Finally justice on hazardous chemical in electronics
Electronics and office equipment in standby mode are responsible for 1.5 percent of Switzerland’s annual electricity consumption.
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Brussels, Belgium - WWF welcomes today’s ruling of the European Court of Justice against the European Commission’s decision to exempt the flame retardant deca-BDE from the ban in electronic products. WWF is relieved that this substance will be finally banned from TVs and computers from July 2008 (as it should have been since 2006).
In 2005 the European Commission had granted an exemption for deca-BDE from a list of chemicals banned in the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHs) Directive. In 2006 the European Parliament and Denmark, joined by other European countries, took the Commission to Court claiming that the only ground for granting exemptions would be the lack of safer alternatives. This is not the case for deca-BDE, as it can be replaced by other substances or technologies. Today the Court of Justice has overruled the Commission's decision.
“We believe that the persistence of this flame retardant, its presence in wildlife and humans with possible effects on the developing brain demonstrate the urgent need for its ban and, more generally, for better controls on hazardous chemicals,” says Ninja Reineke, Senior Officer on Chemicals at WWF.
According to WWF, the remaining uses of deca-BDE should be further addressed in the context of the new EU chemicals regulation - REACH - in view of its total replacement to protect humans and wildlife.
For further information:
Ninja Reineke, Senior Officer on Chemicals at WWF
Tel: +32 2 740 0926
E-mail: nreineke@wwfepo.org
Claudia Delpero, Communications Manager at WWF European Policy Office
Tel: +32 2 740 0925
E-mail: cdelpero@wwfepo.org
Joe Smith
October 14, 2008 - 07:44