"The US chemical industry strongly opposes REACH, which would require the chemical industry to provide information about the health and environmental effects of their products, and which proposes a method for restricting use of the most dangerous chemicals. REACH was designed to address a previous regulatory system that “grandfathered” the majority of chemicals out of requirements for safety data. This system resembles the current situation in the United States, where 95% of the chemicals in use today lack basic safety data about possible hazards to human health and the environment.
The US chemical industry fears REACH might serve as a model to update the US chemical regulatory policy. To weaken REACH, the industry engaged the aforementioned four agencies of the US government. As these documents show, the US government essentially operated as a branch office of the US chemical industry.
These activities merit a full Congressional investigation into corporate influence over government actions at the relevant agencies and raise questions about the objectives of US foreign policy. EPA, Commerce, State, and USTR should desist from further lobbying against REACH and the Administration should publicly affirm the right of the European Union to implement important public health laws such as REACH without US government intervention."
(from the author's summary)

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