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Environment

EU tightens limits on exposure to carcinogens

by Glenn Hess, special to C&EN
May 23, 2016 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 94, Issue 21

To increase on-the-job safety, the European Commission has proposed new occupational exposure limits for 13 cancer-causing chemicals. The commission, the European Union’s executive arm, says a 2004 directive on workplace safety is “outdated” and “not in line with scientific evidence.” New EU-wide exposure limits will also establish a “level playing field” for all companies operating in the 28-member-nation bloc, the commission adds. The 13 carcinogens covered by the proposal are 1,2-epoxypropane, 1,3-butadiene, ­2-nitropropane, acrylamide, bromoethylene, chromium(VI) compounds, ethylene oxide, hardwood dusts, hydrazine, o-toluidine, respirable crystalline silica, refractory ceramic fibers, and vinyl chloride monomer. The new limits set a maximum concentration for the presence of each substance in workplace air. The European Chemical Industry Council supports the proposal: “The protection of workers and enhancing health and safety in the workplace is a key priority,” says Marco Mensink, the trade association’s director general. EU-wide binding exposure limits will provide “added value” to voluntary programs the industry has put in place to reduce worker exposure to carcinogens, Mensink says.

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