The power of scandal

One major player and systems driver has proven to be especially powerful in many cases. It is the role of publicity, the media and public interest groups and they deserve particular attention. Scandals and scandalmongering are among the most effective drivers for the substitution of hazardous substances. In some cases, public debates have influenced the state institutions as well as the more usual commercial interests. 

These examples demonstrate that pubhc interest groups (i.e. trade unions, consumer protection and enviromnental protection organisations) can use their power to create scandals and influence companies directly, as well as affecting state regulations. The avoidance of scandal thus becomes an ever more important motive for companies and regulatory institutions, in accordance with the precaution- 

This is probably a fundamental driver for the present REACH process at EU level. 

the hypotheses used in the work of the research network Iimovation culture in Germany , http //www.lrz-muenchen.de/ innovationskultur/ 

As usual, however, they were also determined pragmatically by factors such as (enterprise) access opportunities and the project members existing knowledge of the particular subject involved. 

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