Endocrine disruptors
Any chemical that interferes with the hormone system, rather than one specific substance. Dose does not work the way it does for other toxins here, because a very small amount can matter more than a larger one. Timing of exposure matters as much as quantity.
Definition and health context from NIEHS.
We checked 3,681 products and found endocrine disruptors reported or likely in 7 of them.
Where endocrine disruptors turns up
Categories we grade, worst first, as a share of what we scored in each.
| Category | Flagged | Scored | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunscreen | 17 | 201 | 8% |
| Insulated Drink Tumblers | 1 | 15 | 7% |
| Disposable Food Containers | 1 | 29 | 3% |
| Water Filters | 1 | 122 | 1% |
| Deodorant | 1 | 222 | 0% |
Where we found real evidence
Reported or likely, lowest scoring first. Not plausibility.
Polystyrene contains oligomers and residual monomers with estrogenic activity documented in animal studies. Risk increases in contact with acidic, fatty, or hot foods.
If this product contains oxybenzone or avobenzone (common in broad-spectrum organic formulas), these compounds are known to penetrate skin, accumulate systemically, and show weak estrogenic activity in animal models. FDA acknowledges absorption but maintains a
Hawaiian Tropic Island Sport likely contains oxybenzone (common in this brand) and/or avobenzone; both have been flagged by FDA and consumer organizations for potential hormone disruption in high-frequency use. Not exclusive to this product but relevant to sun
Both chemicals have shown potential to penetrate skin and enter the bloodstream in some study populations. The FDA requested additional safety data on oxybenzone in 2019, though it remains approved. Avobenzone is more stable but less well-studied for systemic
Chemical UV filters (oxybenzone, octinoxate) in emulsion sunscreens have been detected in human serum and urine post-application; some show estrogenic activity in vitro. Ingredient lists for Anessa Mild are typically proprietary mixes of UV absorbers; full com
Oxybenzone and octinoxate, common in broad-spectrum chemical sunscreens, are documented as potential endocrine disruptors in scientific literature. Product label verification would confirm active ingredients; if oxybenzone or octinoxate are present, systemic a
Octinoxate is a weak endocrine disruptor in high-dose laboratory and animal models; human topical exposure from sunscreen is generally considered low-risk by FDA and EPA. However, cumulative lifetime exposure from daily use remains incompletely studied. Pregna
What to buy instead
Highest scoring products with no flag for it, in the categories where it is worst.
Common questions
What is endocrine disruptors?
Any chemical that interferes with the hormone system, rather than one specific substance. Dose does not work the way it does for other toxins here, because a very small amount can matter more than a larger one. Timing of exposure matters as much as quantity.
Which products contain endocrine disruptors?
Of the 3,681 products we have graded, 21 are flagged for it and 7 on reported or likely evidence rather than plausibility. Sunscreen is the worst category at 8% of what we scored there.
Is endocrine disruptors in sunscreen?
More than in anything else we grade. 17 of the 201 sunscreen we scored carry a flag for it, which is 8%. The full breakdown per product is on each product page.
What can I buy instead?
In the categories where it turns up most, the highest scoring products with no flag for it are ZeroWater Culligan 12-Cup Water Filter Pitcher with ZeroWater Technology at 100, ZeroWater ZeroWater 22 Cup Ready Read Water Filtration Dispenser at 100, Brita Brita Standard Filter at 100. Every one of those was graded on the same rubric as the products above.
How do you know?
We do not lab test. Every grade here is built from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, brand disclosures, recalls and third party lab results where those already exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so, and where a brand publishes nothing we score the silence rather than guessing.
1% of everything we grade carries a flag for endocrine disruptors. See every hazard we track or browse the full products list.