Bijdrage plenaire verga­dering over de strategie voor duurzaam gebruik van chemische stoffen

Anja Hazekamp (PvdD): Madam President, I would say to the Commissioner that it is our right to have a non—toxic environment, but we are sadly miles away from that. Still, workers in the EU and the rest of the world are dying at an age much too young, only because of the dangerous chemicals they were exposed to simply by turning up at work. Still, pollinators, one of the most essential links in our ecosystem, are dying because of the dangerous pesticides we are spraying on our fields. Still, babies are exposed to endocrine—disrupting chemicals just by playing with the toxic toys we let them play with. And still, millions of animals are suffering horribly in laboratories as a result of outdated and cheap practices they even dare to call science.

Even though the EU has some decent legislation in place to protect its citizens against exposure to the most dangerous and hazardous chemicals, those chemicals are still exported to other parts of the world.

I am glad that the Commissioner has promised us a zero—pollution ambition for a toxic—free environment. With this resolution, the European Parliament is giving the Commission some homework: to ensure that the Chemical strategy for sustainability lives up to our expectations. We have no time to waste. I urge you, Commissioner, to deliver the toxic—free world we all desperately need and deserve.