Isn't this a nice thing the Europeans are doing to test for toxins in consumer products? It's difficult to imagine such testing going on in America.
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European Commission seeks chemical testing
PAUL AMES
Associated Press
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission said Monday it plans to introduce legislation requiring manufacturers to do health tests on thousands of chemicals used in products ranging from household cleaners to car parts.
The so-called REACH bill proposed by the EU's head office has pitted industry leaders against environmentalists in a battle over jobs versus health and environmental concerns.
Business leaders had urged the commission, the European Union's executive, to withdraw the draft legislation, but "we are not going to do that," EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said Monday.
"There was speculation that the commission plans to withdraw the proposal, to rewrite it and resubmit it to the legislators. This speculation was unfounded," Dimas said.
Under the proposals, responsibility for testing chemicals would shift from governments to manufacturers who would be required to provide safety data for some 30,000 chemicals.
Industry representatives say the rules would be too costly and harm their competitiveness, putting thousands of jobs at risk, hampering trade and stifling innovation. They have found backing from governments in leading European economies, including France and Germany.
Dimas said the commission would take on concerns expressed through the European Parliament, which has proposed amendments to the bill. But speaking to a group of conservative lawmakers, he ruled out major changes.
"I am convinced that the commission's proposal already strikes the right balance between environmental and health protection, on the one hand, and the needs of a competitive industry on the other," Dimas said.
Industry leaders are demanding that the scope of testing be reduced to only 4,000 or maximum 5,000 substances that pose the greatest risks, while other substances should undergo only rudimentary testing.
They say each chemical they have to register would cost them around 20,000 euros ($26,000) to test and submit to a public registry run by the EU.
Dimas insisted tougher rules are needed to tackle a growing risk to health and said the rules would not harm industry.
"Current chemicals legislation has failed to provide the necessary level of protection for human health and the environment," he said. "The competitiveness of the European industry will not change for the worse with REACH."
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