Pages above:
Send to a friend
Fill in the form below and click on the "send" button to e-mail a link to this content.
You can send to UP TO FIVE e-mail addresses by separating them with commas.
Sampling activists blood outside a Bayer chemical plant. Previous test showed that chemicals produced by companies like Bayer are in his blood. To highlight this issue we attempted to return the contaminated blood to Bayer because it includes types of chemicals that Bayer produces at the plant. It refused to accept the blood sample.
Enlarge Image
We have visited two of the major producers of toxic chemicals at their
plants in Belgium to pressure them to produce safer chemicals and
support the inclusion of obligatory 'substitution principle' (EU speak
for swapping toxic chemicals for safer ones) in upcoming European
Chemical Law (REACH).
To highlight just how widespread toxic chemicals like Bisphenol-A are in the environment we sampled the blood of the Campaign Director of Greenpeace in Belgium, Wendel Trio in front of the Bayer plant that produces Bisphenol-A. Previous tests had revealed his blood is contaminated with toxic chemicals including Bisphenol-A.
"I didn't know that my blood contained chemicals which unknown to me could affect some of my vital organs. It is the same for many members of the public. I can only hope, that a group such as Bayer which is involved in health care would have the decency not to increase this pollution," said Wendel.
When we tried to give back the blood sample containing the very same chemical that Bayer produces it refused to accept it. Seems they are happy to produce and sell these chemicals but not confront the pollution this causes?
Hazardous chemicals must urgently be replaced with substances that present less or no danger, if we are to avoid a possible future public health problem.
"The proposal to make substitution of hazardous chemicals a part of REACH is under serious attack by a large part of the chemical industry, which is trying to weaken the legislation," said Fawaz Al Bitar, Greenpeace Belgium toxics campaigner. "Groups such as Bayer and BASF should stand up and support the obligatory substitution of problematic chemicals. We are keenly awaiting their commitment. Companies like H&M, Sony, Sony Ericsson, which use chemicals in their manufacturing processes, have led the way by committing to stop using certain hazardous chemicals."
Groups such as Bayer and BASF are ignoring this innovative line. The current legislative proposal offers the double opportunity of setting a level playing field for all industry and encouraging a climate of innovation.
To highlight just how widespread toxic chemicals like Bisphenol-A are in the environment we sampled the blood of the Campaign Director of Greenpeace in Belgium, Wendel Trio in front of the Bayer plant that produces Bisphenol-A. Previous tests had revealed his blood is contaminated with toxic chemicals including Bisphenol-A.
"I didn't know that my blood contained chemicals which unknown to me could affect some of my vital organs. It is the same for many members of the public. I can only hope, that a group such as Bayer which is involved in health care would have the decency not to increase this pollution," said Wendel.
When we tried to give back the blood sample containing the very same chemical that Bayer produces it refused to accept it. Seems they are happy to produce and sell these chemicals but not confront the pollution this causes?
Hazardous chemicals must urgently be replaced with substances that present less or no danger, if we are to avoid a possible future public health problem.
"The proposal to make substitution of hazardous chemicals a part of REACH is under serious attack by a large part of the chemical industry, which is trying to weaken the legislation," said Fawaz Al Bitar, Greenpeace Belgium toxics campaigner. "Groups such as Bayer and BASF should stand up and support the obligatory substitution of problematic chemicals. We are keenly awaiting their commitment. Companies like H&M, Sony, Sony Ericsson, which use chemicals in their manufacturing processes, have led the way by committing to stop using certain hazardous chemicals."
Groups such as Bayer and BASF are ignoring this innovative line. The current legislative proposal offers the double opportunity of setting a level playing field for all industry and encouraging a climate of innovation.
Become a cyberactivist
GREENPEACE EMAIL
