In June 2018, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the European Chemical Administration (ECHA) released the supporting guidance documents for the identification standards of endocrine disruptors applicable to the registration and evaluation of pesticides and disinfectants in the European Union.
It is stipulated that since November 10, 2018, the products under application or newly applied for EU pesticides shall submit the endocrine interference assessment data, and the authorized products will also receive the assessment of endocrine disruptors in succession.
In addition, according to the EU pesticide regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, substances with endocrine disrupting properties that may be harmful to humans or non target organisms cannot be approved (* If the applicant can prove that the exposure of the active substance to humans and non target organisms can be ignored, it can be approved, but it will be judged as CfS substance).
Since then, the evaluation of endocrine disruptors has become one of the main difficulties in pesticide evaluation in the European Union. Due to its high test cost, long evaluation cycle, great difficulty, and large impact of the evaluation results on the approval of active substances in the European Union, it has attracted wide attention from stakeholders.
Evaluation Results of Endocrine Disturbance Characteristics
In order to better implement the EU transparency regulation, from June 2022, EFSA announced that the evaluation results of the endocrine disrupting properties of pesticide active substances will be published on the official website of EFSA, and will be updated regularly after the release of the report of the high-level meeting after each round of pesticide peer review expert meeting. At present, the latest update date of this document is September 13, 2022.
The document contains the progress in evaluation of endocrine disrupting properties of 95 pesticide active substances. The active substances that may be considered as human or (and) non target biological endocrine disruptors after preliminary evaluation are shown in the table below.
| Active Ingredient | ED Evaluation status | Expiry date of EU approval |
| Benthiavalicarb | Completed | 31/07/2023 |
| Dimethomorph | In Progress | 31/07/2023 |
| Mancozeb | Completed | Disabled |
| Metiram | In Progress | 31/01/2023 |
| Clofentezine | Completed | 31/12/2023 |
| Asulam | Completed | Not approved yet |
| Triflusulfuron-methyl | Completed | 31/12/2023 |
| Metribuzin | In Progress | 31/07/2023 |
| Thiabendazole | Completed | 31/03/2032 |
Information updated to September 15, 2022
In addition, according to the schedule of supplement data for ED (Endocrine Disruptors) evaluation, EFSA’s official website is also publishing the evaluation reports of active substances supplemented for the evaluation data of endocrine disruptors, and asking for public opinions.
At present, the active substances in the public consultation period are: Shijidan, oxadiazon, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl and pyrazolidoxifen.
Ruiou Technology will continue to follow up the evaluation progress of endocrine disruptors of pesticide active substances in the EU, and warn Chinese pesticide enterprises of the risks of prohibition and restriction of related substances.
Endocrine Disruptor
Endocrine disruptors refer to exogenous substances or mixtures that can change the endocrine function of the body and have adverse effects on organisms, offspring or populations; Potential endocrine disruptors refer to exogenous substances or mixtures that may have disturbing effects on the endocrine system of organisms, offspring or populations.
The identification criteria of endocrine disruptors are as follows:
(1) It shows an adverse effect in an intelligent organism or its progeny;
(2) It has an endocrine mode of action;
(3) The adverse effect is a sequence of the endocrine mode of action.