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Health costs of hormone disrupting chemicals over 150bn a year in Europe, says study
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of The Guardian (One of the UK's leading newspapers)


The Guardian (One of the UK's leading newspapers), March 6, 2015
Posted: March 16th, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/06/health-co...

Lower IQ, adult obesity and 5% of autism cases are all linked to exposure to endocrine disruptors found in food containers, plastics, furniture, toys, carpeting and cosmetics, says new expert study. Europe is experiencing an explosion in health costs caused by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that is comparable to the cost of lead and mercury poisoning, according to the most comprehensive study of the subject yet published. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the human hormone system, and can be found in food containers, plastics, furniture, toys, carpeting and cosmetics. The new series of reports by 18 of the worlds foremost experts on endocrine science pegs the health costs of exposure to them at between 157bn-270bn (113bn-195bn), or at least 1.23% of the continents GDP. The shocking thing is that the major component of that cost is related to the loss of brain function in the next generation, one of the reports authors, Professor Philippe Grandjean of Harvard University, told the Guardian. After IQ loss, adult obesity linked to exposure to phthalates, a group of chemicals used in plastics, was the second largest part of the overall cost, with an estimated price tag of 15.6bn a year. The study attributes at least 5% of European autism cases to EDC exposure. These studies tell a frightening and expensive story equivalent to a 7,500 cost for every man, woman and child in the EU every year, said Genon Jensen, the director of the Health and Environment Alliance.

Note: Recently, a major report showing the dangers of many common pesticides was suppressed by EU officials. Federal regulators in the US claim to have no data on over 62,000 industrial chemicals that US consumers are exposed to.


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