In their last meeting in 2009, EU-27 environment ministers adopted conclusions on the combined effects of chemicals.
Ministers said that assessments for individual chemicals are not sufficient to evaluate risks and asked the Commission to adapt EU legislation to take into account so-called 'chemical cocktails'.
Bridging the knowledge gap
Under REACH, the EU's chemicals legislation, risk assessments are made on a chemical-by-chemical basis and not much consideration is given to the harmful combined effects of chemicals.
However, this "deficiency" is mainly due to the fact "there has been insufficient knowledge of the matter to date – a situation which is now changing," said Ulf Björnholm Ottosson, environment counsellor at the Swedish Representation to the EU.
EU-27 environment ministers highlighted the results of a recent Danish study, which measured the substances to which two-year-old children were exposed via food, water, air and objects in the home. The results show "serious combined effects that can cause as much harm as too high a dose of one chemical," Ottosson said, stressing the need for more research on the matter and possible adjustments to current legislation.
Substances toxic to reproduction
Ministers were particularly concerned about the combined effects of endocrine disrupters. Endocrine disrupters are substances suspected of interfering with human and wildlife hormone systems and which can influence the development of the brain and reproductive organs, for example.
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas has also called for the development of specific criteria and test methods to determine the endocrine disrupting properties of chemicals (EurActiv 02/06/09). A Community strategy for endocrine disrupters was adopted in 1999.
Commission to start action in 2010
The Commission is set to finalise a study that scientifically assesses the risks related to exposure to multiple chemicals. It is also expected to recommend, in 2010, how exposure to combinations of endocrine disruptors should be dealt with in existing legislation.
Ministers also asked the EU executive to evaluate, by early 2012 at the latest, the extent to which existing EU legislation is sufficient to manage risks resulting from combined exposure, and to consider suitable alternatives.
