Risk assessments by European food safety watchdog EFRA have identified a number of pesticides which could affect hormones and development in mammals.

EFSA has recommended that some of the herbicides and fungicides be classified as being carcinogenic or potentially causing birth defects. For others, the watchdog identified data gaps and recommended further tests, including for 2,4-D, the widely used herbicide which was identified as being ‘possibly’ carcinogenic earlier this year by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of the World Health Organisation. EFSA assessors asked for clarification on some study findings, which would allow for an assessment of potential impacts on foetal development. 

Since 2014, EFSA has been undertaking reviews of 41 chemicals, some of which are already on sale in the EU, others are new formulations pending market approval. These are being conducted in line with stricter Pesticide Regulations which were brought in by the EU several years ago.

Last week, the EU health watchdog published the results of further assessments on a range of chemicals. EFSA said hazard or risk based concerns have been identified from the information available to its assessors for 15 of these 41 substances. EFSA assessors expressed “critical concern” over the potential endocrine disrupting properties of some of the chemicals.

EU authorities are locked in a struggle over what action to take on endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere with mammals’ hormone systems and can cause tumours or birth defects. Though industry has urged officials to take a ‘science based’ view of the situation, that is to say only to take action in cases where there is definite scientific evidence of harm, science advisors are currently working on a precautionary - or risk-averse - approach.

Though the studies were conducted in line with new, stricter EU regulations, EFSA is using ‘interim criteria’ to assess the risks posed by the different chemicals, in the absence of specific scientific  criteria to use when dealing with potential endocrine disruptors.

The report, detailing the pesticides studied is available from EFSA here.

11 of the pesticides evaluated by EFSA are already on the European market and their 10-year authorisation period expires at the end of the month.

However, critics at UK-based campaign group GM Watch and the Pesticide Action Network said the EU Commission’s health office DG SANTE has discussed extending the re-approval period for the chemicals, almost the opposite course of action from that recommended by EFSA advisors, and in spite of the fact that the Commission ushered in the stricter regulations supporting the risk assessors’ approach several years ago.  

PAN and GM Watch said this is further proof that EU action on potential endocrine disruptors still doesn’t comply with the latest Pesticide Regulation. PAN Europe stressed that so far the Commission’s DG SANTE has shown a great resistance to applying the Pesticide Regulation in European risk assessments and has “Allowed the abuse of prolongations, derogations and data gaps.”

Dr Angeliki Lysimachou, PAN Europe’s toxicologist, commented, “Exposure to endocrine disruptors is an issue of global concern and EU regulators must take serious action to limit human and environmental exposure to these harmful chemicals”.

EFSA’s decisions aren’t binding, but can only be used to support EU authorities in making a decision.