08/01/2005 Staff at WWF
European Policy Office in Brussels were tested
today for the presence of persistent, bio-accumulative
and toxic chemicals in their bodies. The testing
is part of a WWF campaign to demonstrate the
need for a strong chemical regulation that
will give humans and wildlife a high-level
of protection from hazardous chemicals, many
of which can now be found in ordinary consumer
products.
Within the last year, WWF has contributed
to the EU REACH chemical reform debate by
revealing the extent of chemical contamination
found in members of the European Parliament,
government ministers, celebrities and families
from 20 European countries.
The results from previous blood test surveys
conducted by WWF reveal that every person
is contaminated with a cocktail of persistent,
bio-accumulative and toxic chemicals.
"We should all have the right to know
which hazardous chemicals we are being exposed
to", said Tony Long, Director of WWF
European Policy Office, after he had his blood
taken to be analyzed for hazardous man-made
chemicals, adding that "European politicians
must assume their responsibilities in protecting
the people and the environment from potentially
harmful chemicals and seize the opportunity
to put in place a strong chemicals law (REACH)".
The WWF staff members were tested together
with families comprising of three generations
from Belgium, Finland and EEN’s chairperson
and family (EPHA Environment Network), a supporting
organisation of WWF in the family bloodtesting
survey. All of them will be screened 101 chemicals
from 7 different groups:
1. Brominated flame retardants (used in sofas,
televisions or mattresses and potential hormone
disrupters)
2. PCBs (banned in Europe in the 1970s)
3. OCPs (many banned in the EU, including
DDT)
4. PFCs (Perfluorinated Chemicals, used in
carpets, clothing, insecticides or pans)
5. Antibacterial (Triclosan is used in toothpaste,
soaps or kitchenware)
6. Bisphenol A (used in bottles, computers
or CD’s)
7. Synthetic Musks (used in a wide range of
fraganced personal care products including
perfumes, air fresheners and detergents)
The majority of these chemical substances
are found in every-day life consumer products
like soaps, bottles, computers or televisions.
As the DetoX campaign director, Karl Wagner,
points out: "The industry wants us to
trust them and their products and at the same
time they keep us in the dark as to which
dangerous chemicals we’re exposed to through
the things we buy. But that must stop, we
have the right to know about what’s in our
shopping basket and we have the right to choose
products that do not contain harmful chemicals."
WWF tested over 200 people across Europe
since 2003, including government ministers,
European Parliamentarians, celebrities and
regular families.
The results of today’s tests will be available
in early October. In the meantime, WWF will
continue raising awareness about chemical
contamination and push European politicians
to adopt a strong REACH for the benefit of
all.
Notes on EU chemicals legislation:
REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization
of Chemicals) is the draft EU law aimed at
identifying and phasing-out the most hazardous
chemicals. Proposed by the European Commission,
it is now up to the European Parliament and
the Council of Ministers to decide on its
adoption. If it becomes law, it will be enforced
in all EU countries.
Under the proposed law, chemical producers
would be obliged to send a registration dossier
containing safety data to a central chemicals
agency for all chemicals produced in quantities
above one tonne a year. Less information is
required the lower the tonnage produced, with
very little information required for the 1-0
tonne chemicals. Experts would then evaluate
the safety data for higher-volume chemicals
and other chemicals of concern.
Chemicals of very high concern would be phased-out
and replaced by safer alternatives, unless
industry can show ‘adequate control’ of the
risk from their use or that their ‘socio-economic’
value outweighs the risks.
Chemicals of ‘very high concern’ are: carcinogens:
mutagens; reproductive toxins; persistent,
bio-accumulative and toxic; very persistent
and very accumulative, or of similar concern,
e.g. endocrine disrupters.
However, WWF does not think that the draft
law goes far enough in protecting the citizens
and the environment from hazardous chemicals.
WWF’s DetoX Campaign is working to ensure
that a strengthened REACH is adopted and that
chemicals of very high concern are phased
out except where use is important for society
and there is no safer alternative available.
