Brussels
SWEDEN is considering banning the use of any chemical that accumulates in the
environment, whether or not it is known to be toxic.
This hardline measure has been proposed by a cross-party committee of
politicians set up to decide how the country should implement a 1995 decision by
North Sea countries to eventually stop all discharges of toxic chemicals that
persist in the environment. The committee, which has spent the past year
consulting chemicals companies, environmentalists and legal experts, recommends
that by 2007 all products on the market should be 鈥渇ree from substances that are
persistent and liable to bioaccumulate鈥�.
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It also recommends that by 2002, manufacturers should be forced to label
products with detailed information about the chemicals they contain. Products
should also be free from anything known to have 鈥渟erious or irreversible
effects鈥� on human health or the environment. The government plans to include the
proposals in a bill that it will submit to parliament later this year.
Annika Helker-Lundstr枚m of the Swedish environment ministry, who is also
the committee鈥檚 secretary, says: 鈥淚f a compound is persistent, it may be too
late to stop it from doing harm if at some time in the future we discover it is
toxic. It is better to stop such things being released at all.鈥� As well as
hundreds of pesticides and commonly used industrial chemicals, the ban would
cover PVC because, according to Helker-Lundstr枚m, 鈥渨e don鈥檛 know what
tonnes and tonnes of PVC polymer will degrade to in a few centuries鈥�.
The chemicals industry is fiercely opposed to the proposal. Owe Friedholm of
the Association of Swedish Chemical Industries says it is 鈥渓ike banning all cars
because you have not done a risk assessment to find out which one is the most
dangerous鈥�. The Federation of Swedish Industries says the measures would harm
Swedish manufacturers while doing little to improve the global environment.
The committee defends its precautionary approach, claiming it is unlikely
that all chemicals will ever be tested sufficiently. It wants its proposal
adopted by the whole European Union.