Helping to protect the Environment from toxic chemicals in Europe

[Guest guest]

European Citizens of ayurveda

 

At this time the European chemical companies are submitting testing

data on thousands of chemicals to the European Chemicals Agency,

based in Helsinki, Finland. The intention is to classify the toxicity

of these chemicals in order to decide how their use should be

controlled. It is advisable to keep up to date with the facts and to

make sure our best interests are represented.

 

REACH (a system of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation &

restriction of CHemicals ) is the new European Chemical Testing

Policy. It came fully into effect on 1 June 2008 when the first stage

of pre-registration of chemicals began. It will require the

Registration of all chemicals used in quantities greater than 1 tonne

a year that were put on the market prior to 1981 (around 30,000 over

the next 11 years) and all new substances introduced after this date.

This is because before 1981 the testing of chemicals was inadequate

to guarantee their safety.

 

The European Commission has predicted that Reach will cost industry

between 2.8bn and 5.2bn euros. This will be an inefficient use of

resources if dependence is on outdated animal tests instead of

embracing new technology. In theory, animal testing should only be

done when no better alternative exists not because of a lack of

desire to find superior alternatives. The European Union has not

adequately embraced this strategy and REACH will require millions of

animal experiments. This is unacceptable considering advances in new

technology based on human biology not animals. This element is a

necessity to accurately assess a chemical's toxicity to humans.

 

The criterion necessary to validate alternatives are strict and

comprehensive. Validated alternatives are legally endorsed as

suitable replacements for animal tests. However, the European

Commission's list of approved methods does not include non-animal

procedures that were approved for scientific validity in 2007 by the

European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods ( ECVAM ).

This is a delay which has been criticized by the MEPs of the European

parliament because it will encourage companies to refrain from using

validated alternatives based on human biology and carry on using

animal tests instead. ECVAM does important work but if they are to

achieve what we all want - a complete system of scientific tests to

precisely locate and remove the most toxic chemicals from our

environment - their efforts must be supported and acknowledged.

Concerned citizens can contact their MEPs and insist they support at

every opportunity the validation and approval of alternative methods

for all future testing of chemicals.

 

For contact details of MEPs

http://www.europarl.europa.eu

 

For UK Citizens, latest Home Office figures tell that 3.2 million

animal experiments were carried out in 2007, the highest total since

1991. This follows a trend of increased animal experimentation for

the past 6 years. The principles of the 3Rs, to reduce, refine and

replace animals in experiments, are an important part the Animals

(Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 which regulates the use of animals

in scientific procedures in the UK. It is obvious that more

investment is needed to ensure chemicals are tested using the latest

technology based on human biology. Early Day Motion 321 calls on the

British government to further recognise the importance of 3Rs

research and provide more funding.

 

To full information on EDM 321

http://edmi.parliament.uk

 

To see the 2007 UK statistics

http://www.naturewatch.org/campaigns/anex/Briefings/HOstats07.pdf

 

For current information on Alternative Research

http://www.scienceroom.org/

 

Sincerely

 

Tony Gallett