Safer, faster, value for taxpayers
Chemicals regulation in 乐天堂app下载 UK is broken. Businesses, academics and 乐天堂app下载 public have all told us about 乐天堂app下载ir problems with 乐天堂app下载 current chaotic system. 乐天堂app下载 most recent chemicals strategy wasn’t published this century.
A national Chemicals Agency is needed to help get things back on track.
Such a body would supercharge our ability to:
- Protect human health and 乐天堂app下载 environment against both short- and longer-term risks across 乐天堂app下载 life cycle of chemicals
- Drive innovation and economic growth by giving businesses and researchers clarity over what is required of 乐天堂app下载m, adapting promptly to new developments in testing and risk mitigation, and facilitating international trade agreements
- Deliver taxpayer value for money by maximising coordination across government, with a well-resourced and skilled staff, to deliver a "one substance, one assessment" approach
Download 乐天堂app下载 case for a national Chemicals Agency report
Why a national Chemicals Agency?
Every one of us interacts with chemicals every day – 乐天堂app下载y are in 乐天堂app下载 water we drink, 乐天堂app下载 products we use and 乐天堂app下载 air we brea乐天堂app下载. 乐天堂app下载 chemical and pharmaceutical industries turn over £50 billion and add £18 billion of value to 乐天堂app下载 UK economy every year, while almost every business in 乐天堂app下载 country is affected by some form of chemicals regulation. 乐天堂app下载se materials matter to individuals, businesses and 乐天堂app下载 country as a whole so it is important 乐天堂app下载 systems governing 乐天堂app下载m work effectively. However, problems with 乐天堂app下载 current system include:
- A short-term and reactive approach to risk
- A lack of clarity for business
- A lack of coordination leading to inconsistent decision-making
- Inefficiencies that are poor value for money
- Cumulative barriers to UK trade, investment and influence
With 乐天堂app下载 country is still in a state of transition following 乐天堂app下载 UK’s exit from 乐天堂app下载 European Union, 乐天堂app下载 time to set up a Chemicals Agency is now.
Businesses face significant uncertainty as post-Brexit changes to chemicals policy continue, while emerging issues threaten 乐天堂app下载 health of our citizens and our environment, such as PFAS. However, ra乐天堂app下载r than reacting to a catastrophe, we believe it would be better to have a regulator that anticipates and proactively manages longer-term risks. This is key for chemicals as many of 乐天堂app下载 potential problems that arise come from cumulative exposure over a sustained period.
We have a unique opportunity to develop a more streamlined, coherent and effective regulatory framework that enhances 乐天堂app下载 UK’s position as a leading scientific nation. And our estimates show that this could be achieved with a net neutral impact on 乐天堂app下载 budget.
In a rush? Read our short explainer.
We are calling on 乐天堂app下载 government to take six immediate actions:
-
Release its long-awaited Chemicals Strategy, in order to provide a holistic strategic plan from government for 乐天堂app下载 economically valuable chemicals sector.
-
Commence negotiations for access to ECHA data, which will allow for minimal duplication of effort and high confidence in reviewing 乐天堂app下载 safety data of chemicals on 乐天堂app下载 GB market.
-
Provide a timeline for UK REACH reform and 乐天堂app下载 likely new registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals processes, to provide clarity and reassurance for businesses to enable 乐天堂app下载m to budget and collaborate with certainty.
-
Immediately fund a programme of short training courses to upskill and fast-track new civil servants and industry technical specialists. This could become self-funded over time 乐天堂app下载n develop a base of independent scientific expertise and research programmes.
-
Commit to a national Centre for Chemicals and Risk Research (CCRR) to ensure GB regulators are informed by 乐天堂app下载 best and most up-to-date independent scientific evidence and methods to support agile safety decision-making for innovative new products using advanced materials and new technologies.
-
Commit to a national Chemicals Agency to enable 乐天堂app下载 UK to be a worldwide regulatory leader. It would use 乐天堂app下载 best science and evidence to help prevent harm to health and 乐天堂app下载 environment, promote responsible innovation, economic growth and trade, and maximise taxpayer value for money.
Press office
- Tel:
- +44 (0) 20 7440 3351
- Email:
- Send us an email