What are Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs)?
The endocrine system is a set of glands and the hormones they produce, which help guide the development, growth, reproduction, and behaviour of animals and humans. Some hormones are also released from parts of the body that are not glands, such as the stomach, intestines or nerve cells, and act closer to where they are released. More… Some chemicals, both natural and man-made, can interfere with endocrine glands and their hormones or where the hormones act – the target tissues. These chemicals are called endocrine disruptors or endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). More… The presence of EDCs in our environment raises concerns because: • harmful effects have been observed on reproduction, growth and development in certain species of wildlife, • there are increases in some human reproductive disorders and some cancers which could be related to disturbance of the endocrine system, and • adverse effects from some environmental chemicals known to act on the endocrine system have been o
