European politicians have a once in a lifetime opportunity to ensure a safer future for people and wildlife by putting in place a robust new chemical law (REACH, which stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals). But only if REACH is strengthened in some key areas will it identify and phase out the most harmful chemicals.
The proposed REACH regulation would require health and environmental assessments for more than 30,000 chemicals and substances. It proposes reversing the burden of proof from the authorities to the companies. In future, the idea is that companies would have to provide health and safety data for each one of these products or substances.
The autumn will be a decisive period for the draft EU chemicals regulation with the Parliament voting, in November, over what has already been described as the biggest lobbying battle in EU history.
A great deal of ammunition has already been used by both sides - mainly environmental groups pressing for strict controls and industry howling for more flexible and workable solutions - leading many to believe a major redraft of the bill to be highly unlikely.
Still, there is always some degree of uncertainty with every Parliament vote and predictions are rife over where each one of the 732 MEPs will choose to stand.
In Parliament, a head on confrontation is currently brewing between the EPP-ED (right wing) and their German rapporteur Hartmut Nassauer MEP and the Group of European Socialists, supported by the Greens and former communists of the GUE.
Your help is needed! The chemical industry is lobbying Members of the European Parliament to weaken the proposed chemical laws. You need to add your voice for strong chemical regulation by writing to your local MEP. You can find a map and the name of your MEP on this website: http://www.chemicalreaction.org/
You can also send a message to decision makers on the WWF website
You will find more information on both of these websites, but also on the Euractiv website, and of course on the Greenpeace website.
Last, but not least, check the last results of the survey conducted by Greenpeace and WWF:
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Analysis of blood taken from 42 mothers and the umbilical cord of 27 newborn babies has revealed the presence of man-made hazardous chemicals in every sample.
The results were published on 8 September by Greenpeace and the WWF as part of a campaign to strengthen the REACH proposal to regulate chemicals in the EU. The bill is now entering a decisive voting phase in the European Parliament.
The umbilical cords and blood were tested for eight chemicals, including musks used in perfumes, brominated anti-flammable agents used in textiles, a pesticide which has already been banned worldwide, and phtalates used to soften plastic objects such as toys. The samples were also tested for perfluorinated compounds which are used to make non-stick frying pans and water-repelling coatings.
"The major problem [with these chemicals] is that we know virtually nothing about their potentially adverse effects because of the way production, marketing and use of chemicals is regulated in Europe," comment the WWF and Greenpeace in the study.
But they argue this is precisely why chemicals should be better controlled and the proposed REACH regulation strengthened.
"It is shocking that such chemicals are in the human body at any stage of our life, let alone at the very start, when the child is most vulnerable. Governments need to act and require industries to substitute these contaminating chemicals with safer alternatives," said Helen Perivier, Toxics Campaigner for Greenpeace International.
The results were published on 8 September by Greenpeace and the WWF as part of a campaign to strengthen the REACH proposal to regulate chemicals in the EU. The bill is now entering a decisive voting phase in the European Parliament.
The umbilical cords and blood were tested for eight chemicals, including musks used in perfumes, brominated anti-flammable agents used in textiles, a pesticide which has already been banned worldwide, and phtalates used to soften plastic objects such as toys. The samples were also tested for perfluorinated compounds which are used to make non-stick frying pans and water-repelling coatings.
"The major problem [with these chemicals] is that we know virtually nothing about their potentially adverse effects because of the way production, marketing and use of chemicals is regulated in Europe," comment the WWF and Greenpeace in the study.
But they argue this is precisely why chemicals should be better controlled and the proposed REACH regulation strengthened.
"It is shocking that such chemicals are in the human body at any stage of our life, let alone at the very start, when the child is most vulnerable. Governments need to act and require industries to substitute these contaminating chemicals with safer alternatives," said Helen Perivier, Toxics Campaigner for Greenpeace International.
There are some controversy around this work, as you can see here, but, as you'll see, there are some really worrying things...
Finally, if you're not convinced, have a look at this great website of greenpeace UK: http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxi...emicalhouse.cfm
You'll be able to discover some of the chemicals (that we know of) in your favorite shampoo, clothes and perfume...