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See if your parliamentarian has voted for a toxics-free future

Step 2: Select your MEP
See how MEPs voted on the REACH legislation in November, 2005. See if the MEPs who pledged to vote for a stronger law on chemicals before they were elected in 2004 kept their promise!

Note: Most MEPs voted to lower the registration requirements for the majority of chemicals. But our detailed results list cannot evaluate this particular vote due to its ambivalence and possibility of negative as well as positive motivation. We have therefore focused on other important issues. For reference, see our original pledge on the left hand-panel.

 

2 steps closer to reach
1 - Select your country
2 - Select your MEP

 

 

 

Pledge 1: Will vote for the identification and mandatory substitution of all chemicals of very high concern.

Pledge 2: Will vote for the public's right to know on request what dangerous chemicals are in any consumer products and for labelling when chemicals of "very high concern" are present.

Pledge 3: Will vote for chemicals in imported products to be subject to the same rules as for those in EU-made products.

Chemicals of "very high concern":
 These are chemicals that cannot be handled safely and that inevitably end up in the environment and for which the EU has therefore made a commitment to phase out by 2020.

These chemicals include substances that:
 

do not break down quickly in the environment (very persistent chemicals) and can build up inside our bodies and in the food chain (very bio-accumulative chemicals);

are able to interfere with our hormone systems and the hormone systems of wildlife (endocrine disrupters);

are able to disturb our hormone systems (endocrine disrupters); or

can cause cancer (carcinogenic); can alter genes (mutagenic);

are toxic to the reproductive system; or

are of "equivalent" concern, referring to negative effects that we might not yet have discovered, but that REACH might have to deal with in the future.
 

Dangerous chemicals: Those which meet the criteria for classification under 67/548/EEC. This includes a number of negative human and environment effects, e.g. toxic, sensitising, flammable, etc

 

 
 
 
 
 
MEP
Toomas Hendrik Ilves cross smiley face smiley face smiley face
Tunne Kelam cross sad face sad face  
Marianne Mikko cross smiley face smiley face smiley face
Siiri Oviir cross smiley face smiley face smiley face
Toomas Savi cross      
Andres Tarand cross smiley face smiley face smiley face
 
  1. Before and after the election in June 2004, candidates and MEPs received a pledge asking for their position on three important issues, (see below for the text of the pledge). Some MEPs may have only supported one key demand.
  2. Those who supported Amendment 232 want to make sure that as soon as a very harmful chemical is identified, it cannot be used unless the specific use receives an authorisation. Companies shall be allowed to continue producing and using a harmful chemical only if three conditions are fulfilled: a) there is not yet a safer alternative for the specific use, b) the use of this chemical is beneficial to the society and c) the risk that the harmful substances pose can be controlled. This process encourages companies to look for safer alternatives and makes sure that less harmful techniques are used as much as possible.
  3. Amendment 365-366 strengthens the right to know for consumers. If agreed among the institutions, it will mean that in the future you will be able to find out which chemicals are in the products you buy and whether they are problematic, so creating a chance to avoid harmful ones.
  4. Amendment 364 introduces a ‘Duty of Care’. If agreed, chemical producers will be responsible not only for the safety of registered chemicals (those which they produce or import in quantities over 1 ton per year) but generally for all their chemicals - even small quantity chemicals for which a formal proof of safety is not required.

tick – this MEP had supported our pledge or at least part of it

smiley face – this MEP has supported the amendment, resulting in a stronger legislation

sad face – this MEP has voted against the amendment or abstained during the vote

(Blank) – this MEP has not voted at all

We will have a new online action aimed at the MEPs in the summer. If you want to write to your MEP sooner to tell him/her that you are pleased or disappointed by their vote you can find their contacts on the EU Parliament website: http://www.europarl.eu.int/members.do?language=EN

 
 
   
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