First improvements on nanoparticles under REACH chemicals law

Brussels, Belgium – With a decision made yesterday, carbon and graphite will not be exempted anymore from registration under REACH, the European chemicals regulation. Companies will now have to provide health and safety information on these chemicals.

WWF welcomes the vote made by the representatives of EU governments on a European Commission proposal in the REACH committee as this closes a loophole in the European chemicals law. Laboratory studies have in fact linked the extremely small forms of these materials (nanoforms), which are used in the manufacture of a variety of consumer products, e.g. computers or tennis rackets, to serious health risks such as cancer.

According to the global conservation organisation, however, yesterday’s vote is just a first step: “REACH still only applies to a production volume of 1 tonne per year per company – an amount not always reached for these small particles,” say Ninja Reineke, Senior Policy Officer on Chemicals at WWF.

“We generally need stricter controls for nanomaterials.”

EU Authorities supported the Commission’s proposal not to oblige industries to provide information on other dangerous chemicals still exempted, such as minerals with asbestos-like properties. WWF criticises this as a missed opportunity, but still welcomes that further industry proposals to exempt more substances with toxic properties have been refused.

The vote comes in the same week of the official opening of the European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki. Within the next three months, if neither Council nor the European Parliament oppose the proposal, these first changes to the REACH law will be adopted.

WWF will continue to be involved in the further developments and try to ensure that REACH is further improved and implemented in a way that protects human health and the environment.

Further Information:
Ninja Reineke, WWF
Tel: +32 2 740 09 26
E-mail: nreineke@wwfepo.org