the EU is right

Posted by Luke Williams on November 17, 2005 in general thoughts | 1 comment

dum dum duuuuuu

Yes, for once, I agree (mostly) with some of the additional legislation being bought in by the EU!!

(so how many of you stopped reading at this point? hahaha well, anyway…)

The new legislation is called: REACH – Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals

Basically this means that chemicals you use everyday will need to be tested to see if they pose any risk to health.

It’s worrying that things like household cleaners (which you happily spray/smear and generally coat your house with) are not tested for possible harmfull effects to health; There is already evidence to suggest that some cleaning products (aerosol polish if memory serves?) are possibly linked to increases in childhood asthma.

The legislation starts by testing the highest priority products like washing powder, (is it impossible to even envisage a connection between a chemical whose residue is constantly on your skin causing health effects?) cleaning chemicals but extends to include everything eventually.

Good work EU. Why didn’t we do this sooner? (I’m hoping Dr Emilio Estaplez is going to comment and tell me we already do)

an article from the US as a further example.

DuPont buried studies that revealed risks associated with a chemical used in food containers, according to internal company documents and a whistle-blower’s statements. The chemical Zonyl — used to line candy wrappers, microwave popcorn boxes, etc. — can rub off and get into food. Once ingested, Zonyl breaks down into perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts, known as PFOA. The Environmental Working Group released the DuPont documents Wednesday, including memos indicating Zonyl caused liver and kidney damage in test animals and leached into foods at three times the limit set by the Food and Drug Administration, the Associated Press reported. “They are toxic,” said former DuPont chemical engineer Glenn Evers of the PFOA chemicals. “They get into human blood. And they are also in every one of you.” DuPont maintains that PFOA poses no health risk.

We all have a right to know these things… I’ll get off my soapbox now…