Industry association and environmentalist pressure group find common ground in their mutual opposition to the EU's Reach proposals
The Chemical Industries Association (CIA) received a delegation on 24 November from WWF-UK, ahead of the launch of its new report on chemicals found in the human bloodstream.
CIA director general Judith Hackitt applauded WWF's initiative, which underlines the need for the proposed Reach regulations to focus on chemicals of greatest concern, through prioritisation.
"The chemical industry has always agreed with WWF and others that this proposed legislation must deliver results given the extent to which chemicals are around all of us, all of the time.
"We need to increase our understanding and focus our attention on those substances of greatest concern - not waste valuable time on everyday substances we know well, just because they are produced in high tonnages." Judith Hackitt emphasised that the chemical industry shares WWF's view that there is still room to improve the Reach regulations to make them more workable through simplification.
"No-one can argue with the principle of substituting less hazardous substances in applications - but to do this effectively, without simply shutting the door on EU manufacturers to the advantage of importers, is the real challenge", she added.
"Good legislation benefits everyone, poor legislation is not good for any of us.
"The WWF study echoes our own call for good regulation as quickly as possible."
