Archived press release

Urgent action demanded as environment agency reveals "gender bender" chemicals crisis

22 January 1998

Two major groups of chemicals have been shown to be having hormone disrupting effects on wildlife in UK rivers - natural oestrogens and alkylphenols. FOE claim that both groups are major factors in river pollution, and that chemical companies must share responsibility for the needed clean-up with the privatised water companies.

Natural oestrogens are excreted in an inactive form by women. They are activated during sewage treatment and discharged from many sewage treatment works at high enough levels to affect wildlife.

Alkylphenols are used in industrial and agricultural detergents, in the form of alkylphenol ethoxylates ( APEs). There are also a range of other alkylphenol derivatives in industrial use, for example as UV stabilizers in some plastic products. Breakdown products of these APEs cause hormone disruption effects on wildlife at concentrations as low as 10 microgrammes per litre.

The Environment Agency's data, released today, suggests that almost all male fish in some rivers, including the Aire, have been found to have egg tissue in their testes. Today Friends of the Earth has published evidence showing that ICI is dumping at least 39 tonnes of APEs a year into the Tees estuary from its Wilton plant, threatening a wildlife site of international importance (Teesmouth Flats and Marshes). The pollution continues even though ICI is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, an assocation of companies committed to environmentally sound industry.

Hormone disrupting chemicals have been linked with declining sperm counts in the human male population, and with increases in testicular, breast and prostate cancer. Research shows that sperm counts in Europe fell by 3.1 million per millilitre per year from 1971 to 1990. Testicular cancer rose in England and Wales by 55% between 1979 and 1991, with 1,337 new cases in 1991. Diagnosed cases of prostate cancer rose in England and Wales by 40% over the same period.
The Oslo and Paris Convention, which the UK has signed, requires that the use of alkylphenol ethoxylates as industrial cleaning products ends by the year 2000. However

this agreement does not cover other major uses of these chemicals. Industry has accepted that there are alternative chemicals available that can replace alkylphenolic compounds.

The Environment Agency is intending to talk to industry for three months, and stating that it will act on the issue before the end of the year. Friends of the Earth is demanding three early steps:

• that the Environment Agency should begin a major monitoring exercise in rivers and waterways, to give an accurate picture of all APE, natural oestrogen and other hormone disrupting pollution

• a Government ban on industry's use of APEs, on a timetable leading to a industrial detergent ban by the year 2000, and a complete ban by 2003

• a clean up campaign in Britain's rivers and waterways paid for by the worst polluters, including the privatised water companies and chemical multinationals such as ICI and Akzo Nobel.

Friends of the Earth Pollution Campaigner Dr Michael Warhurst said today:

"The shocking new evidence from the Environment Agency confirms what FOE has argued for some time. Water and chemical companies are allowing the gross pollution of our rivers and waterways with hormone disrupting chemicals. Already,these chemicals are damaging our wildlife population. They may also be affecting human health, through a lower sperm count in men and a rise in testicular, prostate and breast cancers. The Government must act fast, to ban the use of APEs and to force the profit-hungry water and chemical companies to clean up the mess they have created."

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust