A model wears clothes designed by Txell Miras, one of 16 designers lobbying to phase out toxic chemicals in the fashion industry

16 fashion designers link up with Greenpeace to lobby EU for comprehensive ban on chemicals that harm human health

Madrid - Sixteen top fashion designers, including Carmen March, Antonio Pernas and Jocomomola [1], showed that they believe in substance as well as style at a glittering catwalk show in Madrid, today, when they unveiled one-off creations designed to avoid the use of toxic chemicals which are currently widely used in clothing. Fashion giants Mango and Camper also joined the initiative by committing to phase out dangerous chemicals from their lines.

At 'Moda sin Toóxicos', a catwalk show organised by Greenpeace, the designers joined in the lobby to phase out chemicals which can harm the immune and nervous system, affect genital development, cause reproductive disorders and cancer [2] - and called for their replacement with safer alternatives.

Meanwhile, high-street fashion giant Mango announced a long-term commitment to remove hazardous chemicals from its entire production world-wide, following talks with Greenpeace. Mallorcan family firm-turned-global brand Camper, too, is going to stop using dangerous substances in its shoes, while Inditex (owner of Zara, Massimo Dutti and other stores), supported designers in the search for toxic-free fabrics.

Helen Perivier, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner, said: "These fashion leaders work in a highly competitive industry, and are keen to put environmental and health concerns at the heart of their priorities. Innovative small businesses like theirs must currently go to extraordinary lengths to find materials that do not contain harmful chemicals; what they should be getting are guarantees that chemicals on the market are safe."

It was a well-dressed wake-up call to grey-suited types in Brussels, who later this year will vote on new rules to govern the chemical industry. This autumn, the EU will decide on the fate of the new chemicals regulation called REACH [3]. At the heart of the debate is whether the new law will give a clear signal to industry to substitute hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives or not. Currently, thousands of chemicals are used in consumer products with little or no health or safety assessments, leading to widespread contamination. An unborn baby may now be exposed to 100 man-made chemicals before it is even born.

Chemical producers have mobilised a strong opposition to REACH in Brussels, losing no opportunity to undermine its power to protect human health and the environment. In contrast, many other companies which use chemicals in their products see advantages in a REACH that could guarantee safer materials.

Commenting on the catwalk show, Mario Rodríguez, Greenpeace Spain campaigns director, said: "The beautiful clothes that we have seen today prove that it is possible to avoid toxic chemicals in clothing and still be stylish. We urge the EU to ensure that this unique event will one day be the norm; so that we can be sure that all our clothes have been made without using chemicals that can harm our health and our environment."

CONTACT
Greenpeace UK Press Office - 020 7865 8255

NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The 16 designers who participated in the show are: &Acute;gatha Ruiz de la Prada, Anke Schlöder, Antonio Pernas, Carlos Díez, Carmen March, David Delfín, Hannibal Laguna, Ion Fiz, Jocomomola, Josep Abril, Juana Martín, Juanjo Oliva, La casita de Wendy, Locking Shocking, Luxoir and Txell Míras.

2. The chemicals which the designers took steps to avoid using include the most hazardous substances commonly used in the textile sector: lead, nickel, chromium IV, aryl amines, phthalates and formaldehyde.

3. REACH - Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals.

Industry Comissioner Verheugen and Commission President Barroso have made agreements with the chemical industry that weaken the REACH proposals

Giant chemicals firms representing private business interests are trying to undermine and destroy EU attempts to protect the public from hazardous chemicals, reveals a Greenpeace report released today.

The study, "Toxic Lobby: How the chemicals industry is trying to kill REACH", describes how, in an attempt to cripple the proposed reform of EU chemicals law (REACH), the chemicals industry has scared and misled decision-makers by denying the problems of chemical contamination, creating fear over job losses and economic costs, obstructing innovation, and co-opting small and medium enterprises to their disadvantage. Chemicals included in the REACH legislation could be related to the worrying incidences of falling sperm counts, rising infertility and genital abnormalities in babies in industrialised countries. [1]

A day after the European Commission launched a new initiative to control excessive lobby influence in Brussels, the report documents the prominent role of the German government and German chemicals giant BASF in leading the opposition to REACH in Brussels. BASF, which spearheaded an international campaign to mobilise the US and other non-EU governments to undermine REACH, admitted in 2005 that it had 235 politicians under contract in Germany alone.

"Lack of accountability and transparency in Brussels decision-making comes at the cost of public interest legislation," said Jorgo Riss, director of Greenpeace European Unit. "The chemicals industry's corrosive campaign to destroy REACH thus far has depended on the willingness of key officials to abandon their role as public servants and behave like industry lobbyists."

The report compares the projected costs of REACH (0.2 billion euros per year) with the chemical industry's annual sales (586 billion euros, or 2,790 times as much as REACH would cost). It exposes the hypocrisy of the chemicals lobby: while the industry was arguing in Brussels that it could not afford safety regulations on cost grounds, BASF sales rose 14 per cent to 47.2 billion euros, and its net income rose 50 per cent to 3 billion euros.

Nadia Haiama, Greenpeace EU policy director on chemicals, said: "The drip-drip influence of the chemicals lobby has led to a wholesale dilution of what started out as a promising effort to improve human health. Unless this toxic influence is reversed, REACH will allow the continued use of hazardous chemicals that can cause cancer and reproductive illnesses, even where safer alternatives are available." [2]

Notes to editors:
Toxic Lobby: How the chemicals industry is trying to kill REACH, is available for download at http://www.greenpeace.org/toxiclobby.

[1] See report: Fragile - Our reproductive health and chemical exposure: a review of the evidence for links between declines in human reproductive health and our exposure to hazardous chemicals (http://www.greenpeace.org/fragile).

[2] See report: Fatal Flaws - Effect thresholds and "adequate control" of risks: the fatal flaws in the Council position on Authorisation within REACH (http://www.greenpeace.org/fatalflawsbrief).

Toxic chemicals are present in everyday objects around the home

Falling sperm counts, rising infertility and genital abnormalities in babies could all result from exposure to hazardous man-made chemicals used in perfumes, carpets, electronics, clothing and a host of other consumer goods, reveals a Greenpeace report released today [1].

The study, "Fragile: Our reproductive health and chemical exposure", presents a worrying picture of an increase in reproductive health disorders which mirror the rising presence of man-made chemicals in our lives.

Sperm counts have fallen by 50 per cent in 50 years, infertility among couples has more than doubled in industrialised countries since the 1960s, while testicular cancer has become increasingly common. The male-female birth ratio has changed dramatically in some areas and birth defects of the reproductive system are increasingly noted in baby boys.

Dr David Santillo, Greenpeace Chief Scientist, and a report author said: "The growing body of scientific evidence indicating links between exposure to man-made chemicals and damage to our reproductive systems is extremely disturbing. Greenpeace is calling for any chemical that can potentially harm humans in this way to be removed from use wherever a safer alternative is available."

Among the chemicals concerned are alkylphenols, phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organotin compounds, bisphenol-A and artificial musks. However, these chemicals, used as examples in this report, represent only a fraction of the problem. Most chemicals on the market have never been tested for their safety for human health or the environment, yet many are routinely used in products found on supermarket shelves and in our bathroom cabinets.

Many of the disorders, which have been increasing in incidence, are thought to originate in the developing stages of the child's life in the womb or shortly after birth. At the same time, tests have shown that exposure to some commonly used chemicals which may affect fertility takes effect almost from the moment a child is conceived.

An EU law (REACH [2]) currently being discussed is supposed to allow for much stricter checks and controls on the manufacture and use of chemicals. But an aggressive lobby from certain chemicals producers has been so successful in undermining REACH that the law could ultimately allow substances suspected of harming our hormone system and sexual organs to remain in use. [3]

Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner, Helen Perivier, said: "Many individuals and couples see their lives and welfare affected by reproductive disorders. The EU cannot close its eyes to this rising problem by weakening the protection that REACH could provide against chemical-induced health problems."

Greenpeace argues that there can be no justification for allowing the continued use of hazardous chemicals that can be passed to developing children and that may harm sexual development.

Governments and Members of the European Parliament will vote on the EU chemicals regulation later this year.

Contacts:
For interviews with David Santillo, please call Jo Kuper on 020 7865 8257

Helen Perivier, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner, tel +32 (0)496 127107

Nadia Haiama, Greenpeace EU policy director on chemicals, tel +32 (0)476 961376

Katharine Mill, Greenpeace International Communications, tel +32 (0)496 156229

Notes to editors:
1. The report Fragile is available at http://www.greenpeace.org/fragile.

2. REACH: Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals

3. Fatal Flaws, http://www.greenpeace.org/fatalflawsbrief