In the same year, Congress directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and implement a program to screen all pesticides and suspect drinking water contaminants for endocrine-disrupting potential. In the same year, Congress enacted legislation banning those chemicals in children's toys and child care articles. H.R. This report summarizes the science underlying the endocrine disruptor hypothesis, describes congressional actions, outlines EPA's efforts to implement legislation, and discusses some policy issues that have been raised. Physical development, growth, reproduction, and metabolism, for example, are hormone-dependent processes that might be affected by exposure to endocrine disruptors. Some scientists hypothesize that existing environmental levels of potential endocrine disruptors also may be harming human health, but other scientists believe that current levels of such chemicals in the environment are too low to exert significant adverse effects on people. Congressional and Administrative Attention

Congress began investigating the effects of endocrine disruptors in the environment at a hearing in 1993. The thyroid hormones regulate growth and development and the rate of metabolism. In April 2009, it was announced that EPA denied the Crop Life petition and announced that orders would be issued during the summer of 2009. Some other chemicals of potential concern include a number of pesticides (e.g., DDT, lindane, and vinclozolin), medicinal drugs (especially synthetic hormones), other synthetic compounds (e.g., nonylphenol, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perchlorate), and some metals (e.g., lead, mercury, arsenic, and organotins). Scientific Evidence

		Human Health Trends

Proponents of the hypothesis that environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors may be affecting human health have pointed to apparent increases in U.S. and global rates of certain cancers, reported declines in sperm counts in various nations, and scientific evidence of increasing rates of type II diabetes, obesity (especially among children), some birth defects, and other disorders. Congress has indicated its interest in several recent health trends, including: reported declines in certain nations in semen quality over the last few decades; increasing rates of deformities of male reproductive organs before 1985, after which rates stabilized; and a worldwide increase in the incidence of testicular cancer, for which there is no clear cause. Fish appear to be useful as sentinels for the presence and possible hazard of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the aquatic environment, since they are currently the only vertebrates for which the connection between environmental contamination and adverse effects on health has been established in both field and laboratory studies. 1145 would require each water resources research and technology institute, established under the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, to conduct technical research on prevention and removal of contaminants of emerging concern, including endocrine-disrupting compounds, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. In controlled laboratory experiments, some scientists have found that relatively low levels of certain chemicals harm the endocrine systems of fish and wildlife, particularly when exposure is continuous, chemicals bioaccumulate, or animals are exposed simultaneously to several chemicals with similar effects. Many scientists who are not convinced there is an environmental problem nonetheless are concerned about the issue, because there are no measurements at all of environmental concentrations for most chemicals, people are known to be exposed to low levels of multiple environmental contaminants with endocrine-disrupting potential for which potential cumulative effects have not been assessed, and some studies suggest the public health consequences of exposure might be significant. Once the program is implemented, Congress might consider whether statutes and regulations provide adequate authority and direction with respect to the influence of any findings of endocrine disruption on the regulation of specific chemicals, chemical groups, uses, or products.
In 2008, Congress banned the use in children's toys and child care articles of several chemicals known to disrupt normal development and reproduction of mice and rats. The legislation was a response to accumulating scientific evidence supporting the hypothesis that exposure to certain chemicals in consumer products and the environment might be adversely affecting human reproduction, growth, development, or metabolism by interfering with endocrine systems. This report summarizes the science underlying the environmental endocrine-disruptor hypothesis, and describes congressional actions and related programs and policy issues at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This report focuses on the potential human health effects of environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors. The potential effects on fish and wildlife also are of concern. Scientists have discovered many egg-bearing male (intersex) bass in the Potomac River, as well as intersex fish of other species in other U.S. waters. Chemicals of interest include certain pesticides (e.g., DDT), synthetic hormones administered to cattle and poultry, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs and ingredients of some personal-care products (e.g.,triclocarban in antibacterial soaps), naturally occurring plant hormones (e.g., in soy beans), industrial compounds (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)), some dioxins, lead, mercury, cadmium, uranium, arsenic, and organic compounds of tin. Potential sources of such chemicals include runoff from animal feedlots and agricultural fields, wastewater discharges, industrial releases, and consumer products. In the 111th Congress, H.R. 1145 would require each water resources research and technology institute to conduct technical research on prevention and removal of contaminants of emerging concern, including endocrine-disrupting compounds.
Support might be found for the hypothesis that chemicals in the environment are disrupting human endocrine systems in the apparent increases in rates of certain cancers, reported declines in sperm counts, and reported scientific evidence of increasing rates of some birth defects, thyroid disorders, attention deficit disorder, premature births, and premature puberty. There appears to be a worldwide increase in cases of testicular cancer, for which there is no clear cause. Any of these effects could be linked to hormone disruption because they are hormone dependent and have been chemically induced in experimental animals. However, scientifically demonstrating a cause-effect relationship between environmental exposure to a particular chemical and human health effects is difficult. Many scientists hypothesize that environmental levels of potential endocrine disruptors are too low to influence human endocrine systems. Others argue that significant adverse effects might result from long-term exposure to low levels of multiple endocrine disruptors.
Congress began investigating the presence and possible effects of endocrine disruptors in the environment at a hearing in 1993. In 1996, Congress directed EPA to establish and implement an endocrine-disruptor screening program for pesticides and drinking water contaminants. As of April 2009, chemical screening under that program has not begun, and funding for the program has declined, and legislators have expressed concern about the pace of program development. However, EPA this month promulgated final rules establishing the list of 67 pesticide ingredients and procedures that will be followed when the first set of testing orders is issued to manufacturers. EPA has stated that orders will be issued during the summer of 2009. Once the program is implemented, Congress might consider whether statutes and regulations provide adequate authority and direction with respect to the influence of any findings of endocrine disruption on the regulation of specific chemicals, chemical groups, uses, or products.