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Europe: landmark law on toxic chemicals voted in
Half protected from toxic chemicals
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.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.
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