Thousands of tonnes of hazardous chemicals entered environment due to EU delays
Report claims stalled roadmap has slowed phase-out of flame retardants, bisphenols and other chemicals
Europe’s plan to restrict thousands of hazardous chemicals has stalled, according to a new study. These delays have led to around 100,000 tonnes of chemicals contaminating food, drinking water and the environment that would otherwise have been avoided. The report blames the European Commission for regulatory inaction and succumbing to industry pressure. Meanwhile, the commission has recently confirmed that it’s no longer planning to revise the Reach chemicals regulation. The 2020 EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability had outlined the importance of urgently updating Reach to reflect current science.