EU chemicals legislation: a unique opportunity to control unlabeled household chemicals, claims Greenpeace

Brussels, 02 Jun 2003

The EU's proposed new chemicals legislation is a unique chance to bring unlabeled hazardous household chemicals under control, according to a recent study carried out by Greenpeace.

The study entitled 'consuming chemicals' examined dust samples from households in UK, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. The results reveal an alarmingly high level of chemical contamination within European households. Greenpeace claim that this 'cocktail of chemicals' is brought into European households as 'unseen and unlabeled chemicals additives in everyday consumer products'.

'Current chemical laws that should protect us from chemical contamination are weak and ineffectual,' notes the environmental body, adding that the EU's new chemicals legislation 'would set a world precedent in protection from unseen and unlabeled hazardous chemicals in our home and in our environment.'

'If the EU acts now and implements strong laws, other areas of the world will follow. If not, a dangerous global experiment on you and me will remain unchecked,' warns Greenpeace.

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