FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2020
Geneva — Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability by an overwhelming majority.
The following is a statement from Giulia Carlini, Environmental Health attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on today’s vote:
“In the seven years since the World Health Organization declared endocrine disruptors (EDCs) a global threat, the European Union has taken incremental approaches that are incommensurate with their risk to human health. As a result of regulatory inaction and delays, companies have continued to manufacture products such as toys, cosmetics, and food contact materials containing EDCs. Today’s vote by the EU Parliament to recommend a more comprehensive approach rightfully calls for the transition to a definition that includes known, presumed, and suspected EDCs in addition to inserting specific EDCs provisions in all relevant EU legislation. This action elevates EDCs to the same level as other chemicals that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and toxic for reproduction.
CIEL applauds the EU Parliament on today’s vote for the Resolution on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. It has been seven years since the Commission was given the mandate to draft harmonized, hazard-based criteria to identify EDCs and address their effects across EU law — action is long overdue. We now call upon the Commission to take up Parliament’s demands. These are common-sense, science-based solutions. To become the global leader that the EU aims to be on global chemicals management, the Commission should follow the Parliament’s requests, in particular where it calls the EU to lead on the development of an adequate, predictable and sustainable financing mechanism for global chemicals and waste management.”
###
Media Contact:
Cate Bonacini, +1-510-520-9109, cbonacini@ciel.org