European Agency to Assess Potential Exposure Limits, Endocrine Disruptors
Five calls for evidence published earlier this month by the European Chemicals Agency are intended to help ECHA prepare reports on endocrine disruptors and on occupational exposure limits for several substances in the workplace. The agency aims to collect information on substances’ uses, exposures, health effects, and more while it is in the early phases of developing its reports.
Regarding OELs, ECHA seeks information related to naphthalene, toluene, copper and its inorganic compounds, and bisphenols other than bisphenol A that are relevant to occupational health. The agency was tasked by the European Commission to evaluate exposures to these substances and assess options regarding airborne occupational exposure limits, other limit values such as biological limit values and biological guidance values, and notations. According to ECHA, naphthalene is suspected of causing cancer and acute toxicity effects, and toluene is a suspected reproductive toxicant. ECHA does not note specific health effects related to copper and its inorganic compounds, but the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in the U.S. explains that the carcinogenicity of copper has not been evaluated by the Department of Health and Human Services, EPA, or the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The bisphenols BPS, BPF, and BPAF, which ECHA says may damage fertility, are also part of the agency’s latest calls for evidence.
The European Commission has additionally tasked ECHA to assess whether it would be appropriate to include endocrine disruptors, which can alter hormonal system functions, in the carcinogens, mutagens, and reprotoxic substances directive. The directive is intended to protect workers in the European Union from exposures to harmful substances. ECHA seeks relevant information on endocrine disruptors as it prepares its report on how these substances affect workers’ health and safety.
The deadline for providing input on these calls for evidence is July 1. Further details and links to the call for each substance can be found on ECHA’s website.