Recentering the REACH debate: the benefits of the proposed chemicals policy for workers' health
As the final stage of the debate on the European Commission's proposals for a new chemicals policy, entitled REACH, takes place, a scientific study on the benefits of the REACH directive has been presented to the European Parliament. The study is an attempt to refocus the debate, which has so far concentrated on the costs of the implementation of the REACH legislation, as its writers have found that REACH has the potential to reduce occupational disease caused by chemicals, along with the associated costs both for industry and the society. The report, by researchers at the UK's University of Sheffield, shows that the REACH directive could help to avoid 50,000 cases of occupational respiratory disease and 40,000 cases of occupational skin disease in the EU every year caused by exposure to dangerous chemicals. Over a ten year period, this would add up to an average saving of 3.5 billion euro for the EU-25. These savings would be doubly beneficial: while saving social security systems and employers a lot of money in sickness benefit payments and productivity losses from sickness absenteeism, it would also mean health-related quality of life gains to workers, and avoid economic losses in unpaid sickness benefits for workers. A previous report on the impact of REACH on health had mainly focused on avoidance of chemical induced cancer deaths, although skin and respiratory disorders are among the most common work-related problems. The study was commissioned by the European Trade Union Confederation's research institute (ETUI-REHS) and carried out at the School of health and related research (ScHARR) of the University of Sheffield. Introducing the report to the European Parliament, ETUI-REHS managing director Marc Sapir stressed that the potential benefits of REACH depend very much on the information produced under the system, both on the hazards of chemicals, and on how the risks relating to their uses should be managed. 'REACH is a first-class tool for generating and transmitting useful data on chemicals, but it will not get us very far if we don't ask producers for enough information,' he said. According to the study, the potential benefits of REACH are linked to data requirements and transmission through the supply chain, including extra information for substances produced or imported in amounts of between one and ten tonnes per year; that is chemical safety reports and acute toxicity data, and better application of the substitution principle, according to which no new product will be authorised when a suitable alternative is available. The presentation of the report was hosted by Guido Sacconi, the European Parliament's lead rapporteur on REACH. Mr Sacconni said: 'this important study gives a salutary reminder that while REACH may have a cost, benefits are also to be expected in terms of human health, especially that of workers, and that is one of the key aims of the reform'. The aims of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals) proposal, tabled by the Commission in October 2003, are to improve the protection of human health and the environment while maintaining competitiveness and enhancing the innovative capability of the EU chemicals industry. Earlier this month, the European Parliament's Environment Committee's attempt to strike a broad consensus on REACH came under fire from both industry, fearing job losses, and environmentalists concerned with the threat of toxic contamination. Mr Sacconi estimated that two points in this discussion are non-negotiable: keeping the burden of proof on companies and keeping the tests envisaged for the substances produced in quantities between ten and 100 tons a year. On 15 November the proposal will undergo a Parliament plenary vote. It has been recently discussed by the Competition and Environment Councils. The UK Presidency is confident that the final proposal will receive wide support and a political agreement, which could be reached at the Competitiveness Council on 28 and 29 November.