New rules to regulate Europe's hormone-disrupting chemicals

European commission launches world's first system for classifying and banning endocrine disruptors against a barrage of criticism

The European commission has launched the world's first system for classifying and banning endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), against a barrage of criticism from scientists, NGOs, industry and consumer groups.

Endocrines are hormone-altering chemicals common in everyday substances from paint to pesticides that have been linked to an array of illnesses including cancer, infertility, obesity, diabetes, birth defects and reproductive problems.