WI members from across Wales will hear the latest developments on how hazardous man-made chemicals used in everyday products are to be regulated by the European Union at a conference in Broneirion, Llandinam, Powys next Monday. (8 November)
Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales)will give the keynote speech along with Justin Woolford, Director of WWF-UK's Chemicals and Health campaign. Both will highlight the importance of calling on the UK government and other European states to strengthen the proposed chemicals legislation, known as REACH which is to be debated by key committees of the European Parliament later this month. (1)
"Through this conference we want to equip WI members with the knowledge and skills to lobby their MEPs to ensure that the proposed chemicals regulation called REACH offers a chance to identify and phase out the worst chemicals," said Morgan Parry, Head of WWF Cymru. "Currently the vast majority of hazardous man-made chemicals used in the EU lack basic safety data. This is not acceptable," he said.
"REACH is actually just a system of basic safety testing, much like an MOT test for cars. You would not want thousands of cars on the roads without basic checks on brakes. Basic safety data for chemicals is the least we would expect. We need to get those that are known to contaminate children and wildlife out of circulation altogether," he added.
The conference forms part of WWF's Chemicals and Health Campaign, which is supported by the National Federation of Women's Institute (NFWI) and the Co-operative Bank, and is calling for stricter controls on the use of hazardous man-made chemicals used in everyday products.
Mrs Enid Jones, WI member and mother of the family in Llanfair Caereinion whose blood was tested for the presence of 104 man-made chemicals this summer will also speak at the event. "Before I participated in WWF's campaign I hadn't considered the extent to which hazardous chemicals are contaminating my family," said Mrs Jones. "WWF's survey has made me more aware of the extensive use of man-made chemicals and their potential health effects. I strongly believe that everyone – not least children and future generations – has the right to a clean, healthy and uncontaminated body," she added.
Five members of her family were tested with the results showing that her youngest son, Alwyn aged nine had the highest contamination levels in Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) of the family despite these being banned from new electrical equipment in the UK a decade before he was born.
Ms Evans, MEP will tell delegates at the conference how shocked she was to discover she had the highest number of chemicals in her blood of those tested in Wales - she had a total of 33.
"I was horrified to find that of all those tested in Wales, I had the highest number of different chemicals found in my blood. People today are walking around with many different hazardous man-made chemicals in their bodies, and we have absolutely no idea as to what the long-term health effects of these might be," she said.
WI delegates will be told about the increased production of chemicals and the affect they are having on people and wildlife:
* Chemical production has increased dramatically in the last seven years. Now, there are estimated to be some 30,000 chemicals marketed in the EU.
* Of the chemicals used in the EU the majority currently lack even basic safety data - 86% of existing mass produced chemicals have no or insufficient data publicly available.
* 75 of the 104 chemicals that WWF tested for in seven families across the UK were found in children. This was higher than their grandmothers and equalled the number found in their parents' generation.
* Women who have breast-fed their babies have been proven to have lower levels of certain PCBs than men, indicating that they had 'off-loaded' these chemicals on to their babies
* Scientific studies have suggested that hazardous man-made chemicals have serious impacts on people and animals. For example exposure to PCBs in the womb has been shown to affect intellectual development in children.
* Brominated flame retardants - used to prevent fire in furniture and other goods - have found their way into sperm whales and seals
Information packs will be handed out to delegates which will include tips on how to reduce their exposure to chemicals in the homes. The tips include such points as buying fragrance-free "green" cleaning products; choosing products that are unbleached and avoiding to cook or microwave foods in plastic containers through using glass or ceramic containers instead.
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Editor's notes
WWF is now known simply by its initials and the panda logo, in line with the whole international network. WWF, the global environment network, takes action to conserve endangered species, protect endangered spaces and address global threats, by seeking long term solutions. For more details please visit www.wwf.org.uk
Media invitation
The media are welcome to attend the morning session of the conference from 10.30am until 1pm followed by lunch. The afternoon session is closed to the media. Please confirm your attendance with Ruth Bates on 02920 455 001.
1. REACH stands for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals. It is currently a draft EU law that should lead to the identification and phasing out of the most harmful chemicals. WWF does not think that the draft law is tough enough. WWF is working to ensure that a strengthened REACH is adopted that requires mandatory substitution of hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives. These chemicals include ones that are persistent, bioaccumulative and hormone disrupting. Key committees of the European Parliament will debate REACH with the first taking place on 30 November, 2004.
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