Government sets out White Paper position
8 Jan 2003
The Chemical Industries Association has given a cautious welcome to the UK government's position statement on the European Unions chemicals policy White Paper.
The government acknowledges the importance of the industry and states that the benefits of the policy to health and the environment must be balanced against the costs of implementation; but its proposals for testing requirements for chemicals are still seen as 'too burdensome'.
The position statement, issued by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) sets out how the government sees the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) system should operate. The statement says that, in the long term, the REACH system should cover 'all manufactured chemical substances, whatever their intended use,' but in the short term, attention should focus on those which pose the biggest risk to health and the environment.
Substances already covered by a positive testing regime, such as pesticides and biocides, should not be covered initially. It also says that most types of intermediates should also be exempt from REACH, apart from those which are isolated and not produced under a strict contract between manufacturer and supplier. Polymers, another huge group of chemicals, should also be subject to scrutiny, with only those which pose a direct threat to health: this may include substances made from potentially harmful monomers.
The CIA takes issue with the polymers question, pointing out that their inclusion in the draft phase of the White Paper will delay publication because there are currently no criteria to decide whether a polymer is harmful. It also says that the approach set out in the position statement still 'goes further in scope and testing requirements than the industry's own proposals - the CEFIC REACH Thoughtstarter - which offers a pragmatic, piloted and workable way forward.'
Environment minister Michael Meacher says that he is 'disappointed' with the progress the EU has made on the White Paper. 'I am keen to see the Commission publish their legislative proposal as soon as possible,' he says.
'This position paper is not a definitive statement of the government's position, not least because the Commission has still to publish proposals for the legislation and these proposals will require a complete regulatory impact assessment. However, the government recognises the importance of this proposed legislation and the importance of getting it right. That is why it is publishing initial views now.'
