The results of an investigative study by Sweden’s environment ministry of the cumulative effects of potential endocrine disruptors, such as parabens and phthalates, will be presented at the November meeting of the Swedish environmental working party, reports Cosmetics Design. The Swedish study is in response to increasing findings that show reduced semen quality, malformation of male reproductive organs and increasing cases of testicular cancer possibly related to exposure to endocrine disruptors. Animal studies have also revealed malformations of reproductive organs of children born to mothers exposed to a combination of said chemicals.

According to the environment ministry, methods of risk assessment currently used to assess the risk of exposure to individual chemicals but do not assess the cumulative combination effects of daily exposure to the chemicals. A few of the disruptors include, phthalates, which are used as plasticizers in nail varnishes and perfume fixatives, parabens, which are used as preservatives in cosmetics, and UV filters. The ministry’s aim is to get the results of the study on the agenda for the meeting of the EU’s Environment Council in December.

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