor these developments closely. The updated UNEP and WHO report ‘The State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals’ (2012), which is expected in 2024, will play a role in determining future regulations and approaches to using EDCs.
1) ECHA. (2018). Endocrine disruptors explained. Available: https://newsletter.echa.europa.eu/home/-/newsletter/entry/endocrine-disruptors-explained. Last accessed 14th Mar 2019.
2) Ullah S, Ahmad S, Guo X, Ullah S, Ullah S, Nabi G, Wanghe K. A review of the endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nano plastic and their associated chemicals in mammals. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jan 16;13:1084236. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1084236. PMID: 36726457; PMCID: PMC9885170.
3) EU Commission. (2024). Commission sets up rules to identify endocrine disruptors and long-lasting chemicals and to improve labelling. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7775
4) Defra Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-improvement-plan
Published 24 May 2019
Reviewed and updated July 2024
Reviewed February 2025
