Reasons for Reinforcing the Regulation of Chemicals in Europe. (5th March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Millstone, Erik; Clausing, Peter
• Is Part Of: European journal of risk regulation. Volume 14:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 78
• Page End: 92
• Publication Date: 2023-03-05
• Subjects: Chemicals Strategy -- European Commission -- pesticides -- sustainability; Risk management -- Periodicals; Risk management -- Europe -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 363.102
• DOI: 10.1017/err.2022.41
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1867-299X

Abstract

Abstract: The European Commission's 2020 draft Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability set the ambitious goal of achieving a "Toxic-Free Environment". Those ambitions were harshly criticised by a team based in Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (or BfR); they claimed that toxicological risks from chemicals had already been minimised and were optimally regulated. This paper outlines evidence to support the Commission's implication that the European Union's chemicals regulatory regime is suboptimal. It also criticises the BfR team's contentions by reference to empirical findings (eg concerning tumours, congenital anomalies and the toxicity of mixtures) and by disentangling their conceptual confusions.