How Hormone Disrupting Chemicals Found in Our Everyday Lives Effect Us: WHO
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are making us unhealthy! Pic Courtesy: umfacts.um.edu.my
A landmark new study, called State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemical, by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and WHO, talks about the ill effects of numerous synthetic chemicals on the hormone system and consequently on the health of people.
How possibly does one come in contact with these synthetic chemicals? Readers will be surprised to know, it is via everyday use items like children’s toys, PVC flooring, car dashboards, etc.
Do you know endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are found in many household and industrial products? Due to their presence in everyday household articles, it is very easy for humans to be contaminated by them. Human exposure can happen in various ways, including through food, dust and water, inhalation of gases and particles in the air, and skin contact.
Sounds terribly unnerving, but unfortunately EDC’s are really not the best things around. One is not being an alarmist, but one needs to be informed of what the consequences of these endocrine disrupting chemicals can be.
Exposure to EDC’s can cause, development of non-descended testes in young males (I have been hearing of this occurrence in my circle of interactions more often nowadays) , breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, developmental effects on the nervous system in children, attention deficit /hyperactivity in children and thyroid cancer.
Can chemical products be wished away? UN Under Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said,
Chemical products are increasingly part of modern life and support many national economies, but the unsound management of chemicals challenges the achievement of key development goals, and sustainable development for all.
So for the sake of sustaining economies, human lives get jeopardized? Dr Maria Neira, WHO’s Director for Public Health and Environment said,
We urgently need more research to obtain a fuller picture of the health and environment impacts of endocrine disruptors. The latest science shows that communities across the globe are being exposed to EDCs, and their associated risks. WHO will work with partners to establish research priorities to investigate links to EDCs and human health impacts in order to mitigate the risks. We all have a responsibility to protect future generations.
Certainly more viable options need to be explored as to what one can use instead of these chemically poisoned products. We owe this not only to our future generations, but also to the wildlife populations (which are also being effected by the endocrine disrupting chemicals).