Author: Stine Müller
In March, I participated in the annual national conference on hormone-disrupting chemicals held by the Danish Centre for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. One of the things I took home was that researchers are detecting bisphenols in the majority of urine samples from Danish families. Bisphenols are a group of industrial chemicals widely used in the manufacture of everyday consumer products such as plastic tableware, food cans, sports equipment, leather footwear and clothing. There is growing concern that some bisphenols can damage fertility and disrupt the hormonal systems of both people and animals. For example, the EU has identified Bisphenol A (BPA), the best-known member of the bisphenol family, as a ‘Substance of Very High Concern’, but other bisphenols are believed to present at least the same level of concern, according to the EU Chemicals Agency (ECHA).