New EU Chemical Law Affects US
Thursday, June 12, 2008

New European restrictions on makers of chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems are said to force U.S. firms to consider changes.

The new laws, to be phased in over the next decade, would require companies to demonstrate that a chemical is safe before it goes on sale, The Washington Post says.

Conversely, in the United States, regulators must prove that a chemical is harmful before it can be restricted or removed from the market.

Manufacturers say that complying with the European laws would add billions to their costs.

While the long-term effect the EU edict will have on products sold in the United States is uncertain, U.S. manufacturers are reportedly searching for safer alternatives to chemicals used to make thousands of goods.

The European Union's tough stance on chemical regulation is the latest example in which Europeans are reshaping business practices, the Post said, with demands that Americans comply or risk losing access to a 27-country market.

Source: United Press International

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