PLASTICS AND HEALTH
European Parliament committee outlines proposals for sustainability / Inspectors to check products for hazardous substances under REACH / Goals for “Green Deal”
The Helsinki-based ECHA is part of the enforcement forum planning a project for 2022 that includes checking consumer products for hazardous substances (Photo: European Chemicals Agency) |
As Europe prepares to transition to a greener and safer chemicals economy, the European Parliament (EP) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA, Helsinki / Finland; www.echa.europa.eu) have weighed in with proposals on how to achieve and enforce the goals, each from its own perspective. As part of its proposed “Green Deal” (see Plasteurope.com of 27.01.2020) the European Commission is dedicated to developing a chemicals strategy for sustainability and, as could be expected, the EP’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) has ideas. From the administrative side, the enforcement forum of the ECHA is turning its attention to ensuring that chemicals and plastics producers comply with all the requirements of the REACH chemicals legislation as part of the overall green package.
Proposals for an EU chemicals strategy
In a paper published at the end of June, ENVI made proposals for developing the new EU chemicals strategy, due to be unveiled during the current third quarter. The parliamentary committee urged the commission to make exposure to hazardous chemicals a high priority. In ENVI’s view, further regulatory action is needed to adequately protect vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. To this end, it called on the EU governing body to create a comprehensive framework for addressing endocrine disruptors. This, the MEPs believe, should be incorporated into upcoming legislation on toys, food contact materials and cosmetics.
Looking at pollution issues, ENVI said the EU’s new sustainability strategy must reflect the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle, and at the same time advocate for more transparency in the approval process for new substances and materials. Key to this, it asserted, should be implementation of the “one substance – one hazard assessment” principle. This would foresee substances being reviewed by only one EU agency, with an eye to speeding up and making chemicals regulation more consistent.
The committee’s paper, which must still be approved at an EP plenary session, also emphasises “green” innovation with a focus on research and calls for attention to the potential for harmful chemicals in recycled products. Here, it said, the same rule should apply to both finished products and recycled materials. At the meeting, the MEPs also adopted an oral question asking the commission how it intends to improve the functioning of REACH, especially to close regulatory gaps.
Looking at pollution issues, ENVI said the EU’s new sustainability strategy must reflect the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle, and at the same time advocate for more transparency in the approval process for new substances and materials. Key to this, it asserted, should be implementation of the “one substance – one hazard assessment” principle. This would foresee substances being reviewed by only one EU agency, with an eye to speeding up and making chemicals regulation more consistent.
The committee’s paper, which must still be approved at an EP plenary session, also emphasises “green” innovation with a focus on research and calls for attention to the potential for harmful chemicals in recycled products. Here, it said, the same rule should apply to both finished products and recycled materials. At the meeting, the MEPs also adopted an oral question asking the commission how it intends to improve the functioning of REACH, especially to close regulatory gaps.
ECHA enforcement arm prepares for inspections
At its own late-June session, ECHA’s Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement meanwhile prepared itself to deal more effectively with the enforcement of existing rules under REACH. The forum, a network of authorities responsible for the enforcement of the REACH, CLP and PIC, POP and Biocidal Product regulations in the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, is in the process of launching its next major “REACH-EN-FORCE” (REF) enforcement project for 2022. The projects are designed to harmonise enforcement in each member state and monitor the current level of compliance.
Building on previous projects, ECHA’s latest focus will be on integrated checks of products – mainly consumer goods but also mixtures – to assure that they comply with EU restrictions on hazardous substances and do not contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Specific substances to be monitored in the latest effort will be determined in 2021 and could potentially include phthalates or PFOS. Inspections would begin in 2022, and the project is due to be completed with a report at the end of 2023. Among other things, enforcers would seek to ensure that manufacturers of products ranging from plastics to rubber or textiles communicate potential information about substances of very high concern (SVHC) along the supply chain.
Building on previous projects, ECHA’s latest focus will be on integrated checks of products – mainly consumer goods but also mixtures – to assure that they comply with EU restrictions on hazardous substances and do not contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Specific substances to be monitored in the latest effort will be determined in 2021 and could potentially include phthalates or PFOS. Inspections would begin in 2022, and the project is due to be completed with a report at the end of 2023. Among other things, enforcers would seek to ensure that manufacturers of products ranging from plastics to rubber or textiles communicate potential information about substances of very high concern (SVHC) along the supply chain.
10.07.2020 Plasteurope.com [245468-0]
Published on 10.07.2020