Chemicals and Women- So what is the problem? WOMEN FOR A TOXIC-FREE FUTURE Polish Women´s Seminar &...
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Transcript of Chemicals and Women- So what is the problem? WOMEN FOR A TOXIC-FREE FUTURE Polish Women´s Seminar &...
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Chemicals and Women- So what is the problem?
WOMEN FOR A TOXIC-FREE FUTURE Polish Women´s Seminar & Workshop
Monday 6th of December 2004, Warsaw
Daniela Rosche [email protected] in Europe for a Common Future International Policy Coordinator
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Summary Presentation
• What kind of chemicals are we talking about• Chemicals are everywhere• Why this is a problem• What kind of health effects many man-made
chemicals have• Example: Bisphenol A• Why women are especially affected • Information gap-regulation in EU• New EU legislation- REACH• Why REACH needs strong support of Women
(and Men)
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Synthetic Chemicals
• Synthetic – man-made not natural• Manufactured/industrial chemicals as a result of
large scale production- 400 Mio t per year• Come in contact via food, inhalation, through skin• Hazardous chemicals
– Persistent: e.g., plastic bags on the alps– Bioaccumulative: accumulates in your body– Toxic: depending on dose – or not?– Carcinogens– Endocrine disrupters
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Chemicals in Every Day Life-A chemical world?
• Chemicals in consumer products:– Cosmetics, perfumes, body care– Household paint– Plastic toys/ other plastic equipment– Non-stick frying pans– Electrical appliances– PCs– Compact disks– Textiles– Food– Cleaning products
Silent, invisible pollutionWithout our consent or knowledge
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Health effects linked to synthetic chemicals
Disrupt the hormone system &
reproductive system
Toxic to the immune system
Affect the nervous system
Allergies Respiratory diseases
Cancer
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Example: Bisphenol A
• Where?: baby feeding bottles, flooring, nail polish, compact disks, adhesiveselectrical & electronic appliances, lining of tin cans
• What: damages immune system, nervous
system, reproductive system, linked to breast
cancer
• Health effects in animals detected, 2500 times lower than USEPA “lowest observed dose effect”
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Women are especially affected by chemicals
• Women have a different physiology-"windows of time"
• Women have more fatty tissue than men, more chemicals can accumulate and be stored in the body
• Pass on these chemicals to the foetus in utero (through placenta) and via breast milk
• Some chemicals have the ability to cross the brain barrier of the developing foetus
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Two main problems with regulating synthetic chemicals
• 1) Of certain chemicals, variety of ngeative health effects shown
• 2) Little or no data on environment and health effects of majority of chemicals in consumer products
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Chemicals Regulation in the EU
• Pesticides
• Biocides
• Cosmetics
• IPPC
• Worker’s protection
New chemicals law
REACH
30.000Chemicals marketed in the EU
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A New Law in the Making: REACH
• RegistrationEvaluation and Authorization of Chemicals
• Aims at protecting human health & environment
• EU takes the lead internationally on managing chemicals proactively, not only their risk
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A New Law in the Making: REACH
• REACH is important• Will close the information gap• Burden of Proof on Industry-not governments
or individuals• Data is kept with the help of an Agency-
streamlines information• The most dangerous chemicals will need an
authorization One step further to ensure protection from negative
health & environment effects of hazardous chemicals
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REACH out and bring an End to the Chemicals Crisis
• WECF strongly endorses this initiative
• Work in a big coalition on EU level and national level in order to strengthen REACH
• Encourage EU to continue taking the lead globally toward a toxic free future - 2020 WSSD target
“ to achieve by 2020 that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization
of significant adverse effects on human health and
the environment”
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REACH out and bring an End to the Chemicals Crisis
• What you can do:
– Support us and other NGOs in the Pro- REACH campaign
– Lobby your government & MEPs directly
– Be smart consumers- buy products that contain natural ingredients
– Write to producers to find out what their products are made of
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REACH out and bring an End to the Chemicals Crisis• What you can do:
– Demand responsibility from producers to make sure their products are safe and there is enough information about them
– Demand from your governments to do the same
– Spread the word and educate others
– COME WITH US TO BRUSSELS !