Two top scientists tell
European parlamentarians that current scientific
uncertainties on the safety of chemicals call
for a precautionary approach to their use.
25/05/2005 A packed conference room at the
European Parliament listened to the arguments
of WHO’s Dr. Roberto Bertollini and Professor
Jonathan Grigg supporting a strong precautionary
action based on existing levels of concern
about the safety of certain chemicals.
During the meeting, chaired by the the UK
Conservative Party MEP John Bowis, Members
of the European Parliament were interested
in knowing how the proposed EU chemical law,
known as REACH, can help public health.
Professor Jonathan Grigg from Leicester University,
a well-known academic and paediatrician specialised
in children’s respiratory problems caused
by air pollution, talked about the current
lack of information on chemicals and warned
the European polititians with these words:
"We have a huge black hole of knowledge
and that is a very significant concern. By
taking a precautionary approach we are addressing
that concern". WWF fully agrees that
the scientific uncertainty is simply too big
not to call for a stronger chemicals regulation
(REACH ).
The tip of the toxic iceberg
Doctor Roberto Bertollini, Head of Health
and Environement at the WHO which last year
adoped the Budapest Declaration calling for
a stronger REACH, reminded the audience that
"we only know about the tip of the toxic
iceberg. There are thousands of substances
below the surface of scientific knowledge
which are also suspected to be harmful to
human health".
Susbtances like lead, mercury or PCB’s can
have toxic effects, but what about the many
thousands that go unresearched and might be
equally dangerous?
Dr. Bertollini said clearly that "there
are 150 other substances which are known to
be neurotoxic but for which research is still
insuficient".
Contaminating children
During the discussion with the MEPs, both
scientists expressed their concern about the
effects of environmental contamination on
the child’s health. They emphasised that children
are specially sensitive to the effects of
toxicity.
For example, Dr. Bertollini’s showed that
exposure to neurotoxicants can affect and
actually decrease the child’s IQ capacity.
And he explained that "although these
substances cause a small effect on a single
individual, the impact might be very significant
if the distribution of IQ in the total population
is taken into account, and this may dicrease,
in a certain sense, the overall brain capacity
of a society".
The WHO scientist stressed also that more
than 5 million children across the world die
every year due to unhealthy environments.
In the light of these unacceptable figures,
he concluded that "more needs to be done
to protect children from the environmental
threats" and, in a reference to the costs
of REACH, added that "the chemical industry
has pushed on issues that seem not to be so
relevant".
Notes:
• WWF’s international DetoX campaign calls
for the proposed EU chemical legislation,
REACH, to phase out hazardous chemicals such
as the persistent and bioaccumulative, as
well as endocrine disrupters, and only allow
their use where no safer alternatives exist,
where there is an overwhelming societal need
and where measures to minimise exposure are
effectively put in place.
• Acknowlegments for the slides: Philippe
Grandjean (University of Odense, Denmark);
Rokho Kim, Lucianne Licari, Francesca Racioppi,
Dinesh Sethi, Marco Martuzzi, Leda Nemer,
Nicoletta, Di Tanno (WHO/Europe); Rolaf van
Leeuwen (RIVM, NET)
