White Paper under fire

22 October 2001 00:00  [Source: ICB]

If the White Paper on A Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy is taken on board as legislation as is, 'it has all the recipes of a disaster' says Melvyn Whyte, chairman of the British Chemical Distributors and Traders Association (BCDTA).

Speaking at the presentation of the association's annual Responsible Care indices in London last week, Whyte said the cost burden on SMEs would be crippling. He added that in ten years time, it may only be cost-effective to produce 100 chemicals in Europe and this would be done by 30 multinational companies.

Whyte favoured a global policy to regulate chemicals rather than a policy focused on Europe alone.

Colin Wainwright, ex-chairman of BCDTA and now director of special projects, said the association has no problem with the principals of the White Paper, but believes it would be best implemented 'bit-by-bit' looking at a few chemicals at a time.

BCDTA added that if the White Paper was to be introduced in 2008 as-is, this would be the industry's 'worst nightmare'.

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