Employment and Chemical risks

Tony Musu, ETUI-REHS

Developing trade union activities on sustainable development and employment

Torino, 27 October 2006

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Chemicals: two sides to the story Current EU legislation on chemicals The REACH proposal REACH the debate ETUC position & activities on REACH Questions for discussion

Overview:

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Chemicals in every man-made product EU chemical industry turnover in 2004 was € 586 billion

(~ 30% of annual world sales) 1.7 million workers in the EU chemical industry

(~10 million workers in the world) Millions of workers downstream (building, textile,

automotive, electronic, etc...) Chemicals contribute to the economic prosperity in terms

of trade and jobs

Chemicals and economy

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Chemicals and Occupational diseases & fatalities

16 % of workers in Europe declare to handle hazardous products and 22 % to breath in toxic vapours

Between 18% and 30% of all occupational diseases recognised each year in EU are related to exposure to chemicals

Occupational skin diseases are estimated to cost the EU € 600 million each year, resulting in around 3 million lost working days

440 000 deaths per year due to exposure to hazardous chemicals in the world (ILO estimation)

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Drawbacks of the EU current legislation on chemicals:

No safety data for most of the substances on the market

Old and complex legal framework (40 pieces of legislation)

Burden on proof on the regulatory authorities (and not on the industry!)

Lack of incentives for the replacement of hazardous chemicals by less hazardous ones

diseases / pollution of the environment

EU system incapable of safeguarding the health of workers, consumers and the environment

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REACH = Registration, Evaluation & Autorisation of Chemicals

Feb, 2001

White Paper

OBJECTIVES = Sustainable Development

• Achieve a high level of protection for human health and the environment

• Promote the efficient functioning of the EU internal market and enhance the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry

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Registration: Manufacturers of chemicals > 1 tpa will be required to register their substances to demonstrate they can be used safely

Evaluation of some substances by Member States / Chemical Agency

Authorisation only for substances of very high concern

REACH, how will it work ?

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REACH, the debate:The Industry, some Gvmts

• Costs too high• Administrative burden • Concerns about commercial

confidentiality of data

• Industry relocation outside the EU

• GDP and job losses

TUs, NGOs, Consumers,

• Duty of the industry for ensuring that the substances can be made and used safely

• Right to know, public access to data

• Ban/substitution of hazardous substances

• Benefits for human health and the environment

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Costs vs Benefits :

Direct costs to industry are € 2.3 billion over 11-year period (< 0.05 % of the chemical industry’s annual turnover)

Total costs (including indirect costs to DUs) are in the range € 2.8 to € 5.2 billion

Benefits to health (4,500 mortalities avoided per year due to REACH) are € 50 billion over 30-year period

Benefits for workers' health ( 90,000 chemical-related diseases avoided per year) are € 90 billion over 30-year period

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REACH will considerably improve the health of workers exposed to hazardous chemicals

REACH will promote innovation and employment in

the Chemical Industry

REACH is a significant contribution to Sustainable Development

ETUC strongly supports REACH

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ETUC working group on REACH: prepare the trade union position on the REACH reform

Booklet « REACHing the workplace » ETUC conferences on REACH Worker representatives involved in the European

Commission impact assessment ETUC impact study on the REACH benefits for

workers' health (Sheffield University) Lobbying activities (Parliament & Council)

ETUC campaign on REACH

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REACH = Registration, Evaluation & Authorisation of Chemicals

Feb, 2001

White Paper

Oct, 2003 Dec, 2006

Commission draft text

1st reading Parliament

Council Agreement

REACH >>> REACH >>> REACH >>> REACH >>> ?

Internet consultatio

n

May, 2003 Dec, 2005

Second reading

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Questions for discussion:

Main challenges for trade unions concerning chemical risks at the workplace ?

Role of trade unions in the proper management of chemicals ?

What can trade unions do at local level (enterprises), at national level, at regional & global level ?