Consumers may be exposed to up to 30 different residues of hormone disrupting pesticides, which carry a risk of harmful health effects, suggests the result of the Austrian environmental organization GLOBAL 2000 in collaboration with 'Pesticide Action Network' (PAN). Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples and leeks are the five foods which are most laden with residue of pesticides.
Hormone disruptors are chemicals that affect the hormones in the body and can disturb the endocrine system. An increasing amount of scientific researches show that these chemicals are linked to a number of chronic illnesses, such as fertility problems, obesity, diabetes and hormone related types of cancer such as breast and prostate cancer.
The new European legislation in the area of pesticides, which went into effect in June 2011, aims for a ban on hormone disrupting pesticides due to potential health hazards. It is now up to the European Commission to draft criteria to identify hormone disrupting pesticides before December 2013. Until the general prohibition comes into effect, consumers can only protect themselves by limiting or avoiding contact with certain products. To help with this, GLOBAL 2000 has made an information brochure together with PAN that points out the health risks of hormone disrupting chemicals and contains tips to avoid them.