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Toxic secrecy slammed
6 February 2001
Call for New Law on Household Products
New laws to give people the right to know about risky chemicals in household products are needed, Friends of the Earth said today, in response to a new report published by Health Which.
Over the last year Friends of the Earth has pressed product manufacturers and retailers to avoid a number of chemicals of concern. Increasingly evidence is being produced which shows that chemicals in everyday products may be responsible for health impacts such as
increases in testicular cancer, falling sperm counts and girls entering puberty earlier.
The chemicals of concern include artificial musks used in cosmetics and air fresheners,phthalates used in plastics and brominated flame retardants used in furnishings and electrical goods,. Friends of the Earth has praised companies such as Homebase,Superdrug and the Body Shop for taking action on risky chemicals, whereas companies such as Boots are being targeted for their lack of action.
Friends of the Earth is calling on the European Commission and the UK Government to introduce new laws to remove risky chemicals from everyday products, and to give consumers the right to know what chemicals are in the products they buy. The Swedish Government announced last Friday that they will introduce new laws to ensure that by 2010 all products are labelled with health and environment information on hazardous chemicals,
and also that products are as free as possible of chemicals of concern.
Mike Childs, Safer Chemicals Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:
"This toxic secrecy must end. Risky chemicals pose a threat to babies and young children.We need laws to better control the use of chemicals in household products. We must also give people the right to know which chemicals are in the products we buy. The Government's performance on this issue has been feeble. It's about time they put people's interests first and stood-up to the lobbying of the chemical industry."
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
