Parliament Backs New
EU Law on Toxic Chemicals
November 18, 2005 — By Reuters
STRASBOURG, France — The European
Parliament, seeking to protect the public from toxic substances, backed
a landmark new law on Thursday that has pitted Europe's chemicals
industry against environmental groups for years.
Lawmakers voted in favour of an amended bill on Registration, Evaluation
and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH), designed to make companies prove
that substances in everyday products such as cars, computers or paint
are safe.
The properties of roughly 30,000 chemicals produced or imported in the
European Union would have to be registered with a central agency. Those
of highest concern, such as carcinogens, would require testing and
authorisation to be used.
The EU legislature voted 407-155 for the legislation with 41
abstentions. The rules must still be agreed by EU member states and may
come back to parliament before they can become a law.
The amendments approved included a compromise that largely reduced the
number of chemicals requiring testing.
Lawmakers also supported a measure that would force firms to substitute
safe chemicals for hazardous ones when alternatives are available.
Germany, Europe's largest chemicals producer with giants like BASF and
Bayer, successfully delayed a decision by member states scheduled for
later this month, but Britain, which holds the EU presidency, wants a
deal this year.
The European Commission, original author of REACH, forecasts it will
cost the chemical industry 2.3 billion euros ($2.68 billion) over 11
years. Total costs to industry -- including sectors like metals,
textiles, electronics and cars -- are estimated between 2.8 billion and
5.2 billion euros.
The United States and African nations have said REACH would disrupt
trade and hurt their industries.
Source: Reuters
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