What are some examples of Endocrine Disruptors?
A wide and varied range of substances are thought to cause endocrine disruption. Chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors include diethylstilbesterol (the drug DES), dioxin and dioxin like compounds, PCBs, DDT, and some other pesticides. Some chemicals, particularly pesticides and plasticizers, such as Bisphenol A are suspected endocrine disruptors based on animal studies. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a manmade chemical that can leach out of plastic products when heated. BPA is used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, often used for food and beverage containers, and epoxy resins found in dental sealants. Some endocrine disruptors occur among a group of chemicals referred to as phthalates, a class of chemicals that soften and increase the flexibility of polyvinyl chloride plastics. An example of a phthalate is a compound called Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). DEHP is a high production volume chemical used in the manufacture of a wide variety of consumer products, such as buil
