Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are substances that mimic, block or interfere with hormones in the body’s endocrine system. EDCs are found in everyday consumer items including detergents, flame retardants, food additives, children’s toys, sunscreen, textiles, anti-bacterial soaps, cosmetics, plastic bottles, metal food cans and pesticides. Recent studies estimate that EDCs contribute substantially to disease and disability across a person’s lifetime, costing hundreds of billions of Euros per year.
In recent years, EDCs have received increasing attention from endocrine researchers, regulatory authorities and public and political bodies at the EU and national level. The level of interest provided an opportunity for ESE to share its expertise at the highest political level and help with increasing awareness and ensuring the availability of independent scientific information available around EDCs.
In addition to improved policies and legislation, a coordinated funding effort is needed to stimulate independent research in this area. Without additional efforts, people will continue to be exposed to chemicals that can severely affect their health and well-being.
To this end, we established the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Working Group to guide our activities in this area, including ESE-supported conferences, workshops, training courses and other activities with a political and/or educational component.
Chair: Josef Köhrle (Germany)
Manuel Tena-Sempere (Spain)
Anna-Maria Andersson (Denmark)
Barbara Demeneix (France)
Evi Diamanti-Kandarakis (Greece)
Jorma Toppari (Finland)
Aleksandra Buha-Dordevic (Serbia)
Pauliina Damdimopoulou (Sweden)
Ayşegül Atmaca (Turkey)
Angel Nadal (Spain)
The main goal of this Working Group is to speak as the voice of European endocrinologists on issues related to EDCs in order to be noticed and heard in the regulatory, executive, administrative, political, and public context.
The working group advises and uses its expertise to promote increased awareness of EDCs among policy makers at the EU and national level by sharing independent science through conferences, consultation responses, personal meetings, open letters and other forms of communication. The working group aims to intensify links to groups and networks already dealing with EDCs in related scientific disciplines such as (embryo-)toxicology, nutrition, and epidemiology. Where beneficial, the working group also prepares EDC-related information for ESE, its members and the wider endocrine community.
- Understanding REACH webpage.
- European Commission Endocrine Disruptors Q&A.
- PFAS Restriction Proposal
Watch the full recording of ESE event on EDCs in the European Parliament “Shaping an ambitious legislative framework for endocrine disruptors: A high-level panel discussion on the gaps between science and legislation" held on 7 June 2023.
The meeting brought together a broad variety of stakeholders to discuss the importance of an ambitious REACH revision while discussing progressing and remaining challenges in other areas including CLP, PFAS and Bisphenols.
Latest EDC activities
See the latest developments in our work to tackle EDCs, including position statements, petitions, press releases and consultations.
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More than 400,000,000 endocrine patients urge Brussels to take action on the revision of REACH
The petition has been submitted to the European Commission.
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Exposure to BisphenolA, including at small quantities is harmful for human and ecological health.
Read our joint statement with the The Endocrine Society.
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Open letter to the European Commission over the proposed delay for the REACH revision
REACH stands for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals and is at the centre of all EU legislation around chemicals including those with endocrine disrupting properties.
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ESE continues to push for a toxic free environment
ESE has submitted a response to the consultation on the revision of the Classification Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Legislation.
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Recognition for ESE and ESPE at the Third Annual Forum on Endocrine Disruptors
The European Society of Endocrinology and the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology organised a scientific session at the Third Annual Forum on Endocrine Disruptors (21-22 September) which was organised by the European Commission DG Environment.
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ESE's key recommendations towards a less toxic EU environment to the benefit of human and animal health
The EDC Working Group has compiled all their scientific knowledge in the field of EDCs to produce a concise Recommendations Report
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See recent news and announcements relating to environment and endocrinology.
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Press Releases02/05/2025
Press Release - ESE and ESPE event to call for stronger national and EU action on endocrine disruptors
Environmental Endocrinology -
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ESE News25/04/2025
Global endocrine community comes together to comment on technical discussions taking place towards the REACH revision
Environmental Endocrinology -
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Position Statements25/04/2025
Statement by the European Society of Endocrinology, the Endocrine Society and the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology
Environmental Endocrinology -
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ESE News05/03/2025
Experts from the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) and the Endocrine Society meet with EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall and high-level EU representatives
Environmental Endocrinology
Visit our Environmental Endocrinology Focus Area to see latest news, resources, publications, education and training on this topic.
