Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tunnel vision: The regulation of endocrine disruptors

  • Published:
Policy Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines the failure of a small but significant element of U.S. chemical regulatory policy: the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). A range of conditions are implicated in the failure of this program, but one condition, the scientific testing and regulation paradigm (STRP), seems particularly important and ties the failure of EDSP to the failure of other U.S. chemical regulatory programs. This paradigm is a group of assumptions that have driven pesticide (and other chemical) regulatory policy since World War II. This study investigates the relationship between STRP and the failure of EDSP, the potential efficacy of alternatives to this program, and one alternative that broke from this paradigm. Ultimately, this study suggests that we must revise the role of science in regulation in order to find effective alternatives to modern chemical regulatory policy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Associated Press (1990). ‘After scare, suit by apple farmers’, The New York Times, Late Edition – Final, A22, November 29.

  • Aspelin, A. L. (1994). Pesticide Industry Sales and Usage: 1992 and 1993 Market Estimates. Washington, DC: EPA, June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bern, H. A., P. Blair, S. Brasseur, et al. (1991). The Wingspread Consensus Statement. ‘Chemically-induced alterations in sexual development: The wildlife/human connection’, Appendix in T. Colborn, D. Dumanoski and J. P. Myers (eds.) (1996). Our Stolen Future: Are We Threatening our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival? – A Scientific Detective Story. New York: Penguin Books.

  • Birnbaum, L. S. (1995) ‘Developmental effects of dioxin’, Environmental Health Perspectives Supplement 7, 103: 89–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burlington, H. and V. F. Lindeman (1950). ‘Effect of DDT on testes and secondary sex characteristics of white leghorn cockerels’, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 74: 48–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese, E. J. and L. A. Baldwin (2003). ‘Toxicology rethinks its central belief: Hormesis demands a reappraisal of the way risks are assessed’, Nature (421), February 13, 691–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carson, R. (1962). Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavieres, M. F., J. Jaeger and W. Porter. 2002. ‘Developmental toxicity of a commercial herbicide mixture in mice: I. Effects on embryo implantation and litter size’, Environmental Health Perspectives 110: 1081–1085.

    Google Scholar 

  • CBS-TV (1989). ‘A is for apple’, 60 Minutes. February 26.

  • Chemicals Policy Committee (1997). Towards a Sustainable Chemicals Policy. Ministry of the Environment, Stockholm, Sweden: Government Official Reports 1997:84.

  • Colborn, T., A. Davidson, S. N. Green et al. (1990). Great Lakes, Great Legacy? Washington, DC: Conservation Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colborn, T., D. Dumanoski and J. P. Myers (1996). Our Stolen Future: Are We Threatening our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival? – A Scientific Detective Story. New York: Penguin Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • CRS (1996). Environmental Protection Agency FY 1996. Appropriations: Analyses of House-Passed Riders. 95–966 ENR.

  • Curtis, J. et al. (1991). Harvest of Hope: The Potential for Alternative Agriculture to Reduce Pesticide Use. Natural Resources Defense Council. May.

  • Dewaal, C. S. (1995). Center for Science in the Public Interest. Congressional Testimony to House Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health and Environment. Hearings on H.R. 1627. June 29.

  • Donaldson, D., T. Kiely and A. Grube (2002). Pesticide industry sales and usage: 1998 and 1999 market estimates. Washington, DC: EPA, August. http://www.epa.gov/oppbead1/pestsales/99pestsales/market_estimates1999.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • EPA (2002). Report to the U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations on the Status of the Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation Subcommittee. March.

  • EPA (2003a). Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program Web Site. http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/index.htm.

  • EPA (2003b). Priority Setting in the EDSP. http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/prioritysetting/index.htm.

  • Fagin, D. and Marianne, L. (1999). Toxic Deception: How the Chemical Industry Manipulates Science, Bends the Law, and Endangers Your Health. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ‘Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act’ (1938). Public Law 75–717, Cong. Ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, June 25.

  • ‘Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act’ (1947). Public Law 80–104; Cong. Ch. 125, 61 Stat. 163, June 25.

  • Fogelberg, F. (2001). ‘Research on pest control and pesticide reduction in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands – Ongoing work and new ideas for the future’, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

  • ‘Food Additives Amendment of 1958’ (1958). Public Law 85–929, H.R. 13254, 72 Stat. 1784, Sept 6.

  • ‘Food Quality Protection Act of 1996’ (1996). Public Law 104–170, HR 1627, 110 Stat. 1489, August 3.

  • Fredholm, L. (2000). ‘Chemical testing: Sweden to get tough on lingering compounds’, Science 290(5497): 1663–1666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groth, E. III, C. M. Benbrook, K. L. Benbrook and A. J. Goldberg (2001). ‘A report card for the EPA successes and failures in implementing the Food Quality Protection Act’, Consumers Union of the United States. February.

  • Gunderson, L. H., C. S. Holling and S. S. Light (eds.) (1995). Barriers and Bridges to the Renewal of Ecosystems and Institutions. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemond, H. F. and E. J. Fechner (1994). Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment. San Diego: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, E. (1995). Citizen Action. Congressional Testimony to House Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health and Environment. Hearings on H.R. 1627. June 29.

  • Howdeshell, K. (2002). ‘A model of the development of the brain as a construct of the thyroid system’, Environmental Health Perspectives. 110: 337–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • ‘Insecticide Act of 1910’ (1910). Public Law 61–152; Cong. Ch. 191; 36 Stat. 331, April 26.

  • Kasindorf, M. (1993). ‘Bugging out? Clinton administration proposes new rules on pesticides’ Newsday, City Edition, News 8, September 22.

  • Klinke, A. and O. Renn (2002). ‘A New Approach to Risk Evaluation and Management: Risk-Based, Precaution-Based, and Discourse-Based Strategies’, Risk Analysis 22: 1071–1094.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krimsky, S. (2000). Hormonal Chaos: The Scientific and Social Origins of the Environmental Endocrine Hypothesis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lasswell, H. D. and A. Kaplan (1950). Power and Society: A Framework for Political Inquiry. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, G. (1996). ‘In food safety changes, victories for many’, The Washington Post.

  • McLachlan, J. A. (ed.) (1980). Estrogens in the Environment. New York: Elsevier North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLachlan, J. A. (ed.) (1985). Estrogens in the Environment II: Influences on Development. New York: Elsevier North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLachlan, J. A. and S. F. Arnold (1996). ‘Environmental estrogens’, American Scientist 84: 452–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLachlan, J. A. and R. R. Newbold (1987). ‘Estrogens and development’, Environmental Health Perspectives 75: 25–2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyakoda, H., M. Tabata, S. Onodera and K. Takeda (1999). ‘Passage of bisphenol A into the fetus of the pregnant rat’, Journal of Health Science 45(6): 318–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montague, P. (1997). ‘The Toxic Substances Control Act’, Rachel’s Environment and Health Weekly, September 18.

  • Myers, J. P. (2003). Our Stolen Future http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/.

  • National Academy of Science (1993a). Soil and Water Quality: An Agenda for Agriculture. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Science (1993b). Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Science (1989). Alternative Agriculture. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Toxicology Program (2001). ‘Endocrine disruptors low dose peer review’. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. August. http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/liason/LowDosePeerFinalRpt.pdf.

  • National Organic Program (2002). http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/.

  • National Research Council (1987). Regulating Pesticides in Food: The Delaney Paradox. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Natural Resources Defense Council (1989). Intolerable Risk: Pesticides in Our Children's Food, February.

  • Office of Technology Assessment (1991). Beneath the Bottom Line: Agricultural Approaches to Reduce Agrichemical Contamination of Groundwater. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, E., M. Wall, A. Martin, R. M. Gould, M. Cummings Hubbard, M. Moore, M. Undem and T. Olle (2002). Letter to EPA, Re: Settlement agreement to protect the health of children and farm workers under the Food Quality Protection Act in NRDC et al. v. EPA, No. C-99-3701CAL (N.D. Cal). October 23.

  • Olson, E., A. Meyerhoff and J. Curtis (1995). Natural Resources Defense Council. Congressional Testimony to House Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health and Environment. Hearings on H.R. 1627. June 7.

  • Osteen, C. and F. Kuch (1986). Potential Bans of Corn and Soybean Pesticides: Economic Implications for Farmers and Consumers. Agricultural Economic Report no. 546.

  • ‘Pesticide Food Safety Act of 1994’ (1994). 103 H.R. 4091.

  • ‘Pesticide Reform Act of 1994’ (1994). 103 H.R. 4362.

  • ‘Pesticide Safety and Right-to-know Act of 1995’ (1995). 104 H.R. 1771.

  • Pimentel, D., L. McLaughlin, A. Zepp, B. Lakitan, T. Kraus, P. Kleinman, F. Vancini, W. John Roach, E. Graap, W. S. Keeton and G. Selig (1991). ‘Environmental and economic impacts of reducing U.S. agricultural pesticide use’. Handbook of Pest Management in Agriculture. Vol 1. 2nd edition. London: CRC Press International.

    Google Scholar 

  • ‘Pure-Food Act of 1906’ (1906). Public Law 59–384, Cong. Ch. 3915; 34 Stat. 768, June 30.

  • Roe, D., W. Pease, K. Florini and E. Silbergeld (1997). Toxic Ignorance: Full Report. New York: Environmental Defense Fund, Summer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ‘Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996’ (1996). Public Law 104–182, S 1316.

  • Schierow, L. J. (1996). ‘Pesticide legislation: Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (P.L. 104–170)’. CRS Report for Congress 96–759 ENR. September 11.

  • Smith, D. (1999). ‘Worldwide trends in DDT levels in human breast milk’, International Journal of Epidemiology 28: 179–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, Herbert, A. (1983). Reason in Human Affairs. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern, P. C. and Harvey, V. F. (eds.) (1996). Understanding Risk: Informing Decisions in a Democratic Society. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ‘Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976’ (1976). Public Law 94–469.

  • U.S. Congress (1992). Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. Hearings: Government Regulation of Reproductive Hazards, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, October 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Congress (1993). Joint Hearings: Safety of Pesticides in Food. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (1992). Les vs. Reilly. CA 9, No. 91-70234, July 8.

  • U.S. District Court (1995). Case No. CIVS 89-0752, WBS-GGH. People of the State of California vs. Browner Consent Decree.

  • U.S. District Court (2001). Case No. C-99-3701CAL. Amended Partial Consent Decree. September 25.

  • U.S. General Accounting Office (2001). ‘Agricultural Pesticides: Management Improvements Needed to Further Promote Integrated Pest Management’, GAO-01-815, August 17.

  • vom Saal, F., B. G. Timms, M. M. Montano, P. Palanza, K. A. Thayer, S. C. Nagel, M. D. Dhar, V. K. Ganjam, S. Parmigiani and W. V. Welshons (1997). Prostate enlargement in mice due to fetal exposure to low doses of estradiol or diethylstilbestrol and opposite effects at high doses. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 94:2056–2061.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wargo, John (1996). Our Children's Toxic Legacy. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waxman, Representative Henry (2002). Website. Issues and Legislation, Environment – Pesticides. http://www.waxman.house.gov/issues/environment/pesticides/issues_environment_pesticides.htm.

  • Wiles, R. and C. Campbell (1993). Pesticides in Children's Food. Environmental Working Group. Washington DC, June.

  • World Wildlife Federation (1992). Pesticide Reduction Programmes in Denmark, The Netherlands, and Sweden. November.

  • Zoeller, R. T., A. L. S. Dowling, C. T. A. Herzig, E. A. Iannacone, K. J. Gauger, and R. Bansal (2002). ‘Thyroid hormone, brain development and the environment’, Environmental Health Perspectives. 110: 355–361.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Studies Program, University of Colorado, UCB 397, Boulder, CO, 80309, U.S.A.

    Jason M. Vogel

Authors
  1. Jason M. Vogel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jason M. Vogel.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vogel, J.M. Tunnel vision: The regulation of endocrine disruptors. Policy Sci 37, 277–303 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-005-1764-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-005-1764-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation