25 May 2007 - One week
before the European Union’s new chemicals
legislation – REACH - enters into force
(1 June 2007) [1], European environmental,
women’s, health and consumer groups have
warned in an open letter to the European
Commission that REACH cannot be celebrated
until it is strengthened to provide proper
health and environmental protection.
The official start date of REACH symbolically
marks the beginning of a new approach to
chemicals regulation in Europe. Over the
coming years, persistent and bioaccumulative
chemicals will be substituted if safer alternatives
exist, and companies will have to provide
health and safety information for large
volume chemicals that they produce or import
into Europe.
But thousands of chemicals will escape
any requirement to provide sufficient health
and safety information. And many chemicals
that can cause cancer, birth defects and
reproductive illnesses will still be allowed
in manufacturing and consumer goods.
Embedded in the REACH legislation are numerous
reviews, beginning in 2007 and continuing
for the next 12 years. These reviews will
give the European Commission and EU member
states the opportunity to tighten the legislation
in line with last year’s demands by civil
society and some of the main political parties.
However, the reviews could also be used
by the chemical industry to further weaken
current safety requirements.
In their letter, the environmental, women’s,
health and consumer groups ask the European
Commission to ensure that the newly established
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) operates
fully independently of the chemical industry
and to make sure that REACH is fully and
correctly implemented.
Note:
[1] Entry into force: Titles I, IV, IX,
X, XIII, XIV & XV, together with Articles
32, 67 and 115 apply from this date. Directive
91/155/EEC is repealed and article 14 of
Directive 1999/45/EEC is deleted.
Between now and June 2008, further technical
requirements will be produced and the details
of the European Chemicals Agency will be
finalised. In June 2008, the European Chemicals
Agency (ECHA) will be fully operational.
The chemical industry will then begin to
provide safety information for up to 30,000
chemicals on the market. In 2009, ECHA is
expected to publish a “candidate list” for
the most hazardous chemicals that will be
subject to the authorisation procedure.
Ninja Reineke, Toxics Programme
WWF European Policy Office
