How hormonally active substances in our environment affect humans and wildlife : what do we know and what can be done?

Humans and wildlife are coninuously exposed to contaminants such as pesticides, industrial and household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and natural hormones. In this paper, background knowledge on endocrine disrupting compounds and their sources will be presented and followed by an outline of several critical aspects such as sensitive windows, low-dose and mixture effects. Subsequently, some of the studied effects, observed both in humans and in aquatic animals, are listed. Then, potential mitigation measures are discussed. Besides considering technological solutions, I will also address and critically discuss societal approaches.