6 - Endocrine disrupting chemicals and wildlife

The aim of the project described here is to provide a ‘resta- tement’ of the natural science evidence base relevant to the design and implementation of EDC regulations to protect wildlife. [...] In a short summary of a very large sub- ject it is impossible to survey all of the literature relevant to the environmental effects of the very many types of EDCs. [...] At a workshop, all authors discussed and assessed the different evidence components in the light of the strength and quality of the available literature. [...] Performing economic cost-benefit analyses in this area is com- plicated because of the need to include not only the direct financial impact of regulation (or lack thereof) on industry, consumers and government, but also the direct and indirect economic consequences of the effects of EDCs on human health and the state of the environment. [...] There are also other topics in the social sciences and humanities, including the his- tory and political economy of regulating pollutants in the environment, where research may be valuable to policy- makers in understanding the desirability and acceptability of different modes of chemical regulation to society [12].