Bijdrage mili­eu­com­missie over het onder­zoeks­rapport van het Europees Chemi­ca­li­ë­na­gent­schap over PVC en PVC-addi­tieven

Anja Hazekamp (PvdD):

I will speak now on behalf of the LEFT Group.

PVCs have since long been having a very detrimental effect on our health and environment. I want to thank ECHA for the thorough review of the risks and solutions. It makes it perfectly clear that there is a huge problem that needs to be fixed, and it also makes it clear that less toxic and hazardous solutions and alternatives are in most of the cases available, it is just a question of money. That also indicates that we need legislation to fix the problem, as the market is not likely to voluntary adopt practices that cost a bit more money, especially if their competitors are not doing so.

So the question to the Commission is a very obvious one: what will you do? Can you commit to acting swiftly on each of the recommendations from ECHA, and when can we expect those proposals and actions?

It seems to me we have wasted a lot of time on this. That ortho-phthalates are endocrine disruptors and toxic for reproduction can come to no one as a surprise, and that we have to get rid of them is not a revelation either I would think.

Thanks to the Commission in advance for some clear answers on what they will do to ensure a toxic-free environment, which is of course a key condition for a truly circular economy.