Europe. Resins and additives are among the 306 chemicals that the Confederation of European Trade Unions (ETUC) has asked the European Parliament to classify "as a priority" as "substances of very high risk" to workers' health.Of this set of products, 191 constitute "a proven cause of diseases originating at work", and therefore the ETUC requests their priority inclusion in the list of substances whose use requires express authorization by Reach, the European control mechanism on chemicals.
The union representatives consider that the inclusion of this group of products in the category of "very high risk" would reduce the incidence of the aforementioned diseases, as well as the costs derived from them for workers, the State and industry.
The list of "very high risk" substances includes carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxins (CMRs), bio-cumulative and toxic (PBT), and those affecting the endocrine glands, among others.
