Industry agrees to phase out hazardous chemicals
Proposals to help phase out potentially dangerous chemicals have been finalised following a consultation on a voluntary industry programme of action facilitated by the Government.
Suppliers of nonylphenol and its ethoxylates have agreed to work together and with their customers help find safer alternatives as part of a voluntary agreement.
User industries propose to voluntarily phase out the most dangerous uses of nonylphenol, octylphenol and their ethoxylates as soon as possible.
Nonylphenol and its ethoxylates are used in a range of products and processes, including industrial and domestic cleaning agents, textile and leather processes, metal working, personal care products and cosmetics. The proposals will also apply to uses of the related but less widely used octylphenol and its ethoxylates.
The move to a voluntary agreement was prompted by the independent UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum which recommended voluntary action after advising the Government that EU progress to limit risks by legislation was too slow.
Made up of representatives from a range of organisations including industry and green groups, the Forum found the substances met its criteria of concern for persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity and that they pose a significant risk to the environment.
The agreement was reached ahead of EU legislation banning the use of nonylphenol and its ethoxylates which comes into force next year.
This agreement will be particularly valuable for octylphenol and its ethoxylates, where consideration of possible legislation to ban their use is still at an early stage.
Nonylphenols and octylphenols are also endocrine disrupters. Octylphenol and its ethoxylates are less widely used than nonylphenol and its ethoxylates, but have similar properties and could potentially be used as substitutes for them and thus lead to similar levels of environmental exposure.
The Government has produced a Framework for Sustainable Development for the Government Estate to help reduce its own use of these chemicals. It has also taken practical steps to reduce the risks from these chemicals by publishing guidance to Government buyers to avoid purchasing products containing these ingredients.
Defra Minister Alun Michael said: "I congratulate those organisations taking part in this innovative cross-sector initiative. I hope industry will be able to build upon its work here to produce similar agreements in future."
