Hormone disruptors: an Australian guide to the chemicals that confuse your hormones

Hormones are your body’s messengers. They tell you when to sleep and wake, how to use your food, when to have a period, and how to respond to stress. They work in tiny amounts, which is why it matters that some everyday chemicals can interfere with them.

These chemicals are called endocrine disruptors, or hormone disruptors. The Endocrine Society, the world’s largest group of hormone specialists, has reviewed the research twice and links them with effects on fertility, metabolism, thyroid function and development.¹ The good news? You can lower your load at home, and you don’t need to throw everything out to do it.

First, a picture to make it simple

It’s kind of like this. Your hormones are keys, and your cells have special locks that only the right key should open. When the right key turns the lock, the right message gets through at the right time.

Hormone disruptors are like copied keys. They are close enough to slide into the lock and jiggle it, sending a mixed message. Sometimes they jam the lock so the real key can’t get in at all.

It isn’t exactly how it works scientifically, because these chemicals act in several different ways. But it’s an easy way to remember why even small amounts matter, and why fewer copied keys coming into your home is the goal.

What Australian testing shows

BPA is in most of us, and its replacement is rising. University of Queensland researchers tested pooled urine samples from South East Queensland over six years. They found BPA in every pooled sample and its replacement, BPS, in 97% of them. BPA levels fell over time while BPS rose, as manufacturers swapped one for the other.²

Phthalate levels in Australians were high. In the first study of phthalates across the Australian population (urine collected in 2012 and 2013), levels were at least twice as high as in the United States and Germany. The researchers suggested this may reflect differences in regulation between countries.³

PFAS levels in our blood are falling. Australian blood testing shows levels of the older “forever chemicals” PFOS and PFOA have been dropping since the early 2000s as their use was phased out.⁴ In the national Total Diet Study, PFAS was found in fewer than 2% of the foods tested.⁵

That last point is worth holding on to: when a chemical is phased out, our levels come down. Change works, at home and as a country.

What Australian rules cover, and what they don’t

Chemical	The Australian rules
BPA	Food Standards Australia New Zealand considers BPA in food low risk at current Australian levels. In 2010 major retailers agreed to a voluntary phase-out of BPA baby bottles; it isn’t a legal ban. In 2023 Europe’s food safety authority proposed a much lower safe limit, and FSANZ says it is monitoring this.⁶
Phthalates	Plastic toys, dummies, teethers, bottles and sippy cups for children up to 3 years old must not contain more than 1% of the phthalate DEHP. This is a permanent ban. There is no similar ban for adult products, food packaging or other phthalates.⁷
Fragrance	Cosmetic labels can simply say “fragrance” or “parfum” instead of listing every scent ingredient, so you can’t tell what’s inside.⁸
PFAS	From 1 July 2025, Australia banned the import, manufacture and use of three PFAS chemicals: PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS. Products made before then may still be around.⁹ In June 2025, the drinking water guideline for PFOS was lowered to 8 nanograms per litre and PFOA to 200.¹⁰
Pesticides	In 2024 the national pesticide regulator cancelled most farm uses of the insecticide chlorpyrifos, with a 12-month phase-out.¹¹

So some of the worst chemicals are now restricted, but many everyday ones aren’t. That’s where your choices at home come in.

Where hormone disruptors hide, and the easiest swaps

Chemical	Where it hides	The easiest swap
Bisphenols (BPA, BPS, BPF) Used to make hard, clear polycarbonate plastic and the inside lining of many food tins.	Older hard plastic drink bottles and containers (recycling number 7), tin linings, and shop and ATM receipts printed on shiny thermal paper.	Glass or stainless steel for anything hot or fatty. Dried, jarred or carton legumes and tomatoes. Say “no receipt, thanks” or choose an emailed one.²⁶¹⁴
Phthalates Make soft plastics bendy, and help scents last longer.	Soft vinyl (PVC, number 3) such as shower curtains, older lunch boxes and cling wrap, plus anything with “fragrance” or “parfum” on the label.	Fragrance-free laundry, cleaning and body products. A fabric shower curtain. Beeswax wraps or glass containers instead of cling wrap.³⁷⁸
Synthetic fragrance A single word on the label that can stand for dozens of ingredients.	Air fresheners, plug-ins, scented candles, perfume, laundry liquids and softeners, dishwashing liquid and many personal care products.	Open the windows. Choose unscented products. A simmer pot of orange peel, cinnamon and cloves on the stove is a lovely festive swap.⁸
Parabens Preservatives that stop creams and liquids going off.	Moisturisers, shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics and some sunscreens. Look for words ending in “-paraben”.	Swap the products you leave on your skin all day first (moisturiser, body lotion, make-up). Rinse-off products matter less.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) Make things non-stick, waterproof and stain-proof. They last for years in the body and the environment.	Scratched or flaking non-stick pans, stain-proofed carpets and lounges, waterproofed outdoor gear, some grease-proof takeaway packaging, and water in some areas near airports and defence bases.	Stainless steel, cast iron or enamelled pans. Skip optional stain-proofing. Check your water provider’s PFAS results online.⁹¹⁰⁵⁴
Antibacterial chemicals (such as triclosan) Added to some soaps and products labelled “antibacterial”.	Some antibacterial hand washes, chopping boards and household products.	Plain soap and warm water cleans your hands just as well for everyday use.
Some pesticides A few farm chemicals can also act on hormones.	Residues on some fruit and vegetables, and home garden and pest sprays.	Use our Spend, Scrub or Save guide for produce, and try non-spray pest control in the garden.¹¹¹⁵

Swap these first

You don’t need to do everything. These are the changes that make the biggest difference for the least effort and money, in order:

Stop heating food in plastic. Use glass or ceramic in the microwave, and let food cool before it goes into plastic. Heat and fat draw chemicals out of plastic.

Replace plastic containers with glass as they wear out. No need to throw everything out at once. When a plastic container gets scratched, cloudy or warped, replace it with glass or stainless steel.

Go fragrance-free on what you use most. Start with laundry liquid, fabric softener and air freshener. They are used every day and the scent lingers on your clothes and in the air you breathe.

Retire scratched non-stick pans. Replace them one at a time with stainless steel, cast iron or enamelled cast iron.

Choose fresh, dried, jarred or carton over tins. Dried beans and lentils are the cheapest swap of all. Cook a big batch and freeze it in portions.

Skip the paper receipt. Say “no receipt, thanks” or choose an emailed receipt. If you do take one, keep it away from children and wash your hands, especially after using hand sanitiser.

Dust with a damp cloth and vacuum often. Many of these chemicals settle into house dust. A damp cloth catches dust instead of moving it around, and a vacuum with a good filter helps too.

Swap one leave-on body product. Your moisturiser or body lotion stays on your skin all day. Choose fragrance-free, paraben-free, or certified organic.

Does it help? In a small American study, families who ate fresh food with no canned food or plastic packaging for three days saw their BPA levels fall by about two-thirds.¹² A later trial found levels went up on a catered “fresh” diet, which was traced to contaminated ingredients such as spices and dairy.¹³ The honest summary: home swaps help, especially with plastics and heat, but they work best alongside rules that keep these chemicals out of food in the first place.

Reading Australian labels

On the label	What it really means
“Fragrance” or “parfum”	Allowed on Australian labels in place of the full list of scent ingredients. Choose “unscented” or “fragrance-free” instead.
“BPA-free”	Good, but it can mean BPA was replaced with a similar bisphenol such as BPS. Glass and stainless steel avoid the question altogether.
Recycling numbers 3, 6 and 7	PVC (3), polystyrene (6) and “other” (7, which includes polycarbonate) are the ones to keep away from hot or fatty food.
“PFOA-free”	Australia stopped the import and manufacture of PFOA from July 2025, so this claim now tells you little. “PFAS-free” is the stronger claim.
“Antibacterial”	Usually not needed at home. Plain soap does the job.
“Natural” or “green”	These words have no legal definition. Look for a certifier’s logo instead, such as Australian Certified Organic or COSMOS.