In a global comparison, the EU has a strict chemicals legislation under REACH. But there has also been growing criticism that REACH is insufficient, that there are inconsistencies between different sectorial laws for chemicals, and that implementation in has been poor and too slow.
Long awaited, the EU Commission presented its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment on 14 October this year. The overall aim of the new strategy is to reduce risks associated with producing and using chemicals. The strategy foresees to present instruments that will simplify and strengthen EU rules, and review how agencies and scientific bodies can work better together. According to the strategy, this will help to:
- better protect people and the environment from hazardous chemicals
- encourage the development of safe and sustainable alternatives
- make it even easier to trade safe chemicals within the EU.
In short, the strategy is seen as an important step in the right direction but with raised concern about what the coming process will mean for ensuring a true non-toxic environment. Researchers at Stockholm University commented on the strategy and highlighted for instance the importance of handling chemicals in groups instead of one by one; that highly toxic chemicals should be phased out; and that the concept of “essential use” is included in the strategy.
Welcome to our next Baltic Breakfast
What is needed for the Chemicals Strategy to deliver instruments that live up to the high expectations? And what could the strategy potentially mean for the presence of toxic substances in the Baltic Sea – are additional measures and governance tools needed? Please join the Baltic Breakfast webinar on 9 December 2020 where chemical experts from Stockholm University and The Royal Institute of Technology will give their views on the new strategy.
Speakers:
Christina Rudén, Professor in Regulatory Ecotoxicology and Toxicology at the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University
Ian Cousins, Professor in Contaminant Chemistry at the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University
Mikael Karlsson, Associate Professor in Environmental Science at the Department of Philosophy at the Royal of Institute of Technology, KTH
Ask a question about the new strategy!
Have you wondered something specific about the new EU Chemicals Strategy? Write your question anytime on Sli.do, use the code: #42078
The experts will adress as many questions as possible during the livestreaming and all questions and anwers will be published online afterwards.
Practical information
This webinar will be broadcasted on this webpage on the 9th of December 08:30-09:15 (local time in Sweden, GMT +2).
No registration is needed.
The webinar will be recorded and can be watched afterwards at this same webpage.
Are you a journalist? Contact us to plan an interview with the experts!
About Baltic Breakfast
Baltic Breakfast is a series of short breakfast webinars organised by the Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Their aim is to present the latest knowledge about issues of central importance to the Baltic Sea environment. The breakfast webinars are addressed to people in different sectors working for a sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region and everyone interested in environmental issues of the Baltic Sea.
Read more and subscribe to our event-invitation list.
