The European Union's executive branch on Wednesday approved a far-reaching new policy that would fundamentally alter the way that tens of thousands of chemical compounds are regulated by government and tested by industry.
If adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, the REACH policy -- Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals -- will be the world's most comprehensive regulation governing the use of chemicals. It would have major effects on American industries that sell a variety of products in Europe, from computers to pesticides, and the Bush administration and U.S. chemical industry have joined forces to campaign against it.
Under the draft law, companies would have to register basic scientific data for about 30,000 chemicals with a newly created European agency. Of those, chemicals used in the largest volumes and those already linked to health or environmental hazards would be subjected to additional testing and possible bans.
The European Commission, representing the executives of 15 nations, crafted the proposed policy because of growing concern over an array of chemicals contaminating humans and wildlife, including flame retardants linked to neurological effects, and compounds used in cosmetics and plastics that disrupt hormones.
An estimated 100,000 chemicals are used around the world. Toxicologists say that little or nothing is known about the hazards of 99% of them. Under current laws, only chemicals that were first used after 1981 in Europe and 1976 in the United States must undergo testing for environmental effects.
EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom said the existing system is "inefficient, slow and does not guarantee enough protection." She called the proposal "groundbreaking."
"Once adopted, it will allow us to take advantage of the benefits of chemicals without exposing ourselves and the environment to risks," she said. "The EU will have one of the most progressive chemicals management systems in the world."
The new law would regulate all of the estimated 30,000 chemicals used in volumes exceeding 1 ton per year in Europe and basic safety testing of those chemicals used in excess of 10 tons. But the most stringent rules would be aimed at about 4,500 compounds used in larger volumes, over 100 tons per year, and at least 1,500 compounds of "very high concern" to the EU because they are known to cause cancer or birth defects, to build up in bodies or to persist in the environment.
