‘A grip on hazardous substances, EU perspective’ – invitation to online debate session 8 June 2020

3 june 2020

On Monday, 8 June 2020 (10:30–12:45 hrs) the Dutch Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) organizes an on-line debate session with live presentations. At this meeting, the Council will present and discuss its advisory report concerning national and EU policy on hazardous substances. With the discussion and reflection involving experts, stakeholders and NGOs, the Council aims to contribute to the debate on a European level. Diederik Samsom, Head of Cabinet of the European Commissioner Timmermans, has confirmed to give his reflection on the discussion.

To register, please do so by clicking here

We will discuss if and how the EU ambitions are supported by the Council’s recommendations on:
•   greater transparency in product chains, including a track-and-trace system and material passports,
•   limiting the risk of cumulative exposure for both people and the environment, and
•   working towards new EU regulation for safe product reuse and recycling.

About the advisory report A Grip on hazardous substances

Over the course of several decades, government policy successfully reduced the occurrence of hazardous substances in the physical environment, but of late this development is stagnating. The number of hazardous substances is increasing, as is the number of products that contain them. As a result, these substances are accumulating in the physical environment, giving rise to new risks and incidents. In its report the Dutch Council for the environment and infrastructure (Rli) argues that current policies on hazardous substances are not sufficient to adequately control the risks to people and the physical environment. The use and number of hazardous substances is increasing, as is the reuse of products containing such substances. New policy is needed if we are to get a grip on hazardous substances. Furthermore, the Rli makes 10 recommendations to effectuate a better grip on the dispersion of substances within the environment, reduce the adverse effects of cumulative exposure and move towards a safe circular economy by 2050. On 11 March 2020, the Rli published its advisory report, ‘A grip on hazardous substances', and presented it to Minister Van Veldhoven for the Environment and Housing.

For more information about the advisory report and the press release, click here

For more information about our advisory report and the on-line debate session, please contact project leader Yvette Oostendorp by email: yvette.oostendorp@rli.nl or telephone: +31 (0)6 2702 0642.