France Unveils Endocrine Disrupter Strategy; NGO Says More Aggressive Action Needed

摘要

The French minister of ecology, sustainable development and energy presented a new national strategy on endocrine disrupting substances the same day a nongovernmental organization published a study showing high levels of such substances in children's hair in France. Segolene Royal, minister of ecology, sustainable development and energy, on April 29 presented the new strategy, which calls for French industry to innovate "nontoxic" substitutes for endocrine disruptors and for the government to push for stronger EU regulation. The 24-page document says France will boost its ability to monitor the environmental presence and human health effects of endocrine disruptors-chemicals that mimic, block or alter the function of hormones. It calls for improving public information on endocrine disruptors and implementing a public-private platform to work on methods that reduce time needed for safety testing chemical substances.