Endocrine disrupting chemicals in water

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 14308 | 28 April 2017

Signatories:

Ms Petra De SUTTER, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Deniz BAYKAL, Turkey, SOC ; Ms Tamara BLAZINA, Italy, SOC ; Ms Sílvia Eloïsa BONET, Andorra, SOC ; Mr José CEPEDA, Spain, SOC ; Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania, SOC ; Ms Elvira DROBINSKI-WEISS, Germany, SOC ; Ms Edite ESTRELA, Portugal, SOC ; Ms Ute FINCKH-KRÄMER, Germany, SOC ; Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Jean-Pierre GRIN, Switzerland, ALDE ; Ms Annette GROTH, Germany, UEL ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain, SOC ; Mr Gábor HARANGOZÓ, Hungary, SOC ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Ms Alice-Mary HIGGINS, Ireland, SOC ; Ms Susanna HUOVINEN, Finland, SOC ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr İlhan KESİCİ, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Haluk KOÇ, Turkey, SOC ; Ms Alev KORUN, Austria, SOC ; Mr Florian KRONBICHLER, Italy, SOC ; Mr Zviad KVATCHANTIRADZE, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Pierre-Yves LE BORGN', France, SOC ; Mr Saša MAGAZINOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOC ; Mr Philippe MAHOUX, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Gordan MARAS, Croatia, SOC ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Marianne MIKKO, Estonia, SOC ; Mr Žarko OBRADOVIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Mr Liviu Ioan Adrian PLEȘOIANU, Romania, SOC ; Ms Cristina-Mădălina PRUNĂ, Romania, NR ; Mr Georgios PSYCHOGIOS, Greece, UEL ; Ms Azadeh ROJHAN GUSTAFSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Armen RUSTAMYAN, Armenia, SOC ; Ms Ulla SANDBÆK, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Nico SCHRIJVER, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Corneliu ȘTEFAN, Romania, SOC ; Ms Tineke STRIK, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Dana VÁHALOVÁ, Czech Republic, SOC ; Mr Snorre Serigstad VALEN, Norway, UEL

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in our environment is a growing problem that requires urgent action. These chemical substances are mainly known to be found in plastics, cosmetics, pesticides, etc. EDCs interfere with the functioning of our hormonal system and disrupt the hormonal balance of humans and animals (and their offspring) significantly, as the World Health Organization (WHO) already described in 2002.The exposure to EDCs can cause severe health damage and affect fertility, the development of children, and can cause obesity, diabetes, cancer, immune disorders and behavioral problems like autism.

Further investigation revealed that it is not unusual that water is contaminated by endocrine disrupting chemical substances. The presence of EDCs in industrial waste water is problematic because these toxic substances find their way into the soil. As a consequence, drinking water and agricultural products like fruit and vegetables are exposed to these pollutants. This does not only contains a danger to public health but also violates fundamental human rights, namely the right to clean drinking water (Resolution 64/292 from the United Nations).

The Parliamentary Assembly should fully examine the presence of endocrine disruptors in water and develop recommendations and guidelines to tackle this problem and preserve the fundamental right to clean drinking water.