EDCs and related public health concerns: Dutch Parliamentarians, policy makers and NGOs present at Policy Science Round Table in The Hague
WECF and Wemos organised discussion in press centre Dutch Parliament
11.06.2014 |WECF
Dutch Parliamentarians, policy makers and representatives from NGOs present at the Policy and Science Round Table in Nieuwspoort
In the past months several reports have been published that outline the possible dangers of EDC’s. For example, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published a worrying report about the impact of chemical substances on our endocrine systems, listing trends such as increasing infertility and incidence of breast cancer as possible outcomes. Goals of this discussion included informing journalists and politicians about the scientific research on EDC’s and the risks they pose to children, babies, fertility and wildlife. Moreover, the EU policies concerning EDC’s will be discussed in comparison to measures that have been taken by other European countries.
Report of the Policy Round Table
The full report of the Policy Round Table has been published on WECFs Dutch language website. Speakers were Professor Skakkebaek (Copenhagen University Hospital): on the ‘International state of science sperm quality’, Professor Juliette Legler (VU University Amsterdam): ‘EDC’s – Children and obesity’, Majorie van Duursen (Utrecht University): Prenatal exposure, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Gavin ten Tusscher (West-Fries Gasthuis Hospital): ‘Risks and measures for babies’ and Lisette van Vliet (HEAL): ‘EU policy and EU country examples of precautionary measures’. Multiple questions on the effects of EDCs on public health were asked by MEPs Agnes Wolbert (Social-democrats) and Henk van Gerven (Socialist Party).
Research has shown that EDC’s are playing a role in the increasing incidence of breast cancer, testicular cancer and infertility in the EU. This makes this topic particularly worrying and important for public health.
WECFs contribution to the event was supported by the LIFE+ program of the European Commission, DG Environment
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