2018 Update to the Black Mountain Declaration on Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

2018 Update to the Black Mountain Declaration on Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

A one-day workshop focussed on CECs was held in November 2018 at Black Mountain in Canberra. The workshop was attended by a diverse group of Australasian experts in environmental contaminants from industry, research institutions, and government. The participants considered what is known about the impacts of established and emerging contaminants of concern in Australia and New Zealand. They also exchanged information on current approaches to managing the impacts of these contaminants on the environment and human health in Australasia.

Key Findings

• Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are micropollutants of concern in Australasia which require management to minimise their impacts on humans and wildlife.
• There are contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in Australia and New Zealand, but information on the risk they pose to our health and the environment is incomplete.
• A Trans-Tasman framework for managing CECs is strongly supported.
   

Future Work

The following initiatives were identified by participants at the workshop as steps towards a more integrated approach to managing CECs in Australasia:

• Establish a special interest group for environmental contaminants under the Australasian chapter of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC-AU).
• Organise a workshop on prioritising Australasia’s environmental contaminants of concern at the annual SETAC-AU conference in Darwin in July 2019.
• Establish a Trans-Tasman dialogue on a framework for managing CECs.