How can science and policy making support each other for the best possible results? Sometimes it is not possible withing the policy making procedurs to wait for definitive proof, this can mean exposing people to an avoidable hazard, with potentiallydevastating effects. When science is being used to help make policy decisions, precision is not the only goal. This booklet focues on the principle of precaution within the legislative processes – it’s all about making intelligent decisions under uncertainty.
The knowledge about the tens of thousands of industrial chemicals in commerce is still very limited. In most cases we lack even basic information about the hazards and risks, and no comprehensive system is in place to ensure protection from harm. This booklet highlights and describes the problem with toxics, from how to understand the risks to how to find the solutions, A key in a new strategy is the precautionary principle, which urges us to take early actions to prevent harmful effects even when relations between cause and effect are not fully scientifically proven.
Will the EU chemicals policy REACH help or hurt your company? Now is the time to get informed and get involved. This guide will give you the information you need to start making your voice heard in the debate – and show why your input is needed. In this report, you will find out about the specific ways you can gain from REACH, the concerns that some companies have expressed about the regulation, and the ways you can get involved in this important policy discussion.
Companies and businesses that could ultimately suffer the financial consequences of inadequate information about chemicals received little attention in the debate over the EU new chemicals legislation, REACH. Companies that are dependent on chemicals for their articles are convinced that they cannot afford not to have such information. In this publication ChemSec have given several companies and stakeholder organizations the opportunity to describe their motives for demanding stronger chemicals legislation.
This four page fact sheet answers ten basic questions about REACH – What is the problem with hazardous chemicals, what is REACH, what the industy says about it, how much it costs, if REACH can save money, what happens next etc. Here you can learn that it is estimated that there are 30,000 to 70,000 chemicals on the market, and that possible health benefits for the implementation of REACH have been estimated by the European Commission at €50 billion over 30 years, and outweigh the direct costs many times over.
