Weakening EU chemical safety rules continue to put public health at risk
26 November 2006
NEW rules which could have banned the use of the most toxic syntheticchemicals look set to be dramatically weakened - putting public health atcontinued risk - after negotiations on the final text broke down last night.
The UK and German governments are bowing to pressure from the powerful EUchemicals industry, which wants to continue producing thousands of deadlychemicals for use in everyday items such as cleaning products, carpets,computers - and even children's toys.
Euro-MP Caroline Lucas, the Green/EFA group's 'shadow rapporteur' on theso-called 'REACH' regulations (standing for Registration, Authorisation andEvaluation of Chemicals), said they were putting these interests above thoseof public health and environmental protection with serious consequences forthe negotiations and probable outcome.
Dr Lucas said: "We Greens had pushed for robust set of rules that would haveforced the producers of toxic synthetic chemicals to tell consumers whattheir likely effects would be - and that would have banned the use of themost dangerous substances wherever safer alternatives exist, as well asreplacing the millions of additional animal tests the new rules would haverequired.
"Although we didn't win the argument on all of these points during EuropeanParliamentary debate, we entered into 'fast-track' negotiations with theCommission and EU environment ministers to try and get something on thestatute books as soon as possible - every day the new rules are delayedmeans more cases of terminal cancers and other deadly chemical-relateddiseases and more pollution.
"But last night, in the face of sustained pressure from the UK and Germanrepresentatives, these 'trialogue' talks were suspended - throwing the wholeprocess into chaos. We Greens now believe the best chance of adopting adirective that sufficiently protects consumers and the environment lies inbringing the whole package back to the full European Parliament for a secondreading - and we are pushing for exactly this."
The UK's permanent representative to the EU said the compromise beingdiscussed last night went "too far for the UK" and recommended weakening therules on substituting dangerous chemical for safer alternatives - contraryto the clearly stated wishes of MEPs.
Dr Lucas added: "The whole process has effectively been hijacked by thepowerful chemicals industry - with the support of the UK Government - and itis consumers who will pay the ultimate price."
