The BUAV has today welcomed the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publication of new guidance specifically designed to help chemical manufacturers avoid animal testing while meeting the requirements of the European Union’s new chemicals testing programme, known as REACH.

Introduced in 2007, the REACH programme (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals) requires chemical companies to provide safety data on tens of thousands of chemicals already in use in the EU. Experts estimate that anywhere between 7.5 and 50m animals could be used in new tests as a result. The first of several deadlines for submission of test data is in December this year.

The BUAV along with our partners in the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) has lobbied hard for measures to prevent animal testing and has recruited two scientific experts to advise on the testing proposals as they are submitted by companies.

This new publication follows a meeting between animal groups, including the ECEAE, and ECHA Executive Director Geert Dancet in February to discuss ways to minimise animal testing.

2nd June 2010