Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs) and Nonylphenol (NP)

A report titled “Nonylphenol — An Endocrine Disrupting Chemical” was released by Toxics Link, an environmental research organisation, and the US-based non-profit Environmental Defense Fund.

About Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs) and Nonylphenol (NP)

• Chemical Characteristics:
  • NPEs and NP are surfactants contributing to environmental pollution, including frothing in rivers like the Yamuna, indicating high pollutant levels.
  • These chemicals are recognized as endocrine disruptors, toxic to aquatic life, and harmful to human health, particularly impacting reproductive and developmental systems.

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• Regulatory Status:
  • Many countries have banned the use of NPEs in detergents.
  • India lacks specific regulations for NPEs, though NP was banned in the cosmetics sector in 2009.
• Industrial Usage: NP and NPEs are widely used in industries such as textiles, leather, detergents, cleaning products, paper, food packaging, cosmetics, construction, automotive, agrochemicals, paints, and metalworking fluids.
• Health and Ecological Concerns:
  • Aquatic Life Toxicity: NP is toxic to fish, plants, and invertebrates, causing poisoning, reduced survival, impaired growth, and reproductive failure.
  • Human Health Risks: NP mimics estrogen, leading to hormonal imbalances, reproductive disorders, and increased cancer risks.
  • Environmental Persistence: NP is resistant to degradation, remaining in ecosystems for long periods and potentially entering the human food chain.
• Recommendations for Safer Alternatives:
  • The transition to safer, cost-effective, and viable alternatives to NP and NPEs is recommended, but progress in India has been slow.