2023 will be a decisive year for the future of the EU's chemicals policy. The Commission has been working hard for over two years to reform the policy centrepiece, REACH, and make it fit to deliver the Green Deal’s toxic-free objective. But we are still awaiting the results. There is little time left before MEPs wind down their legislative work ahead of the … [Read more...] about Has the EU’s toxic-free environment goal become a victim of Putin’s war?
Policy
What’s the plan for managing harmful chemicals in the UK?
Before the turmoil in British politics of the last couple of months, NGOs had hoped a draft UK Chemicals Strategy would be published for public consultation before the end of the year. A strategy was first promised over four years ago - to set out the UK’s approach, post-Brexit, to ensuring chemicals are safely used and managed. Over the past year stakeholders have been … [Read more...] about What’s the plan for managing harmful chemicals in the UK?
Chemical pollution: EU Commission casts doubt over future of a toxic-free Green Deal due to German industry pressure
It is being reported that the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will decide, in a meeting on Tuesday, to delay the planned publication of a revised EU chemicals law REACH from early 2023 to the end of 2023, and to refocus it on German industry concerns, casting doubt on the future of the European Green Deal’s toxic free agenda. By publishing the proposal so … [Read more...] about Chemical pollution: EU Commission casts doubt over future of a toxic-free Green Deal due to German industry pressure
Chemical pollution in rivers: CHEM Trust’s fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference
CHEM Trust is co-hosting a fringe event at this year's Conservative Party Conference 'Restoring the health of our rivers: addressing the chemical pollution undermining their resilience'. We are running this in partnership with Breast Cancer UK and Wildlife and Countryside Link. The event will provide an opportunity to raise the topic of chemical pollution in rivers and … [Read more...] about Chemical pollution in rivers: CHEM Trust’s fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference
CHEM Trust’s fringe event on chemical pollution at the Autumn Labour Party Conference
CHEM Trust will be hosting a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference. 'The chemical pollution crisis: is the UK's post-Brexit regulation of chemicals fit for purpose?' This will be held in partnership with SERA, (Labour's Environment Campaign), Breast Cancer UK and Wildlife and Countryside Link. The event will be an opportunity to highlight the problem of chemical … [Read more...] about CHEM Trust’s fringe event on chemical pollution at the Autumn Labour Party Conference
Does the UK chemicals regulator have the capacity to do its job?
In May, the National Audit Office (NAO) published its review of three UK regulators that have taken on functions previously carried out by the EU, including the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) role in chemicals regulation. It found that a lack of operational capacity and loss of data is having a negative impact on HSE’s ability to assess risks and carry out its … [Read more...] about Does the UK chemicals regulator have the capacity to do its job?
Regulatory gap between UK and EU at risk of becoming a chasm
Today the UK’s Health & Safety Executive published the work programme for UK REACH for the coming year (from April 2022 – March 2023), setting out which restrictions on chemicals will be considered by the new UK chemicals regulatory regime in its second year. Restrictions are a way of banning or controlling the use of a chemical that poses a risk to human health or the … [Read more...] about Regulatory gap between UK and EU at risk of becoming a chasm
New EU roadmap proposes action to ban some of the most hazardous chemicals from consumer products
Yesterday the European Commission published the "Restrictions Roadmap", a new plan to restrict the use of a number of groups of chemicals, including bisphenols, phthalates, PFAS and flame retardants. The chemicals concerned all have severe hazards, including endocrine disruption, cancer-causing properties and persistence in the environment. They are routinely used in a wide … [Read more...] about New EU roadmap proposes action to ban some of the most hazardous chemicals from consumer products
UK NGOs call for urgent ban of all PFAS
CHEM Trust is joining health and environment UK NGOs calling on the UK Governments to urgently ban the use of all ‘forever chemicals’, PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances). It is the only way to prevent the continual pollution of the UK environment with the most persistent human-made chemicals known to date, and protect current and future generations from the impact … [Read more...] about UK NGOs call for urgent ban of all PFAS
Chemical Cocktails – The neglected threat of toxic mixtures and how to fix it
A new CHEM Trust report “Chemical cocktails - The neglected threat of toxic mixtures and how to fix it”, highlights the reality of our exposure to multiple chemicals, the threat it represents to our health and the wider environment and why we are not properly protected. In the report we call for urgent action from the EU to better protect people and the wider environment … [Read more...] about Chemical Cocktails – The neglected threat of toxic mixtures and how to fix it