Archived press release

Chemicals of concern named and shamed

12 June 2003

The government-sponsored Chemicals Stakeholder Forum (CSF) [1] today published a list of more than one hundred `Chemicals of Concern'. The list contains chemicals which are suspected of having hazardous properties, many of which have insufficient information about their safety.

Many of the 105 substances listed can be found in consumer products such as cosmetics, food products, plastics, TVs and fabrics. But because of insufficient information and poor labelling, specific products are difficult to identify [2]. Friends of the Earth, a member of the CSF, believes that chemicals which are persistent in the environment and accumulate in bodies should be phased out as a precautionary measure even if the toxicity is uncertain.

The CSF, which advises the Government on action to address the risks from chemicals in the environment, used a set of criteria to evaluate a starting list of more than 1000 "high volume" chemicals [3]. The criteria relate to the extent to which chemicals are persistent in the environment, accumulate in living organisms (bioaccumulate) and in some cases the degree to which they are toxic. Although the chemicals may be in use, sufficient information about the properties and uses of many of the chemicals on the list is not readily available from manufacturers and the CSF is requesting more information.

Examples of "Chemicals of Concern" include:

• Brominated flame retardants (such as penta brominated diphenyl ether) used to treat fabrics - these have been found in breast milk and are suspected of interfering with hormone systems

• Hexamethyldisiloxane - which can be found in some cosmetics

• BHT - a number of uses, including as an antioxidant in food products

• Pigment Yellow 83 - a pigment used in printing, plastics and paints

• The lengthily named 2-Ethylhexyl 10-ethyl-4,4-dioctyl- 7-oxo-8-oxa-3,5-dithia-4-stannatetradecanoate - which is approved for use in plastics used in contact with food according to the CSF list

• Tetraethyl lead (already restricted), but which is still used in leaded petrol and some aviation fuel; lead has long been known to be toxic and harms child development.

Friends of the Earth chemicals campaigner Mary Taylor said:

"This list highlights the appalling lack of regulation that exists for chemical products, many of which appear in everyday domestic products. Government and industry must urgently address these chemicals of concern. Ministers must not rely on the painfully slow EU review of chemicals legislation or inadequate voluntary action by the chemical industry. Chemicals that can't be proven to be safe should be phased out.

"This project, and our own research, clearly demonstrates the lack of information on many chemicals in every day household products. Even retailers appear unaware of the exact contents of the goods on sale because the information is so poor. The chemical industry must come clean about its products, and spend more money developing safer alternatives."

Friends of the Earth has been working with high street retailers to find ways of eliminating the risk to consumers from potentially toxic chemicals. Eleven retailers have currently signed Friends of the Earth's safer chemicals pledge and we will be working with them to highlight the chemicals on the list.

The EU is currently considering an overhaul of chemicals legislation. However intense lobbying by the chemical industry is threatening to weaken proposals which environmentalists already regard as flawed. Discussions have been underway for four years already.

Notes

[2] www.defra.gov.uk/environment/chemicals/csf/index.htm

[3] This is only a small sub-set of around 30,000 chemicals in use, but focused on those used in high volume. Some specific chemical groups covered by detailed legislation, such as agricultural pesticides, are also not included in the list.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust