REACH Chemical Policy at 10 Years: A European Perspective on Lessons Learned

Abstract

Effective chemical policy which accurately assesses potential chemical hazards to human health and the environment and appropriately restricts risky chemicals is vital because health impacts from industrial chemical exposures are preventable. Primary prevention through policy could significantly improve public health and reduce health costs, and the EU chemicals safety legislation REACH is a key framework. The presentation will briefly discuss major issues regarding epidemiologic and exposure data needs, improving risk assessments, and challenges to achieving public health protections based on 10 years of REACH implementation in the European Union and the Health and Environment Alliance’s (HEAL) experience of European policy approaches to gathering data and assessing risk from environmental chemicals.HEAL's technical, scientific and policy work has focused within the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) as an official health stakeholder and active participation in several ECHA committees, including the ED Expert group, which focuses on evaluating substances with EDC properties, providing informal, non-binding scientific advice on questions related to the identification of ED chemicals.Our key objectives in providing the health evidence and public health advocacy: 1) EU and international chemicals policies take a precautionary approach by prioritising the phase out of hazardous chemicals and promotion of safer alternatives; particularly for endocrine disruptors, and 2) Risk assessments are based on assessing harm to vulnerable groups; and incorporate chemicals mixtures and multiple exposuresHEAL and its scientific experts provide health expertise for chemicals that are under assessment for being placed on REACH’s candidate list, meaning that they would be subject to future restrictions, including high profile chemicals and test cases such as glyphosate, PFOAs, BPA, phthalates.