Historic vote on endocrine disrupting substances
(From an article in Aktuell Hållbarhet the 21 of February 2017)
The EU Member States have approved the classification of the phthalates DEHP, DBP and BBP, DIBP as endocrine disruptors for humans, according to the Reach Regulation.
This is the very first time that substances on the EU’s candidate list are recorded as endocrine disruptors for humans, according to the environmental organisations ‘ umbrella body, Chemsec, the International Chemical Secretariat.
These substances can be found on the candidate list where, they admittedly are listed as toxic to reproduction and currently are restricted in electronics and toys. However, two years ago the Reach Committee did say no to a classification of these substances as endocrine disruptors to humans.
The classification and restriction of endocrine disruptors is lagging behind several years because the European Commission has not fulfilled its obligations, under other chemicals legislation, in developing scientific criteria that can define and identify endocrine disrupting substances.
On Chemsecs substitution list, the Sin-list, 32 substances are classified as endocrine disruptors and on the EU candidates list there are several substances which are classified as toxic to reproduction.
The decision in the REACH Committee, is according Chemsec, the result of years of pressure from Denmark, who already in 2009 documented the health risks, with the four phthalates. Last year, Denmark proposed together with the EU Chemicals Agency ECHA that the substances should be prohibited in products used indoors or products that consumers can come in contact with. This proposal is expected to be processed by the REACH Committee after the summer.