REACH - What Happened and Why? The Only Planet Guide to the

2,52

MB

Secrets of Chemicals Policy in the EU

149

stron

2309

ID

Greens/European Free Alliance in European Parliament

2004

rok

CONTENTS

Foreword, by Joseph DiGangi 9

PART ONE: CHEMICALS

Facts About the Chemicals Industry 13

GLOBAL INDUSTRY

Overview 14

Production 14

Outlook 14

Globalisation 14

Mergers and Acquisitions 15

Organisation 15

EUROPEAN INDUSTRY

Overview 15

Production 16

Outlook 16

Mergers and Acquisitions 17

Organisation 17

SUMMARY 18

Map of the Chemicals Industry in Europe 19

Defining the Chemicals Industry 20

POLLUTION

Overview 21

Rainwater 21

Persistence 21

The Arctic 22

Persistent Organic Pollutants - POPs 22

Mountains 23

Fish 23

Dioxin in Fish 23

Bioaccumulation 24

Vegetables, Fruit and Oil 24

House Dust 24

Human Blood and Tissue 24

Human Breast Milk 25

SUMMARY 25

EFFECTS

Overview 26

Exposure Types 26

Acute Exposure 26

Chronic Exposure 26

Causality 26

Causality and Association 27

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Overview 27

Climate Change 27

Ozone Depletion 28

Loss of biodiversity 28

Major accidents 28

Tropospheric ozone 28

Management of Freshwater 29

Forest Degradation 29

Coastal Threats 29

Waste 29

Urban Stress 30

Chemical Risk 30

HUMAN HEALTH

Overview 30

Some Numbers 30

Cancer 31

Reproduction 32

Allergies and Asthma 32

Economic Costs 33

SUMMARY 33

Chemicals in the Environment 21

Effects of Chemicals 26

Summary of Part One 34

RISK MANAGEMENT

Overview 49

Existing and New Substances 49

The EU Model 49

Introducing Precaution 50

The Four Elements of Risk Assessment 50

Liability 51

Responsibility 51

Summary 51

CURRENT REGULATION

Overview 51

Data Gaps Regarding High Production

Volume Chemicals in the OECD and EU 52

The Directive on Classification

and Labelling of Chemicals (1967) 52

The Directive on Restrictions

of Certain Substances (1976) 53

Amendment Concerning

Existing Substances (1979) 53

The Directive on Classification

and labelling of Preparations (1988) 53

The Regulation on Evaluation of

Existing Substances (1993) 54

IINITIATIVES FOR INCREASED SAFETY

Overview 54

Existing and New Substances 55

Proposal for a Policy 55

Council Requests Review 56

Call by Parliament for Action on

Endocrine Disrupters 56

Launches of Global Initiatives by Industry 56

Commission Review 57

Regulating Endocrine Disrupters 57

Council Feedback on Review 58

Stakeholder Brainstorm 58

Council Asks for Precaution 58

Industry Increases Efforts to

Create Confidence 58

Council Adopts Conclusions 59

Commission Presents

Fundamental Elements 59

Commission Review 59

The Precautionary Principle 60

Cefic Launch Stakeholder Dialogue 60

Communication on Precautionary Principle 60

Industry Calls for Partnership 60

Commission Presents Progress 60

Industry and Commission Stress

Growth and Innovation 61

Highlights 61

SUMMARY 61

PART TWO: POLITICS

BRIEF HISTORY

Prehistoric 36

Early Industrialism 36

1800- 36

The First Conventions 36

The Petro-chemistry Boom 36

Post World War ll 37

Time for Treaties 37

Loss of Leadership 37

GLOBAL INSTRUMENTS

Some Definitions 38

UN Instruments Concerning Chemicals 39

IFCS 42

OECD 43

The World Bank 44

World Trade Organisation (WTO) 44

REGIONAL INSTRUMENTS

United Nations 44

Other Instruments 45

CORPORATE INITIATIVES

Responsible Care 47

The HPV Initiative 47

The Long-range Research Initiative 48

HERA 48

SUMMARY 48

European Chemicals Policy 49

International Chemicals Policy 35

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