Certain substances are harmful to man and the environment. The AskREACH project will raise awareness on Substances of Very High Concern in articles among the European population, retailers and industry. Consumers can use a smartphone app to get information on such substances or send requests for information to suppliers. The European Chemicals Regulation REACH provides the legal framework.
Harmful substances in products are regulated by different legislative texts. These texts address either the substances (chemicals) or the product itself. The legal provisions are therefore classified either into chemicals law or product law, or sometimes waste law when chemicals become relevant at the waste treatment stage only.
Not only children can react particularly sensitive but also the health of adults and particularly the elderly is determined by environmental influences. Therefore, it is important to consider all phases of life when looking at the effects of environmental influences.
When is a product considered low-polluting and low-emissions? What other environmental properties should a product have? Various evaluation methods are used to answer these questions.
DEMOCOPHES is the acronym for a European project to test the feasibility of a human biomonitoring study in 17 European countries by means of common guidelines and using same methods. These guidelines were drawn up in the context of the COPHES project, of which DEMOCOPHES is an integral part. It has now been completed and the first European results delivered.
When it comes to managing chemicals, the primary concern is to minimise negative environmental and health impacts and conserve resources while maximising the benefits of using chemicals for sustainable development. To achieve this goal, a wide range of stakeholders must work together internationally and make concerted use of effective tools for global chemicals management.
What is the purpose of classification and labelling of chemicals? What exactly is "classification" and "labelling"? What are the governing laws and where can they be looked up?
The UBA carries out research in its own laboratories on the effects of plant protection products, biocides, pharmaceutical drugs or industrial chemicals on the environment. Its research answers questions such as: How do these substances impact individual organisms in ecosystems? How are they distributed in soil, water and air? Is their effectiveness sufficient to control articulata and rodents?
