European Commission, List

Replacement of heavy metal formulations is influencing all development, and the introduction of cadmium/zinc systems in a more effective form is significant. Classically, stabilizers have used lead compounds and, on environmental grounds, manufacturers have volunteered to reduce levels to about 60% of today s usage by 2010. Calcium/zinc systems are now not included in the European Commission list of heavy-metal stabilizers, and these are seen as a key material for the future. 

The selection of these compounds was made on the grounds of their toxicity, environmental stability, and tendency to undergo biomagnification the intention was to move toward their removal from the natural environment. In the REACH proposals of the European Commission (EC published in 2003), a similar list of 12 POPs was drawn up, the only differences being the inclusion of hexachlorobiphenyl and chlordecone, and the exclusion of the by-products, dioxins, and furans. The objective of the EC directive is to ban the manufacture or marketing of these substances. It is interesting that no fewer than eight of these compounds, which are featured on both lists, are insecticides. 

Food coloring is restricted by law to prevent misuse that may lead to deception of consumers related to reduced value or usability. For this purpose, the European Union implemented food colorant guidelines in 1994 based on the understanding that food coloration presents a technological need. While European Parliament and Council Directive 94/36/EC lists colors and their uses in food, the European Commission Directive 95/45/EC contains specific purity criteria for colors in foodstuffs, e.g., a maximal lead content of 20 ppm. " ... 

There are approximately 2000 existing active substances to be reviewed over a 10 year period. The European Commission and member states are currently working on producing a review Regulation which is expected to be in two parts. Part one will outline the process and may be accompanied by a list of existing active substances on the market. It is anticipated to be published by the end of this year. Part two of the review Regulation will follow some 18 months later and will contain the first list of active substances to be reviewed. 

EU (2001) European Commission decision no. 2455/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the council of 20 November 2001 establishing the list of priority substances in the field of water policy and amending directive 2000/60/EC. Off J L331... 

From the wide variety of emerging pollutants of industrial origin that could be considered here, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate esters (PE) are of especial relevance not only because of the high volumes produced and their widespread use, but also because of their demonstrated toxicity, particularly as endocrine disrupters. Both of them have been included in the final report of the European Commission toward the establishment of a priority list of endocrine disrupter chemicals, EDCs [3], and have been rated as of high risk of exposure for human and wildlife populations. Because of their structural characteristics these compounds cannot be included in any of the groups described above, so they will be described in this section (see Fig. 10). 

Van der Putte I, Groshart C, Okkerman PC (2000) European Commission DG ENV Towards the establishment of a priority list of substances for further evaluation of their role in endocrine disruption. M0355008/1786Q710/11/00. BKH, Consulting Engineers and TNO, Nutrition and Food Research, Delft, The Netherlands... 

A brief report is presented on the decision made by the European Commission regarding the implementation of a European Polluting Emissions Register and on two proposals, which aim to regulate and reduce water and air pollution. The decision requires member states to report to the Commission on emissions from all individual facilities with one or more specific activities. Some of the substances classified as pollutants are listed and the national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants agreed for each member country are indicated. 

This article describes the strategy on endocrine-disrupting substances issued by the European Commission last December, and details why its short-term goal to compile a priority list of chemicals for research and testing has been attacked by industry, environmentalists and scientists alike. 

The European Commission has adopted a directive which limits the emission of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities. The directive sets emission limits for these compounds and lays down operating conditions for industrial installations. In addition, under the directive, new installations must be registered or be authorised to carry out their activities. Further requirements of the directive are listed. EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EUROPEAN UNION WESTERN EUROPE-GENERAL... 

According to the Directive, an active substance cannot be used in a PPP unless it is included in an EU positive list. The Directive also requires very extensive risk assessments for effects on health and environment to be carried out, before a PPP can be placed on the market and used. In 1992, the European Commission started a Community-wide review process for aU active substances used in PPPs within the EU. Based on scientific assessments, each applicant had to prove that a substance could be used safely regarding human health, the environment, ecotoxicology and residues in the food chain. This program will be completed by 2008. From the end of 2003, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) deals with risk assessment issues and the European Commission retains the risk... 

The first multi-step process having a theoretical efficiency above 50% was proposed by Marchetti and Beni in 1970 [2]. This process became the Mark-1 process of the European Commission s Joint Research Center (JRC), Ispra, Italy. A large number of cycles with reasonably high efficiencies were designed after this Abanades and co-workers have recently made a compilation of the available thermochemical cycles that yielded about 280 cycles [67]. A large number of cycles are listed in references [2,4,67,95,97]. However only a few of these processes have exhibited potential for high overall efficiencies and technical feasibility. We discuss a few cycles that are presently under study and promising for practical implementation. 

By the published Directive 1999/2/EC, the European commission was charged to develop a final positive list of permitted items until the end of 2000, but the contents of this list are not yet published. There was even a consultation on this problem on the Internet and industry and consumer organizations responded [130]. As long as the positive list is not adopted. Member States can maintain the existing regulations except for spices [131]. 

Comments on the DG SANCO Consultation of Consumer Organizations, Industry Concerned and Other Interested Parties on the Strategy for Completion of the Positive List of Food and Food Ingredients to be Authorised for Irradiation Treatment, Annex of Directive 1999/3/EC, SANCO/4175/2000-rev.l, European Commission, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General, Directorate D - Food Safety Production and Distribution Chain, Brussels, 2000. Ehlermann, D.A.E. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 2002, 63, Til. 

The Council of Europe has listed coumarin as an active principle and the maximum permitted concentrations of coumarin in foodstuffs are given in Aimex II of European directive (88/388/EEC) (European Commission, 1988). The general limit for coumarin in food and non-alcoholic beverages is 2 mg/kg, while in alcoholic beverages and certain caramel confectionary products, the permitted limit is 10 mg/kg and in chewing gum it is 50 mg/kg (Lake, 1999). 

Assessments of risks are, of course, only as good as the information on which they are based. For new substances, information had to be supplied before a chemical could be marketed. This was not the case for existing substances. Under the Existing Substances Regulation (Regulation (EEC) 793/93) manufacturers or importers of more than 10 tonnes per year of a substance listed in the inventory had to supply information on that substance to the European Commission, and as the amount they manufacture or import increased so did the data requirements. Manufacturers and importers had to make all reasonable efforts to obtain data... 

Following receipt of data the Commission drew up priority lists of substances that, on the basis of that data, were thought to have the potential to pose a risk of harm to human health or the environment. By the publication of the EU White Paper in 2001, four lists, containing a total of 141 substances, had been adopted by the relevant technical committee (CEC, 2001). The progress of these risk assessments was very slow. Risk assessment of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), for example, commenced in 1997 but was still not completed nine years later (ENDS, 2006). In 2006 around 16,700 tonnes of HBCD were produced every year for use as a flame retardant. It may have neurotoxic effects and interfere with the metabolism of thyroid hormone, but because risk assessment of it had not reached a conclusion there were no restrictions on its use. By 2006 final risk assessment reports were available for only about 70 substances (European Commission, 2006b) — less than 0.5 per cent of the 30,000 or so existing substances on the European market at quantities of above 1 tonne per annum. 

Approval of feed additives is currently coordinated through Directorate General XXIV of the European Commission. To gain market authorization within the Community, a feed additive must be entered into either Annex I or Annex II of Directive 70/524/EEC. This Feed additive Directive contains a list of substances that can be incorporated into an animal feeding stuff as well as the level of this incorporation. 

In addihon to this activity within Member States, Article 16 of the Directive requires the European Commission to identify a list of priority pohutants for control by standards set at Commuruty level. In addihon, emissions of a subset of this list, the priority hazardous pollutants , need to be reduced to zero by 2015. At the present time no pharmaceuhcals appear on this hst of priority pollutants [32], although the European Parliament did try unsuccessfuhy to have carbamazepine, clotrimazole, and diclofenac added to the hst during the negohahons. 

The main sources of exposure to mercury for the general population are from the diet and dental amalgam.21,28 The main dietary source of mercury is fish and this has led to interest in potential exposure to mercury on the neurological development of children from populations with high fish consumption.29 There is no statutory control of mercury in most food in the UK, but the levels of mercury in fish are controlled by European Commission Decision 93/351/EEC which sets an average limit for mercury in fish of 0.5 mg/kg or 0.5 ppm (part per million).30 This average limit is, however, increased to 1.0 mg/kg or 1 ppm for the edible parts of the predatory and bottom-dwelling species listed in the Annex to the Decision. 

UK (2007). Terbuthylazine Report and proposed decision of the United Kingdom made to the European Commission under Article 8 of 91/414/EEC. Volume 1, Level 2, Appendix 3 List of Endpoints. August draft. 

The European Commission will develop guidance to clarify the criteria for determining substances of equivalent concern. Substances that fall into these categories will be fed into the authorization system as resources allow. Their uses will not necessarily be banned. The Agency will publish a list of substances meeting the criteria above and reflecting its multiannual work plan, taking into consideration comments from interested parties. 

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