Hazardous chemicals continuously accumulate in our bodies, contaminate human breast milk and pollute even remote regions of the world!
The origins of REACH (Registration Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals)
The current chemicals legislation has proved ineffective to protect European citizens' health and environment. It does not provide sufficient knowledge of, or public information about, the chemicals in use, and it does not enable the control of dangerous substances. Regulatory action on even highly hazardous chemicals, like Asbestos or PCB, comes too late to prevent huge health and environmental damages (see EEA report: " Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1996-2000" .
Following pressure from Governments, the EU Commission and many environmental organisations, the EU has entered since 1998 into a major debate on the reform of a flawed system . It produced an evaluation report on the three main Directives and one Regulation of the chemicals legislation (November 1998), which confirmed the failure of the present system. It concluded that work should begin on the development of an integrated and coherent approach to a new EU Chemicals Policy; one that adequately reflects the precautionary principle and the principle of sustainability. In June 1999, the Environment Council acknowledged that a fundamental review of EU Chemicals Policy was needed and gave a clear mandate to the Commission to take the appropriate measures.
The EEB, together with the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC) and three Danish NGOs, presented and published the policy discussion document " Chemicals under the spotlight : From Awareness to Action " within the framework of the Chemical Awareness campaign launched by the same organisations in November 1999.
The Council and European Parliament gave their opinion in June and November ( Council conclusions , EP resolution and EEB comments ). During the winter 2001/2002 the EEB participated at the Commission's stakeholder working groups discussing the main issues of the new chemicals management system REACH, as proposed by the White Paper. The EEB believes on the contrary that besides the overwhelming environmental and health benefits - a precautionary REACH should bring - even business would enjoy numerous opportunities (EEB/WWF report: " A new chemicals policy in Europe - new opportunities for industry." ).
Global initiatives to increase chemical safety
Chemical safety is not only a European concern. Numerous global instruments try to tackle the issue of a safer chemicals management. At the United Nations conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Intergovernmental Forum for Chemical Safety (IFCS), an independent organisation administered by the World health Organisation was set up. In September 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg adopted as goal to be achieved by the year 2020 the safe management of chemicals.
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