Stand der Sicherheitsvorschriften für Chemische Produkte in Europa

European Legislative Development for Chemicals

Abstract

Over the past 20 years an impressive number of environmental legislative instruments have been implemented across the ED, part of which have widely influenced the development, the production and the marketing of chemical substances and products. The need to align ecology and economy in the marketplace under the approach of sustainable development has defined a policy designed to exert control on the handling of chemicals. Safe product use and environmental protection have become key activities with the objective to safeguard the environment, the workers as well as the consumers when they get into contact with chemical products. In 1967 the so-called Dangerous Substances Directive has paved the way for providing a maximum of protection regarding the safe handling of chemicals while avoiding barriers to trade in the EU. Today the legislative developments have evolved towards the risk assessment (and management) of new and existing chemicals. These instruments have been accompanied by an increasing need for information to be shared with various audiences, and of which the Safety Data Sheet represents probably the most largely distributed document.