19/11/2005
- Strasbourg, France — European politicians have voted on
a landmark law to better regulate toxic chemicals. There
was good news that the law will force the replacement of
toxic chemicals with safer alternatives but pressure from
polluting industry ensured many thousands of chemicals will
not be tested.
The vote is the latest round in the progress of the new
European legislation called REACH which was originally intended
to replace current ineffective laws that are failing to
protect us from toxic pollution. But almost from the moment
it was suggested it has been under fire from vested interests
who profit from pollution. Members
of the European Parliament (MEPs) resisted industry pressure
when they supported replacing hazardous chemicals with
safer alternatives. In the past month concerned citizens
have sent almost 15,000 emails and photos to MEPs demanding
protection from chemical pollution. But industry lobbying
succeeded in convincing MEPs to exempt thousands of chemicals
from the need to provide any health and safety information.
Currently about 90 percent of the
thousands of chemicals in daily use have no or insufficient
health and safety data. If the law fails to require basic
safety information about chemicals it will make it impossible
to systematically identify and replace the most hazardous
substances which is the one of the principle aims of REACH.
Round one
The road from proposal to law for
any European legislation is long and winding and REACH
has taken longer than most and still has a few rounds
left to go. Intense industry lobbying has helped delay
and weaken the proposal and it will next be discussed
by national governments. Hopefully national governments
will stand up for their people and strengthen the proposal
rather than weaken it further in favour of polluting industry
pressure.
We'll be campaigning hard to pressure
the national governments to take decisive action on toxic
pollution and not cave into pressure coming from the German
government that is trying to wreak the proposal to favour
its large chemical industry lobby. Recently we have be
highlighting the top Brussels politicians who are doing
the bidding of polluting chemical industry.
Rest of the world?
While the intricacies of European
law making can seem somewhat mundane and remote, this
proposed law has far reaching consequences. As the world's
largest market for chemicals new law in Europe will set
a global standard for the regulation of chemicals. The
chemical industry knows that this could cut their polluting
practices and have spent millions lobbying against it.
This is a unique opportunity to protect
us and the environment and it should not be sacrificed
for the short-sighted interests of the large chemicals
producers. |
