"Concerns have focused on a group of chemicals that could mimic or change the effects of human hormones, like oestrogen. This group of chemicals has several names including ‘hormone disrupting chemicals’ and ‘endocrine-disrupting chemicals’ (EDCs).

EDCs are a large group of chemicals and can be found in things like plastics, pesticides and solvents. So we could be exposed to them in a variety of ways, including eating or drinking affected food or water. The worry is that EDCs could disrupt the action of hormones in our bodies, leading to health problems, including cancer."