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Chemical Law Has Global Impact

E.U.'s New Rules Forcing Changes By U.S. Firms

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By Lyndsey Layton

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, June 12, 2008; Page A01

Europe this month rolled out new restrictions on makers of chemicals

linked to cancer and other health problems, changes that are forcing

U.S. industries to find new ways to produce a wide range of everyday

products.

The new laws in the European Union require companies to demonstrate

that a chemical is safe before it enters commerce -- the opposite of

policies in the United States, where regulators must prove that a

chemical is harmful before it can be restricted or removed from the

market. Manufacturers say that complying with the European laws will

add billions to their costs, possibly driving up prices of some

products.

The changes come at a time when consumers are increasingly worried

about the long-term consequences of chemical exposure and are

agitating for more aggressive regulation. In the United States, these

pressures have spurred efforts in Congress and some state

legislatures to pass laws that would circumvent the laborious federal

regulatory process.

The rest of the story at the link above.