On February 3, 2020, the new Commissioner from the European Internal Market (DG Grow) spoke with the European Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety (ENVI) about the creation of rules to remove hazardous chemicals for material cycles. Regulatory news provider Chemical Watch reported that in his first address to the committee, Commissioner Thierry Brenton said that the implementation of non-toxic material cycles is “a very important matter” and that the European Commission will “be putting in place rules which will be extremely clear.” This follows earlier criticism the EC received from European political groups for not addressing this issue in the past. Brenton also shared DG Grow’s goal to harmonize rules for substances of very high concern (SVHCs) across the EU, which will include an update of the REACH legislation to manage endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). He further commented on the need to enforce that products imported into the EU adhere to the same chemical safety rules and defended the Commission’s commitment to combat excessive levels of lead in recycled plastics (FPF reported). Chemical Watch noted that Brenton’s comments “signal a change from DG Grow’s previous resistance to a strategy for a non-toxic environment.”
Read More
Clelia Oziel (February 4, 2020). “EU Commission plans ‘clear’ rules on non-toxic material cycles.” Chemical Watch
