About: Chemicals (REACH)

The EU taxonomy is also about tackling chemical pollution

The EU’s green finance taxonomy is about more than climate finance, it’s also an opportunity to improve our health and well-being by phasing out polluting chemicals, write Timothy Suljada and Charlotte Wagner.

Wasted ink on waste water?

Weak rules and poor implementation: this is why the EU is failing to curb pollution from the chemical industry, says Jean-Luc Wietor.

Protecting our health also means switching to toxic-free food packaging

As the world looks to rebuild after COVID, we need to change our approach to the environment, particularly the chemicals and single-use plastics involved in food packaging, writes Frédérique Ries.

Chemistry’s waste problem

Europe's chemical industry needs to embrace circular thinking and urgently address concerns about substances getting into the environment or risk being crushed by regulators, writes Tom Parker.

No industry support without a commitment to cleaner production

While there is strong claimed support for a 'green' recovery from the European Commission, the European Parliament and key member states like Germany, the devil is in the detail, write Doreen Fedrigo and Camille Maury.

In breach of REACH: Europe’s chemical dieselgate

The European Union cannot keep turning a blind eye to the flood of illegal chemicals, write MEPs Bart Staes and Sven Giegold.

Four reasons EU institutions should and must share more information on harmful chemicals

It is no surprise that key information on harmful chemicals originally lies in the hands of industry alone. But just because it starts with industry, does not mean it should be left there, writes Apolline Roger.

Workplace cancer prevention must be extended to reprotoxic substances

Putting more than 10 years of paralysis behind it, the European Commission finally launched a revision of the directive on the prevention of occupational cancers in May 2016. Lawmakers can now address reprotoxic substances in the workplace, writes Laurent Vogel.

Chemicals ‘fitness check’ should improve EU legislation, not water it down

The scope of the European Commission’s Fitness Check on chemicals is limited to a comparison of the “hazard versus risk” approaches in chemicals legislation. This is misguided, writes Dolores Romano, who argues a hazard-based approach can help protect people and the environment while supporting innovation.

Endocrine disruptors: ‘Better Regulation’ or better public health?

Endocrine disruptors pose a substantial risk to public health, yet the European Commission has dawdled time and again on introducing measures that would finally limit their use. Now is the time to put this right, write Genon Jensen and Michael Warhurst.

EU chemicals law needs tightening to protect people and nature

Despite advances made since the adoption of the REACH regulation, much more effort is needed to move towards a safer production and use of chemicals, writes Tatiana Santos.

EU legislative work on hormone-affecting chemicals could be undermined by TTIP

Current legislative work on endocrine disruptors, which is potentially being undermined by the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), is a prime example of how short term profits are being given priority over people and the environment, argues Robert Pederson.

TTIP means trading away better regulation

Only a deep, structural reform of US chemicals legislation can be the basis of regulatory trans-Atlantic cooperation, writes Baskut Tuncak. Anything less is a stalling tactic.

TTIP: A remarkable opportunity

Regardless of pessimistic views held by some NGOs, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) offers a remarkable opportunity to seek efficiencies between EU and US chemical management systems, writes Hubert Mandery.

The EU, US approaches to endocrine disruptors have been appropriate until now

Critics point out that some chemicals like bisphenol A can briefly influence human endocrine levels. But they dismiss the fact that our endocrine systems are dynamic and built to quickly adjust to brief exposure to these endocrine disruptors, writes Jeff Stier.

Closing the loopholes on REACH

The upcoming review of the REACH chemicals regulation provides an opportunity to close the loopholes on the legislation and regulate nanomaterials, endocrine disrupters and chemical cocktails, writes Monique Goyens.

Europe’s risk assessment of chemicals has gone wrong

The EU's risk assessment system for chemicals has derailed and should be reformed urgently in favour of a science-based system that takes full account of the work undertaken by the scientific community, argues Hans Muilerman.

Toxicity tests for chemicals: If only we all had EFSA’s crystal ball

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) seems confident that research on the toxicity of low doses of chemicals in food is irrelevant to risk assessment. This is despite mounting evidence that low-dose exposure, particularly to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, could be contributing to rising rates of a number of diseases, writes Paul Whaley.

Improving REACH to step up cancer battle

There are many improvements to be made before REACH can fulfil its public health promise to fight diseases such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, impaired fertility and behavioural disorders, writes Paul Whaley from the Cancer Prevention and Education Society.

20% emissions cuts by 2020: Stick to the plan!

Hubert Mandery, director-general of the European Chemicals Industry Council (Cefic), argues that an increase in the EU's emissions reduction target would hamper competitiveness, potentially costing the industry billions of euros in indirect and direct costs.

Analysis: Europe, chemicals, and the Bush administration

How much pressure did the US government exert in order to promote US industry interests on the EU’s draft REACH regulation?  The answer: "A lot, but careful", say researchers of the Kennedy-Institute of Freie Universität Berlin.  The case study “Trading softly: Europe, chemicals, and the Bush administration” (by Francis R. Pickerung, Jason Dorn, Alant Jost, Mehmet Yilmazata and Felix Mann), was finalised in January 2006 at the seminar “America’s Lobbyists” at the Kennedy-Institute, under the supervision of Dr. Marco Althaus, Deutsches Institut für Public Affairs (DIPA).

The EU prepares for a major review of chemicals legislation: the REACH proposal

The paper analyses the Commission's new draft legislative proposal aimed at radically redefining EU chemicals legislation.

EU accession: sentiment ranges between confidence and uncertainty

All the potential new members will conduct a referendum on accession. Depending on the country, the referenda are either more or less "public opinion surveys" or binding on parliament. In most cases, the citizens of these countries see EU membership in a positive light.

Virtual marketplaces in the chemicals sector: B2B turnover expanding strongly

Virtual marketplaces in the chemicals sector: B2B turnover expanding strongly (24 January 2002)   In the chemicals industry, virtual marketplaces are becoming increasingly important, alongside distribution through company portals. This demands stronger integration of internal business processes and optimisation of...