The Great Detox: EU plans largest ban of toxic chemicals ever

Europe's chemicals sector could be on the verge of a major transformation following this week's publication of the EU's "restrictions roadmap" which, if implemented, would effectively constitute the largest toxic chemicals ban in history.

In January, environmental scientists at the Stockholm Resilience Centre said a "planetary boundary" had been crossed in terms of chemical pollution, and that human-made changes had inextricably altered the climate stability of the last 10,000 years.

Read more: EU beefs up dangerous chemicals laws to protect workers

The problem has been linked to a decline in animal populations and has been blamed for falling fertility rates in humans, as well as two million deaths every year.

More than 213,000 chemicals are used in Europe, and a significant number can be hazardous. Between 2000 and 2017, the global chemicals market more than doubled and is expected to double again by end of the decade according to UN figures published in 2019.

On Monday, Brussels published its "Restrictions Roadmap", seen as the first step towards tackling the problem through the use of existing legislation to ban a range of toxic substances linked to cancer, obesity, diabetes, reprotoxic disorders and a number of other illnesses using criteria set out in the EU's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.

The plan looks at entire classes of chemical substances for the first time. These include bisphenols, which are used widely in plastics but cause disruption to human hormones, and all forms of PVC, the most difficult-to-recycle plastic and one that contains large numbers of toxic additives.

It would also restrict Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), better known as "forever chemicals" because of the time they take to degrade, as well as some 2,000 other harmful chemicals found in childcare products like pacifiers and diapers.

Read more: What to know about the EU's single-use plastics ban

All of these substances will be put on a "rolling list" to be considered for ban or restriction by the European Chemicals Agency. The list will be reviewed and updated regularly, before being significantly revised as part of the EU's Reach regulation for chemicals, pencilled in for 2027.

In December, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), released a study with data from over 100 European chemical firms, which found that up to 12,000 substances could fall under the scope of the proposals, accounting for 43% of the entire sector's turnover.

In a statement, Cefic said that the sector welcomed the increased transparency on the restriction proposals and that it would allow time for the preparation of data.

However, the industry group sounded a more cautious note, saying that the restrictions would have a "significant impact on industry and value chains; and consequently, on products produced and used in Europe".

It called for the implementation approach to consider all these risks, adding that a "differentiated approach" should be taken between industrial, professional and consumer uses of the substances.

The statement added that the changes would require support. "The restrictions will require a huge amount of resources, not only for industry but from authorities too, including the European Chemicals Agency. We therefore call on sufficient resourcing and expertise to be dedicated to support the upcoming changes," it said.

Read more: UK delays post-Brexit chemicals safety regime by 2 more years

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), a network of environmental NGOs from across the bloc, welcomed the announcement, describing it as the "great detox".

"If implemented, the action will be the largest ever regulatory removal of authorised chemicals anywhere and covers chemicals that environmental, consumer and health groups have fought against for decades," said the EEB in a statement. 

The group tweeted later on Monday, calling on the EU to follow up the commitment to "detoxify the European economy" with action.

Tatiana Santos, the bureau's chemicals policy manager, said: "What [European Commission President] Von der Leyen's Commission has announced today opens a new chapter in facing down the growing threat from harmful chemicals.

"This ‘great detox’ promises to improve the safety of almost all manufactured products and rapidly lower the chemical intensity of our schools, homes and workplaces. It is high time for the EU to turn words into real and urgent action."

The scheme's focus on groups of chemicals, rather than individual substances, has been the cause of some controversy. Until now, the EU regulated each chemical one by one. However, critics of the approach have said that it is no longer viable in an era where a new chemical is developed every 1.4 seconds.  

Read more: What was on the EU's most unsafe products list in 2021?

And while some within the industry have argued for a more targeted approach to restrictions and for incentives and to develop safer alternatives, the European Chemicals Agency has said that chemicals should be dealt with in groups to avoid a practice known as "regrettable substitution".

Some chemical companies have avoided bans on individual chemicals in the past using the practice, which involves tweaking chemical compositions just enough to create a sometimes equally dangerous sister substance, but which sidesteps the rules and requires lengthy legislative processes to regulate.

Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, said: "These REACH restrictions aim to reduce exposure of people and the environment to some of the most harmful chemicals, addressing a wide range of their uses - industrial, professional, and in consumer products."

The proposals come a month after EU ministers passed a raft of amendments to strengthen the carcinogens and mutagens directive, a piece of legislation that protects workers from a range of harmful substances.

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