Costs of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
The aim of this study was to quantify the disease burdens and related economic costs due to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during 2010 in both the USA and Europe in 2010. The authors used existing models for assessing epidemiological and toxicological studies to reach consensus on probabilities of causation for 15 exposure-response relations between substances and disorders.
Overall, the disease costs for EDCs were much higher in the USA ($ 340 billion; 2.3% of GDP) than in Europe ($ 217 billion; 1.3% of GDP). The difference was driven mainly by loss of IQ points due to polybraminated diphenyl ethers in the USA and organophospate pesticides in Europe.
Endocrine Disruptor Costs in USA and Europe in 2010
| Agent | USA | Europe | US Costs (2010 US$) | EU costs (US $) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PBDE and IQ point loss & intellectual disability | 11 million IQ points and 43,000 cases | 873,000 IQ points and 3290 cases | 266 billion | 12.6 billion |
| Organophosphate pesticides and IQ point loss/ intellectual disability | 1.8 million IQ points lost and 7500 cases | 13 million IQ points lost and 59,300 cases | 44.7 billion | 194.0 billion |
| Dichlorodiphenyltricholorethane and childhood obesity | 857 cases | 1555 cases | 29.6 million | 32.7 million |
| Dichlordiphenyltricholorethane and adult diabetes | 24,900 cases | 28,200 cases | 1.8 billion | 1.1 billion |
| Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate and adult obesity | 5,900 cases | 53,900 cases | 1.7 billion | 20.8 billion |
| Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate and adult diabetes | 1,300 cases | 20,500 cases | 91.4 million | 807.2 million |
| Bisphenol A and childhood obesity | 33,000 cases | 42,400 cases | 2.4 billion | 2.0 billion |
| PBDE and testicular cancer | 3,600 cases | 6,830 cases | 81.5 million | 1.1 billion |
| PBDE and cryptorchidism | 4,300 cases | 4,615 cases | 35.7 million | 172.6 million |
| Benzylphtalates & butylphthalates & male infertility | 240,100 | 618,000 | 2.5 billion | 6.3 billion |
| Phthalates and low testosterone resulting in increased early mortality | 10,700 attributable deaths | 24,800 attributable deaths | 8.8 billion | 10.6 billion |
| Multiple exposures and ADHD | 4,400 cases | 19,400-31,200 cases | 698.0 million | 2.3 billion |
| Multiple exposures and autism | 787 cases (boys) and 754 cases (girls) | 316 cases | 1.0 billion (boys) and 984 million (girls) | 265.1 million |
| Dichlorodiphenyltricholoroethane and fibroids | 37,000 cases | 56,700 cases | 259 million | 216.8 million |
| Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate and endometriosis | 86,000 cases | 145,000 cases | 47.0 billion | 1.7 billion |
| Cost per person (in 2010) | $ 1,050 per person | $ 292 per person |
The studies conclusion was that the disease costs of EDCs were much higher in the USA than in Europe.
And if that isn’t bad enough, see below for the results of a 2011 study that most plastics end up releasing endocrine modifying chemicals:
The government is aware of the problem – to learn more see here & here. A list of the top culprits is here (they are even in cleaning products – here is how to avoid this source).
Here are our responses to this information: we store all our food in steel & glass, we never heat food in plastic containers, we buy foods in glass bottles (and to avoid canned foods) as well as buying organic produce.
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