Pages above:
The European Eel. Stocks in Europe have crashed due to a combination of overfishing, habitat loss and toxic pollution.
Enlarge Image
How do toxic chemicals with complicated names like brominated flame
retardants (BFRs) that are added to many textiles, sofas, plastics,
TV's and computers end up in eels? Politicians tell us that chemicals
are under control, but tell that to an eel who is swimming in
chemicals. Toxic chemicals are out of control.
Is this contamination a problem for eels? No one knows for sure but the evidence is mounting that BFRs and other toxics have the potential to damage development and hormone systems in humans and wildlife. Certainly for an eel already under pressure, it's an extra dose of bad news. Some scientists are concerned that these toxins could harm the eel's ability reproduce or its young to survive.
With populations in some European waters as low as 1 percent of historic levels, the eel clearly doesn't need a toxic burden. For that matter neither do we. BFRs can also contaminate our own blood, including umbilical cord blood, exposing an unborn baby to manmade hazardous chemicals while still in the womb.
We need your help to counter dirty industry lobbying against laws to protect you from toxic pollution. Take a stand by uploading your picture at the vote for safer chemicals site.
In Europe a new law (called REACH) is being drafted that attempts to protect human health and the environment from the toxic contamination. REACH would provide health and safety information currently lacking for some 30,000 chemicals. A strong REACH would drive the replacement or substitution of toxic chemicals with safer alternatives.
But while eels might be slippery and tricky to control they have nothing on the worst excesses of the chemical industry. The vital proposed law has inspired the biggest industrial lobbying assault ever seen in Europe. The chemical industry is seeking to weaken it to the benefit of industry and loss of protection for you and me. Chemical industry associations from Europe, US and Asia have sent armies of lobbyists to Brussels, spreading baseless scare stories and employing delay tactics with any politician would listen.
Some EU politicians and governments are now pushing the industry line, wrongly claiming the law will cost jobs and must be "streamlined," made more "cost effective" and "workable." These are industry weasel words for the seriously weakening the law to everyone else. They propose allowing industry to continue using 20,000 chemicals without basic health, safety and environmental data information - that's 2/3 of the chemicals originally under the law!
Obviously the chemical industry and certain politicians prefer to ignore past experiences with toxic chemicals. Here again the eel can give them a little lesson - in history. Many eels tested had high levels of highly toxic PCB's - despite the fact they have been banned since the 1970's in Europe. Past mistakes in chemical regulation are not quickly resolved.
The politicians of the European Union have a unique opportunity to effective regulate chemical pollution and set a strong worldwide precedent to protect human health and the environment. Will they stand up for the people who elected them or will they cave to in to vested interests of the non-elected chemical industry?
Is this contamination a problem for eels? No one knows for sure but the evidence is mounting that BFRs and other toxics have the potential to damage development and hormone systems in humans and wildlife. Certainly for an eel already under pressure, it's an extra dose of bad news. Some scientists are concerned that these toxins could harm the eel's ability reproduce or its young to survive.
With populations in some European waters as low as 1 percent of historic levels, the eel clearly doesn't need a toxic burden. For that matter neither do we. BFRs can also contaminate our own blood, including umbilical cord blood, exposing an unborn baby to manmade hazardous chemicals while still in the womb.
Chemical contamination? No Thanks!
We need your help to counter dirty industry lobbying against laws to protect you from toxic pollution. Take a stand by uploading your picture at the vote for safer chemicals site.
In Europe a new law (called REACH) is being drafted that attempts to protect human health and the environment from the toxic contamination. REACH would provide health and safety information currently lacking for some 30,000 chemicals. A strong REACH would drive the replacement or substitution of toxic chemicals with safer alternatives.
But while eels might be slippery and tricky to control they have nothing on the worst excesses of the chemical industry. The vital proposed law has inspired the biggest industrial lobbying assault ever seen in Europe. The chemical industry is seeking to weaken it to the benefit of industry and loss of protection for you and me. Chemical industry associations from Europe, US and Asia have sent armies of lobbyists to Brussels, spreading baseless scare stories and employing delay tactics with any politician would listen.
"Don't worry - we'll just test a few"
Some EU politicians and governments are now pushing the industry line, wrongly claiming the law will cost jobs and must be "streamlined," made more "cost effective" and "workable." These are industry weasel words for the seriously weakening the law to everyone else. They propose allowing industry to continue using 20,000 chemicals without basic health, safety and environmental data information - that's 2/3 of the chemicals originally under the law!
Obviously the chemical industry and certain politicians prefer to ignore past experiences with toxic chemicals. Here again the eel can give them a little lesson - in history. Many eels tested had high levels of highly toxic PCB's - despite the fact they have been banned since the 1970's in Europe. Past mistakes in chemical regulation are not quickly resolved.
Protecting people or pandering to profit?
The politicians of the European Union have a unique opportunity to effective regulate chemical pollution and set a strong worldwide precedent to protect human health and the environment. Will they stand up for the people who elected them or will they cave to in to vested interests of the non-elected chemical industry?
Take action against toxic pollution
Support us
GREENPEACE EMAIL
