The European chemical industry is disappointed with the outcome of the EU parliament environment committee vote on Reach (registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals).

Cefic, the European chemical industry council, said the parliamentary committee backed changes that will make the system more bureaucratic and less workable. It reduced the requirements for safety data on chemicals produced in quantities of less than 10 tonnes per year, whereas, in September, the internal market committee voted to ease requirements for volumes less than 100 tonnes.

'It is quite a step back in the sense that the industry and internal market committees came out in favour of an approach that better took into account a risk-based approach,' said Cefic spokesperson Annemarie Ojanperä.

The parliamentary committee said authorisations should only be given for five years to encourage alternatives to be developed. It also supported compulsory substitution of hazardous chemicals.

'The only positive was fewer requirements for substances produced at one to 10 tonnes per year,' said Ojanperä.

The parliamentary committees' amendments will be voted on in mid-November. Karen Harries-Rees