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  Latest News  
  April 28, 2004  

CHEMICAL REGULATION
  DEFENDING REACH
EU environment chief speaks out about REACH plan
 

CHERYL HOGUE
   
   
 

Margot Wallström, European commissioner for the environment, defended the European Union's legislation on Registration, Evaluation & Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) at the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Environment Conference on Chemicals in Charlottesville, Va., on April 26. Wallström has spearheaded the REACH effort in the EU.

Wallström PHOTO BY CHERYL HOGUE
The biggest misunderstanding about REACH-first unveiled in 2001-is how much it will cost. According to Wallström, costs are estimated to be between $3.3 billion and $6.1 billion over 11 years. The wide range is due to uncertainty about the number of substances that companies may withdraw from the EU market because of REACH.

The benefits of the plan, estimated with the help of the World Health Organization, are expected to be about $59 billion over 30 years, Wallström said. This is based on the assumption that REACH would reduce disease related to chemical exposure by 0.1%.

"I have no interest in making a too costly system," Wallström told the conference. REACH "is not overly burdensome and it's not impossible."

She criticized some people in the chemical industry who argue that REACH will cost far more to implement by "exaggerating the figures to such an extent that nobody will believe them."

"REACH will happen, believe me," Wallström stressed. "There is no way back."

The Bush Administration has lobbied heavily on behalf of the U.S. chemical industry, pushing the EU to modify REACH. But far more influential than the U.S. lobbying effort, Wallström said, have been detailed suggestions from the European chemical industry, especially German companies, on ways to improve REACH.

"They know this issue and they know the proposal."

"There has been too much scaremongering" about REACH, Wallström concluded. "This will not cause the death of the European chemicals industry. We've not done it in a conspiracy to kill off competitors or destroy trade or what have you."

 
     
  Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2004
 


 
 
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