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.
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Wallström PHOTO BY CHERYL HOGUE |
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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."
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