Europe: REACH and questions about protecting the Environment

[Guest guest]

European Citizens

 

1st of June 2008 was a key date for the New European Chemical Testing

Policy called REACH. The European Chemicals Agency which manages the

implementation of this legislation became fully operational. Around

30,000 chemicals will be pre-registered at the European Chemicals

Agency ( ECHA ) between the 1st June and 1st December 2008. The

programme which intends to test thousands of substances on millions

of animals in Europe has reached a critical stage.

 

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of

CHemicals) controls the use of chemicals throughout the EU. In 2005

the number of animal experiments in the EU was 12 million, a

significant percentage of these to satisfy safety regulations, and

this is unacceptably high. It is in our own interest as well as the

animals that the testing of these chemicals is by the latest methods

based on human-biology. This is the surest way of guaranteeing that

the most toxic chemicals are found and banned.

 

With the law that controls all animal experimentation in Europe,

Directive 86/609, under review there was never a more crucial time to

insist that the European parliament does all it can to replace

outdated animal testing with modern alternatives. Some of the animal

tests have been used for 60 years and it is not acceptable that they

are still the main method of safeguarding our health and environment

from dangerous chemicals.

 

What can be done?

 

It is in all our interest to insist that the chemicals we use are

tested as thoroughly as possible with the latest technology

available. Animal testing must be replaced with validated

alternatives. Alternatives exist which still await validation and

research for more is promising but lacks investment. Companies in

each country of Europe required to satisfy the REACH regulations need

to submit safety data on the chemicals they use. Citizens of Europe

can make a difference in their own countries by writing or emailing

their national politicians and asking them to support the use of

validated alternatives as a legal requirement for the testing of

these substances.

 

For UK Citizens, action can be taken to help improve the quality of

testing of some of these chemicals. Many of these toxic chemicals are

used in household products. Safeguarding our health and environment

includes testing these with modern methods we can trust. Early Day

Motion 1215 asks the British Government to take measures to prevent

the testing of household products and their ingredients on animals.

For these chemicals testing will only be by validated non-animal

methods based on human biology. Ideally about 200 MP signatures are

needed if this is to be influential.

 

If you want to read EDM 1215 or see who has signed go to

http://edmi.parliament.uk

 

Started in 2003, the Humane Household Product Standard (HHPS) is the

only international scheme which guarantees a product has not been

animal tested because companies need to provide proof. With Its own

logo, it enables consumers to easily identify products that have not

been tested on animals.

 

To learn more about the HHPS go to

http://www.gocrueltyfree.org/

 

The RSPCA have endorsed a petition, " Take Action " , which asks the

British government to work towards ending the use of animals in

experiments by replacing them with humane alternatives.

 

Please sign this RSPCA petition at

http://www.rspca.org.uk/

(In the current campaigns section)

 

For more information visit:-

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/

http://www.eceae.org

 

Thank You

 

Tony