13/02/2019 - Julia Prioult - Les Inrocks
Why do countries seem incapable of imposing a complete ban on numerous toxic products? How has the commercialization of toxic molecules become legal?
Henri Boullier’s study shows the hold companies have over laws such as the REACH rules, which, since 2006, have overseen the commercialization of chemical products in Europe. This legal text promised to resolve the problem of lack of knowledge about the effects of tens of thousands of molecules and improve monitoring of them. But it didn’t take into account the fact that tens of thousands of tons of them are sold each year and are a source of considerable profits. The systematically old, imperfect data provided by the manufacturers are, in fact, a source of confusion or ignorance, since the research was most often externalized. Thus chemical companies have access to a multitude of appeals for derogations, giving them a free hand to commercialize toxic products.
Henri Boullier is a sociologist and researcher at CERMES3 (Centre de recherche médecine, sciences, santé, santé mentale, société – Medicine, science, health, mental health, society research Centre). He is interested in the relations between knowledge and government in the field of chemistry.