Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2004
73 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, of the 30,000 chemicals in current use here and in the EU generally; she will list those that are and are not regulated. [16612/04]
View answerThe position in respect of the regulation of chemicals in current use is complex. It is not possible to give the definitive list requested by the Deputy. Chemicals are subject to a range of specialised legislation. Separate legislation on industrial chemicals, medicines, pesticides, biocides, cosmetics, workplace health and safety, prevention of environmental pollution and food safety, are implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. Different aspects of a chemical's action may be controlled by several types of legislation.
The present system for general industrial chemicals distinguishes between existing substances which were on the European market in September 1981 and new substances, which have been placed on the market since that date. There are about 4,000 new substances that have been rigorously tested before they were placed on the European market. Over 100,000 existing chemicals, which were included on the European inventory of existing commercial substances, were on the European market in September 1981. They have been exempted from notification and testing to date. It is estimated that 30,000 of the chemicals are still on the EU market.
A review of the current legislative system has led to the development by the European Commission of a draft Council regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals, known as REACH. The REACH initiative aims to establish a single coherent system in which all substances new and existing will be treated similarly. It is proposed that all existing substances still on the market will be phased into the new system over an 11-year period, with higher tonnage chemicals and those of highest risk being registered first. Substances with certain hazardous properties that give rise to high concern will have to be given use-specific authorisation before they can be used. The Irish Presidency has been actively involved in progressing the dossier at Council level over the past six months, but the legislation is likely to take a number of years to finalise.
