U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA To Begin Testing Pesticides for Endocrine Disruption

(Washington, D.C.  April 15, 2009) EPA has issued the first list of
pesticides to be screened for possibly disrupting the endocrine system.
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and possibly
disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by the human or animal
endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction.

Endocrine disruptors can cause lifelong health problems -- especially
for children, said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. Gathering this
information will help us work with communities and industry to protect
Americans from harmful exposure.

EPA will issue test orders to the manufacturers of 67 pesticide
chemicals this summer to determine whether their chemicals may disrupt
the endocrine systems (estrogen, androgen and thyroid). Testing,
conducted through the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP), will
eventually be expanded to cover all pesticide chemicals.

The list was developed on the basis of exposure potential and should not
be construed as a list of known or likely endocrine disruptors. The
listed pesticide chemicals were selected because there is high potential
for human exposure through food and water, residential activity, or
agricultural pesticide application.

Also being announced today are revised policies and procedures that EPA
will follow to order testing, minimize duplicative testing, promote
equitable cost-sharing, and protect manufacturers confidential business
information.

More information on endocrine disruptors:
http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo

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