Welcome to this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, where we look into the EU indicator framework for chemicals, focused on improving chemical safety across Europe.

The transition towards safer and more sustainable chemicals is progressing in some areas, while in others, it is just beginning. This is the finding of a first, joint Europe-wide assessment of the drivers and impact of chemical pollution by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The benchmarking found that more work is still needed to reduce the impact of harmful substances on human health and the environment. 

We are joined by Leena Ylä-Mononen, the Executive Director of EEA and Sharon McGuinness, the Executive Director of ECHA. Together, they discuss the roles their agencies play in developing these indicators. This episode offers an in-depth look at how these agencies work together to support safer chemical management, highlighting the real-world impact of their work on environmental and public health.

We'll explore the challenges faced during the project, the collaboration between various European institutions, and what future developments we might expect in the realm of chemical safety.

Background

According to the joint EEA-ECHA synthesis report on the EU indicator framework for chemicals, the overall use of the most harmful chemicals (in particular those that are carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic) is still growing but more slowly than the overall chemicals market growth. Pressure is increasing to avoid the use of so-called substances of concern and to implement the principles of the safe and sustainable by design framework. 

There is a need to more effectively ensure that consumer products do not contain the most harmful substances, for example chemicals that are endocrine disrupting, that negatively affect the hormone system, or substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, which present a risk for years to come even after their use has ceased.

More data and information are needed to better understand human and environmental exposure to those most harmful chemicals and their impacts. Still, the indicators show clearly that the shift to safe and sustainable chemicals must continue and should even be accelerated.

Listen to our episode for a deep dive into what the main findings of this initial assessment were and check the online dashboard for more details.

Useful links

• EU Agencies: more work needed to make chemicals safe and sustainable  - ECHA news, 17 April 2024

• Joint EEA-ECHA synthesis report

• Online dashboard

• Give us feedback 
  

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication. 

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This episode of the Safer Chemicals podcast, hosted by Adam Elwan from ECHA, dives into the work of the committees' work on the proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Europe.

Adam is joined by Roberto Scazzola and Maria Ottati, chairs of ECHA's Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis committees as they discuss the first steps of forming scientific opinions on the restriction proposal.

The episode also touches on the committees' work on other areas, such as the harmonised classification of lithium salts and the use of chromium VI compounds in key industries.

Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of the importance of scientific and technical robustness in the committee's work, and the Agency's commitment to ensuring chemical safety in the EU.

Useful links

• Episode transcript 

• More episodes on the committees for risk assessment and socio-economic analysis 

• Give us feedback 

More

• March RAC and SEAC meeting highlights  - ECHA news, 20 March 2024

• Agenda of RAC’s meeting   [PDF] [EN] 

• Agenda of SEAC’s meeting  [PDF] [EN] 

• REACH restriction process 

• Harmonised classification and labelling 

• Risk Assessment Committee 

• Socio-Economic Analysis Committee

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Our wellbeing depends on the health of animals, plants and our environment. What affects one affects all the others, and increasingly so.

A One Health perspective is about joining forces to find integrated solutions to common challenges such as climate change and antibiotic resistance.

Join us to hear from experts at five EU scientific agencies about how we can put One Health into practice. Whether it's safeguarding access to life-saving medicines or combating the next pandemics, a One Health approach will be essential to how our society navigates the future. 

This is the second of our two part episode with speakers from five EU agencies. Listen to the first episode here.

Host

James Ramsay, Head of Communications - European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Guests

• Carlos das Neves, Chief Scientist - European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

• Wim De Coen, Head of Hazard Assessment at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

• Mike Catchpole, Chief Scientist at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

• Dario Piselli, Expert in environment and health at the European Environment Agency (EEA)

• Steffen Thirstrup, Chief Medical Officer at the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Check our website and stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter.

Useful links 

• EFSA, Science on the Menu podcast

• ECDC On Air podcast

• Episode transcript 

• Give us feedback 

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• Subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Subscribe to our Safer Chemicals Podcast

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication.  

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Our wellbeing depends on the health of animals, plants and our environment. What affects one affects all the others, and increasingly so.

A One Health perspective is about joining forces to find integrated solutions to common challenges such as climate change and antibiotic resistance.

Join us to hear from experts at five EU scientific agencies about how we can put One Health into practice. Whether it's safeguarding access to life-saving medicines or combating the next pandemics, a One Health approach will be essential to how our society navigates the future. 

This is the first of our two part episode with speakers from five EU agencies.

Host

James Ramsay, Head of Communications - European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Guests

• Carlos das Neves, Chief Scientist - European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

• Wim De Coen, Head of Hazard Assessment at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

• Mike Catchpole, Chief Scientist at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

• Dario Piselli, Expert in environment and health at the European Environment Agency (EEA)

• Steffen Thirstrup, Chief Medical Officer at the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Check our website and stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter.

Useful links 

• EFSA, Science on the Menu podcast

• ECDC On Air podcast

• Episode transcript 

• Give us feedback 

**************

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Subscribe to our Safer Chemicals Podcast

• Subscribe to our news

Follow us on:

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Visit our website 

Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication.  

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Welcome to the Safer Chemicals Podcast. In this episode, we explore an EU enforcement project that revealed concerning levels of banned chemicals in everyday consumer goods across Europe. The findings? A significant 18% non-compliance rate in various items like electrical devices, sports gear, toys, and fashion products.

Join us as we discuss the project's key discoveries and recommendations with experts Karin Rumar and Maciej Baranski. They shed light on the presence of harmful substances like phthalates, lead, and cadmium in these items, and how enforcement measures were taken to address non-compliant products.

The project's recommendations for industry emphasise the responsibility of companies in ensuring product safety. They advocate for heightened awareness, risk-based compliance checks, and stringent assessments to prevent hazardous chemicals in consumer goods.

Check our website for the full report and stay updated on future initiatives by subscribing to our newsletter.

Useful links

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication.  

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Welcome to the Safer Chemicals Podcast. Join host Adam Elwan as he delves into the work of the European Chemicals Agency's scientific committees. In this episode, we talk about the record number of comments received for the proposed restriction of PFAS and the harmonised classification of tea tree oil.

Discover the unprecedented public engagement as we explore the analysis of over 5 600 comments received on the proposed PFAS restriction. Our experts, Roberto Scazzola and Maria Ottati, shed light on the extensive input from various sectors, offering insights into the diverse perspectives and key concerns highlighted by industry experts and individuals alike.

From electronic and semiconductor industries to discussions on cosmetics and textiles, we dig deeper into the breadth of feedback received and its potential impact on regulatory decisions.

Stay tuned as the Risk Assessment Committee addresses the evaluation of tea tree oil, discussing its potential impact on various sectors including fragrances, cosmetics, and plant protection products.

Join us for a deep dive into the world of chemical oversight, scientific opinions, and the profound impact of public input on shaping regulatory decisions. Subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes covering crucial findings and insights on chemical regulations and safety.

What the committees do

The two committees prepare scientific opinions that are used by the European Commission and EU Member States when deciding how chemical risks need to be controlled. They are made up of scientists from EU Member States and have observers from EU organisations that represent different sectors and interests.

Useful links

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication. 

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Join Päivi Jokiniemi and Joost van Galen in this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast.

The episode focuses on the most important outcomes of the November meeting of our Biocidal Products Committee. Joost tells, for example, about the adopted Union authorisation opinions and explains why the Committee will continue discussing its opinion on an active substance application for bronopol in an additional virtual meeting in December 2023. He also raises the issue of data gaps and gives tips to companies on how to avoid them.

What the Biocidal Products Committee does:

The Committee prepares scientific opinions for the European Commission on biocidal active substances and on EU-wide authorisations of biocidal products.

Full episode transcript 

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication.  

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In this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, we take you on a deep dive into the world of chemical safety with a spotlight on scientific research needs for the regulatory risk assessment of chemicals.

Päivi Jokiniemi speaks with ECHA's experts, Wim De Coen and Fleur van Broekhuizen, who give insights into the significance of scientific research in chemical regulation. Together, they explore the fundamental questions: Why is scientific research crucial for EU chemicals regulation, and what is ECHA doing to address the ever-evolving challenges in this field?

Learn why scientific research is the cornerstone of ECHA's efforts, enabling the identification of chemical hazards, assessment of risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Get an inside look at ECHA's collaborative approach, where engagement with the scientific community is paramount. Understand how ECHA actively cooperates with researchers, fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange to drive chemical safety.

Explore the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), an initiative that allocates substantial funding to research projects aimed at enhancing regulatory practices and improving chemical safety.

Discover the key areas of regulatory challenge highlighted in ECHA's recent report and gain insights into how increased scientific research can provide better protection against harmful chemicals, address chemical pollution in the natural environment, shift away from animal testing, and improve the availability of chemical data.

Wim works as a head of unit in our Hazard Assessment Directorate and Fleur in the team coordinating ECHA's activities under PARC. 

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication. 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Join Adam Elwan in the latest episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast as he welcomes the new Chair of the Risk Assessment Committee, Roberto Scazzola, and Maria Ottati, Chair of the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee. 

They talk about the ongoing evaluation of the universal PFAS restriction proposal, France's proposal to restrict creosote-treated wood, the impact of new CLP hazard classes, and more. 

Get the latest updates on chemical risk assessment and regulation in Europe.

What the committees do

The two committees prepare scientific opinions that are used by the European Commission and EU Member States when deciding how chemical risks need to be controlled. They are made up of scientists from EU Member States and have observers from EU organisations that represent different sectors and interests.

Useful links

More

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Follow us on:

Visit our website">Visit our website 

Disclaimer: Views expressed by interviewees do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Chemicals Agency. All content is up to date at the time of publication.  

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

After the summer break, the Biocidal Products Committee is back in business discussing the latest active substance and Union authorisation cases. 

In this episode, we will introduce Joost van Galen, the new Chair of the committee, who tells about his background and how it has prepared him for this new role. He also shares his thoughts about the main challenges that the committee will be facing in the coming years. In addition, we cover the most important opinions that the committee concluded on during the

What the Biocidal Products Committee does

More

Highlights from September Biocidal Products Commitee meeting  - ECHA news update, 20 September 2023

Biocidal Products Committee  

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