Stop Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

PETITION : Revision of REACH is required by June 2023

To: The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

Cc: First Vice-President, Frans Timmermans; Commissioners Thierry Breton, Virginijus Sinkevicius, Stella Kyriakides

Science shows urgent need to reduce exposure to harmful endocrine disruptors: revision of REACH is required by June 2023

On behalf of the undersigned organisations, representing the European and international endocrine patient community, we are writing to urge you to deliver on the public health priorities in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability by advancing a long overdue proposal to update the regulation on the Restriction, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) as soon as possible, and no later than June 2023. Our community is united with the clinical and research community in our view that minimising exposures to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) must be a top priority for the Commission in its current term. These chemicals, which include bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS, among other chemicals in commerce, are pervasive and linked to serious adverse effects on endocrine systems, leading to diseases such as infertility, diabetes, cancer, and altered neurological development. Health impacts from EDC exposures are widespread and cause suffering throughout the European Union and the rest of the world. Moreover, individuals such as pregnant women and children are uniquely susceptible to the effects of endocrine disruption, meaning that action now can prevent harm to current and future generations.

To address these numerous health impacts effectively, the flaws in the current REACH regulation must be addressed without further delay. Any future proposal should reflect the latest available science and the commitments made by the European Commission, under the European Green Deal, to a toxic-free environment. In particular, establishing lasting protections for human health and the environment by minimising exposure to EDCs under proposals for a revision of REACH during this legislature. EDCs is not an area for compromise and a full overhaul of the current legislation is needed to achieve the here outlined objectives.

Further delays to the REACH revision would have lasting health consequences well into the future. In addition to loss of human and animal life, EDCs are also linked to significant economic costs borne by EU citizens. Conservative estimates have linked EDC exposures to approximately €157 billion in actual health care expenses and lost earning potential.

While we welcome the delegated act to establish new hazard classes for EDCs within the CLP Regulation and support its rapid implementation as a necessary first step, the necessary measures towards reducing exposures to hazardous EDCs would come in the proposed revision of REACH itself.

We ask you to act with the urgency that is warranted by this public and environmental health issue and deliver an updated ambitious REACH proposal no later than June 2023. We stand ready to provide patient experience and expertise as needed and look forward to your response.

Peter Lakwijk (Co-chair of ESE Patient Advocacy Groups)    Contact the author of the petition