Posted on September, 05 2006

Brussels/Strasbourg - Four leading Members of the European Parliament, from the main political groups, feature together in a WWF TV spot on the proposed new EU chemicals law (REACH). After 3 years of discussions, REACH is scheduled to pass its final vote in the European Parliament this autumn.

In the spot, Guido Sacconi, European Parliament’s rapporteur on REACH and Italian member of the Socialists group (PES), Péter Olajos, Hungarian member of the European People’s Party (EPP), Chris Davies, UK member of the Liberal group (ALDE), and Riitta Myller, Finnish PES member, meet during a “chemical therapy group” and confess they are contaminated with toxic chemicals.

As WWF’s blood tests have repeatedly shown, hazardous man-made chemicals are everywhere: in our bodies, our environment and the products we buy. Aware of this uncontrolled human exposure to chemicals, the four Members of the European Parliament representing the main parties are united in their call for a strong European chemicals law, which replaces harmful chemicals by safer alternatives whenever possible.

“The European Parliament voted at first reading to replace harmful chemicals with safer alternatives whenever these are available. This is the best way to protect citizens and the environment from hazardous chemicals in the future. REACH is a unique opportunity and we must do everything possible to ensure it delivers safer chemicals for our children and grandchildren”, said Guido Sacconi.

The television spot will be broadcasted on the pan-European channel Euronews during the first week of September and in several EU national television stations. A printed version will also appear in the European press.

In the run-up to the final adoption of REACH, WWF urges European legislators to adopt the necessary measures to ensure that the new law will:
• Phase out all persistent, bioaccumulative and endocrine disrupting chemicals and substitute all hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives where they are available.
• Set strict requirements on chemical producers to provide safety information before a chemical can be sold or continue to be used.
• Allow consumers to easily find out what chemicals are in everyday products.

For further information or copies of the TV spot
Noemi Cano, Communications Manager WWF DetoX Campaign
Tel: +32 479 610451
E-Mail: ncano@wwfepo.org 

The TV spot can be viewed online on the WWF DetoX campaign website and EUX.TV

It can also be downloaded in Windows Media format:
Low resolution | Medium resolution | High resolution

(To save these files right click on the selected resolution and select 'Save Target As..')

Note to editors
• Mpg and Media Player versions of the TV spot, as well as the printed advertisement in EN/FR/IT/FI/HU are available upon request and will be available on the web after the embargo time.
• Photos in high and low resolution are available under embargo on http://assets.panda.org/downloads/pictures_tv_spot.zip  
• An information note on the TV spot and related materials can be found on www.panda.org/detox and www.panda.org/epo
• The images are copyright protected and can only be used to illustrate the related press release. Any other subsequent rights are not allowed and are subject to approval by WWF. This restriction includes that these pictures must not be made available to any third party, in particular it may under no circumstances be published on a public web site. Individual photo credits are mandatory.
Credits: © WWF/Ezequiel Scagnetti