Quantifying EDC\nEmissions from Consumer Products:\nA Novel Rapid Method and Its Application for Systematic Evaluation\nof Health Impacts

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are widely used\nin consumer\nproducts and have been associated with adverse public health outcomes\nand significant economic costs. We developed a rapid chamber method\nfor measuring EDC emissions from consumer products, significantly\nreducing the time to reach steady state from weeks or months to minutes\nor hours. Using this method, we quantified EDC emissions from a wide\nrange of products, determined the emission–control parameters,\nand established their relationship with the EDC content (<i>W</i><sub>f</sub>) and physicochemical properties. By incorporating <i>W</i><sub>f</sub> data from consumer product databases and applying\nstochastic models, we systematically estimated emissions for 400 EDC-product\ncombinations and assessed the associated exposure and disease burden\nfor the U.S. population. Our results suggest that more than 60% of\nthese combinations could result in carcinogenic disability-adjusted\nlife years (DALYs) above the acceptable threshold. The overall disease\nburden caused by EDCs in consumer products can be substantial, with\nDALYs exceeding those associated with other pollutants, such as particulate\nmatter, in a worst-case scenario. This study provides a valuable tool\nfor prioritizing hazardous EDCs in consumer products, evaluating safer\nalternatives, and formulating effective intervention strategies, thereby\nsupporting policymakers and manufacturers in making informed, sustainable\ndecisions.