Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals & Their Effect on the Environment
By Olivia O'Donnell, Sidwell Friends School
Over the past few decades, scientists have begun to understand the dangers of synthetic chemicals. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring alerted the world to the ramifications of pesticide use in 1962 and since then, there has been increased research into man-made chemicals and their harmful effects on our environment. One group of these chemicals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have made their way into local waterways and pose a major threat to many aquatic ecosystems.
EDCs are chemicals that affect the body’s endocrine system, which controls reproduction, growth, and development. EDCs mimic the hormones used by the endocrine system, leading to abnormal processes and side effects in the body such as asthma, autoimmune diseases, learning di...