Organophosphates (OPs) used to protect materials from fire and in other industrial processes have affected the quality of groundwater, particularly in urban areas and near landfill sites, according to recent research. 72 groundwater samples from Germany were analysed to determine whether and to what extent groundwater is contaminated by OPs during groundwater recharge in natural aquifers.

Go to: ec.europa.eu

Major step forward in efforts to ban sandblasting: A ground breaking ‘Call to Action’ designed to ban sandblasting, a hazardous process that can cause illness and even death for workers, was adopted in Mai by ten leading garment brands and retailers in a meeting with the Global Union Federation for the sector. A number of other companies have expressed interest in signing on to the ban.

Go to: etuf-tcl.org

A free webinar is organized on the 16th of June 2011, at 4 p.m. CET  to help you get through the second phase of REACH enforcement, known as “REACH-EN-FORCE 2” . Among the webinar topics: supply-chain related obligations for substances in the mixtures prepared by formulators , CLP notification requirements, obligations for Downstream Users with relation to the extended safety data sheet (eSDS).

Go to Webinar registration form

Dioxin 2011 will focus on the science of dioxins and other persistent organic pollutants following major advances in analytical determination, the understanding of emission, transport, fate, degradation, toxic behaviour, regulations, along with the growing attention in developing countries and global pollution issues. The 2011 congress will offer a high quality scientific programme, including keynote lectures, oral and poster presentations.

Go to: www.dioxin2011.org

On June 8th, Claigan Environmental Inc., media sponsored by Chemical Watch, will present a morning webinar on the April 2011 changes to RoHS recast. The changes were primarily legislation clarification, text correction, revised nomenclature, and alignment with new rules on implementing acts. Topics covered in this webinar will include: overview of primary changes, review of changes to exemptions, review of changes to definitions, updated timelines, publication timelines.

Go to: webinar registration

The European Sustainable Chemicals Management Conference 2011 will look in particular at REACH and CLP, providing an analysis of how the registration system has functioned to date and how it could be improved. Discussions will also focus on how REACH compares to global methods of chemical management and various research on a variety of areas of concern.

Go to: www.eu-ems.com

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2011/59/EU of 13 May 2011, amending, for the purpose of adaptation to technical progress, Annexes II and III to Council Directive 76/768/EEC relating to cosmetic products. This Directive amending provisions of the Cosmetics Directive concerning the use of hair dye substances was published in the EU Official Journal on 14 May. The substance o-aminophenol has been added to Annex II and is now banned from use in cosmetic products. Also, 26 substances have been added to Annex III, prohibiting their use subject to certain conditions.

Go to: eur-lex.europa.eu

Chemical Watch are holding a free webinar on 8th June. This Chemical Watch webinar will examine the challenges facing Downstream Users and explain what to do if suppliers are not compliant or if they are not providing the required information.

Go to: Chemical Watch

CHEMReg 2011, the international meeting on new chemical regulations, will take place on July, 7th 2011 in Romainville (France). CHEMReg proposes a technological, regulatory and economical overview of the issues related to the new European and international chemical regulations such as REACH, China REACH, TSCA, GHS / CLP. The global and common objective of those new regulations is to ensure an effective protection of human health and environment, while maintaining the free circulation of chemical substances on the global market.

Go to: www.chemreg-event.com

Based on the background of the amended Stockholm Convention the intention of the study is in particular to provide the European Commission with a compilation and evaluation of existing data on the new POPs and candidate POPs, an assessment of impacts of potential concentration limits under the POP regulation on waste flows and competing legislation, and justified proposal for low (LPCL) and maximum (MPCL) concentration limits for new POPs and candidate POPs.

Go to: draft final report