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INTRODUCFION
This paper reviews some recent developments in EEC chemicals control legislation governing
dangerous chemicals, dangerous preparations, and food contact' 'materials.' After briefly'
reviewing the content of the legislation, it will attempt to highlight changes from previous
legislation, cost implications for industry; and anomalies or grey areas where such exist.
The above areas have been chosen becausc'they'are currently of most concern to the chemical
industry in general and the radiation cure industry in paiticular.', The area of legislation on
waste, where considerable Community legislative activity is currently taking place will not'
be addressed. Neither will the other major routes by which consumers arc exposed to
chemicals i.e. food additives, pesticides or pharmaceuticals, as they are of little direct concern
to our industry.
Dangerous chemicals control on an EEC-wide basis was first introduced in 1967 with the
publication of the Dangerous Substances Directive In 1979, the landmark 6th Amendment
to the 1967 Dangerous Substances Directive laid down the detailed rules for the
classification and labelling of chemical substances based on their physico-chemical and
toxicological properties,' and the requirements for notification of "new" substances. New substances were all those that were not on the market on 18 September 1981, the closing date
for submissions to EINECS, acronym for the European Inventory of Existing Chemical';,
Substances The Single European Act of 1987, which enabled certain Community legislation
to be 'agreed by a 'qualified majority vote of the Council of Ministers, Cnábledchemicals
control legislation to accelerate.
