MEP SUPPORTS SHOWDOWN ON REACH LEGISLATION
October 10, 2006 12:00 AM
Fiona met members of a local WI group earlier in the year to discuss the dangers to consumers
Members of European Parliament are set for a showdown with Ministers on one of the most ambitious and controversial pieces of European legislation ever prepared.
MEPs reaffirmed their insistence that chemicals of very high concern should not be allowed on the market if safer substitutes are readily available, and called for a Duty of Care to be placed on all manufacturers - strengthening the principle that producers should take responsibility for the safety of their products.
They also called for additional measures to avoid duplication of tests involving use of animals, and for more encouragement to be given to the introduction of non-animal tests.
Fiona Hall, the North East spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said:
"MEPs have taken a tough stance. We have to make sure that the regulations are not over burdensome for the chemical industry and important changes have been introduced to help small companies producing only small quantities of chemicals. But we have to insist on strong provisions for the replacement of the most dangerous chemicals if safer substitutes exist. Without progress on this point REACH will never fulfill the aim of providing protection for human health and the environment."
The proposed legislation aims to place a burden of proof on industry to prove the safety of their products. Currently only 200 of the 30,000 chemicals in use have been properly tested and approved.
It is hoped that an agreement will be reached by the end of the year.
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