‘Fast-track’ regulation could expose Britons to harmful chemicals, say campaigners

Exclusive: Fighting Dirty taking legal action against government over proposal it says could import weaker standards

‘Fast-track’ regulation could expose Britons to harmful chemicals, say campaigners

TL;DR

  • Fighting Dirty is suing the UK government over proposed chemical hazard classification regulations.
  • The group claims the new rules could allow the UK to adopt lower chemical safety standards from other countries.
  • Concerns are raised that substances like hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen, could be more widely permitted.
  • The government states the regulations are designed to prevent the fast-tracking of classifications from countries with weaker regulatory practices.
  • Campaigners fear the omission of explicit reference to EU standards in the legal text could allow for future misuse.
  • Fighting Dirty is seeking a judicial review to ensure the regulations uphold existing safety standards.