Well Known Companies May Be Non-Compliant with EU Chemical Safety Law

Written By: Atanu Das on Tuesday, May 21, 2019

The study, done in April 2019 identified 41 substance dossiers submitted in 2014 that remain unchanged in 2019. This may indicate that updated data with new testing information on carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, or other toxic exposure had not been completed in this time period.

Furthermore, the study findings concluded:

• 654 separate companies are identified in the 41 dossiers and, according to the German investigation, are breaking the law. Germany has most company infringements identified, 169, while the United Kingdom has 80, The Netherlands 68, France 56, Italy 49, Spain 42 and Belgium 38. Firms across all EU member states are found, except Malta and Latvia.
• Five of the global top 10 chemical companies by sales are implicated: BASF, Dow Chemical, SABIC, Ineos, ExxonMobil. Others include 3M, Henkel, Sigma-Aldrich, Solvay, Du Pont, Clariant, Thermo Fisher.
• Some are responsible for past scandals, including Bayer (glyphosate), Dow Chemical (Bhopal) and Chemours (GenX).
• Other well-known companies include Michelin, BP and Endesa.
• Makers of sensitive products include cosmetics giant L’Oréal, food and drink firm DSM, and medicine maker Merck. Others make environment or health claims in their name or websites, including Sustainability Support Services, Health & Beauty Continental Europe, Ecolab, Superdrug Stores, EcoMundo, ECO-RIGEN, VERBIO Diesel Bitterfeld.
• The REACH registration rule (REACH Title II) obliges companies marketing substances to complete safety tests. The rule is not working.
• ECHA refuses to clearly identify non-compliant substance dossiers or firms, despite multiple requests by NGOs and parliamentarians (video: 22:03, 22:04, 22:07). Tens of thousands of downstream manufacturers are using chemicals with unproven safety. Workers might be at risk.

Between 12 and 121 million tonnes of the 41 chemicals are used in Europe annually. Some are widely found in industrial and consumer products, including toys or food contact products. They include:

Dibutyl phthalate
Uses: plasticiser used in flooring, furniture, toys, construction materials, curtains, footwear, leather, paper and cardboard products and electronic equipment.
Tonnage: 1,000 – 10,000 tonnes per year
Known hazardous properties: may harm unborn children; suspected of reducing fertility; highly toxic to aquatic life.
Formal hazard identification by companies: Missing or incomplete

Methyl acetate
Uses: coating products, adhesives and sealants, cosmetics and personal care products, washing and cleaning products.
Tonnage: 100,000 – 1,000,000 tonnes per year
Known hazardous properties: causes serious eye irritation; may cause drowsiness or dizziness.
Formal hazard identification by companies: Missing or incomplete

Trichloroethylene
Uses: mainly industrial
Tonnage: 10,000 – 100,000 tonnes per year
Known hazardous properties: causes skin irritation and serious eye irritation; is suspected of causing genetic defects; may cause drowsiness or dizziness; may cause cancer; is harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Formal hazard identification by companies: Missing or incomplete

With so many chemicals used in commerce, it becomes imperative to maintain compliance with safety requirements already in place.