Archived press release

Chemicals Legislation Weakened

25 September 2003

Leaked documents, published today, show that draft EU legislation on chemicals has been severely watered down. The leaked draft legislation text, obtained by Friends of the Earth, reveals that

industry demands to minimise costs have been met, following intense industry lobbying, despite compromising the aims of protecting the environment and health.

There is currently little or no safety data available for thousands of chemicals in use. But research has raised concerns about the risks posed by some of these chemicals, including some commonly found in household products, such as toys, cosmetics, fabrics and electrical goods. The new legislation, published as a consultation document in May, could force the chemicals industry to provide safety data on some 30,000 chemicals currently in use.

The chemicals industry appears to have won the ear of European leaders. In a joint letter to EU Commission President Romano Prodi, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, German leader Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac urge evaluation of the effects on industrial competitiveness and the economy. But it has been calculated that the savings in health benefits should vastly outweigh the costs to industry, which the Commission has estimated to be only 0.1% of industry turnover [1].

There are three key areas within the text which have provoked concerns among environmentalists:

• Names of companies that register chemicals will be automatically withheld from the public - a move which contradicts trends towards increased openness and transparency by both businesses and public authorities;

• The draft still allows the most hazardous chemicals to be authorised for use if they are subject to "adequate control". Environmental campaigners have been calling for the legislation to push industry to substitute safer chemicals for the most hazardous chemicals, some of which can persist in the environment and within the human body, posing a potential threat to wildlife and to human health.

• Information requirements for lower volume chemicals have been reduced since the earlier drafts, meaning that health information on thousands of chemicals in use will not be complete.

Friends of the Earth's Safer Chemicals campaigner, Mary Taylor said:

"This draft is bad news for the public and the environment. The chemicals industry has once again flexed its lobbying muscles and the Commission has given way. They are squandering a once in a lifetime chance to protect us and future generations. The EU Commission must rethink its strategy and put the environment and human health ahead of company profits - before it is too late."

Note

[1] Pearce, D and Koundouri, P (2003). The Social Cost of Chemicals (WWF). The European Commission has also estimated that occupational health benefits alone may amount to €18-54 billion over 30 years.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust