A new study released by Toxics Link, with support from the Environmental Defense Fund, found that Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates continue to be used in several sectors in India.

The report, ‘Nonylphenol - An Endocrine Disrupting Chemical’, found that NP and NPEs are being widely used in textiles and leather, detergents and cleaning products, paper and pulp, food packaging, cosmetics, construction, automotive, agrochemicals, paints and metalworking fluids. There are safer, cost-effective, technically viable alternatives available but the transition towards these has been slow in India.

Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates are globally recognised as toxic chemicals and restricted for use by several countries. These are endocrine-disrupting chemicals which are toxic to aquatic organisms and also interfere with reproduction, development and other physiological processes in humans and animals.

The Central Pollution Control Board of India and the Bureau of Indian Standards, in individual reports, have both indicated the toxicity of NP and NPEs.

According to the California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, NP has a detrimental effect on fish, aquatic vegetation, and aquatic invertebrates, causing severe poisoning in them.

Studies have also found that NP has detrimental effects on the immune, nervous and reproductive systems. It can imitate the female sex hormone, estrogen, leading to the disruption of hormonal systems.

NP gets released into the environment during manufacturing, and usage and also through wastewater, contaminating the groundwater and water bodies. The chemical accumulates in aquatic organisms and remains in the environment for considerably long periods. It enters the human body through contaminated food, particularly fish.

In 2009, India prohibited the use of NPs in the cosmetics industry, but not in others. There is both a need and an opportunity for regulatory measures to control their use in India.

“Nonylphenols have been detected in human breast milk, blood, and urine and have been proven to interfere with the way hormones work in humans and animals. Concerned with its implications, several countries have restricted the use of the chemical in various products. It is wise for India to act on this chemical concerning human health and the environment. Any regulatory measures taken on the chemicals will be a welcome step,” said Satish Sinha, Associate Director at Toxics Link.

The study found that though NP was being used in a wide range of substances in the country, there was not enough data on the life cycle of products and their impact on human health and the environment to initiate regulatory decisions and remediation efforts.

The report observed that strengthening regulatory frameworks, promoting and innovating safer alternatives through sectoral collaboration, creating awareness, and building the capacity of industries, would help reduce exposure to NP and NPEs.

The report states there is a need for a collaborative effort by the government, industry, research institutions and other stakeholders to catalyse innovations, fostering a sustainable paradigm in chemical production in the country.

Innovating and developing safer alternatives can make India a major player in the sustainable global marketplace. “There is both a public health and an economic reason to act. The health benefits are self-evident and the faster the action, the faster the benefits will accrue. On the economic front, there is increasing momentum towards phasing these chemicals out and adopting safer alternatives will strengthen Indian industry’s reputation and business opportunity in global and in Indian markets”, said Hisham Mundol, Chief Advisor in India, Environmental Defense Fund.