In a notification to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the European Commission announces that it intends to add four phthalates to the list of restricted substances under RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic devices). The four phthalates…
ChemSec calls for a balanced impact assessment on the EDC criteria
Concerning the Public Consultation on the criteria to identify Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in the EU biocides and pesticides legislation, and the Impact Assessment to be performed by the Commission during 2015, ChemSec is worried that the information spread by…
ChemSec report released on how companies “cry wolf” in the face of new environmental laws
Companies and trade organisations frequently tell politicians that stricter environmental legislation would harm the economy significantly – but such claims have repeatedly been proven wrong. This is shown in the ChemSec report Cry wolf. The report reviews examples of past…
ChemSec leaves European Commission RoHS working group
Earlier this year the European Commission initiated a working group to guide the implementation of RoHS, the EU Directive on hazardous chemicals in electrical and electronic equipment. ChemSec, the only NGO representative in the group, has in a letter to…
NGO letter on the authorisation process
This week, eight environmental and health organizations, sent a letter to Geert Dancet, Executive Director at European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The organizations expressed their concerns about the current implementation of the REACH process. The concerns relate to the following points:…
UN report warns of consequences of chemical intensification
A UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report released this week lists hazardous chemicals among the top five global death causes and calls for urgent and coordinated action by governments and industry. In their “Global Chemicals Outlook” UNEP highlights an increasing…
European Commission: The SIN List is a major driver for innovation
In a recent report released by the European Commissions DG Enterprise and Industry, the effects of REACH on the chemicals industry have been assessed. The report, which is part of the Commission’s REACH review, has been looking at how innovation within…