Exposure limits for carcinogens


The Commission has also come in for criticism from the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). It says five new binding occupational exposure limits (BOELs) for cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) proposed by the Commission are decades overdue and is calling for further action. 


The ETUC says the Commission “can and should adopt a more ambitious strategy to eliminate work-related cancers” and it wants to see an action plan in place. 


It points out that Commissioner Marianne Thyssen, who is responsible for employment, social affairs, skills and labour mobility, promised to propose 25 BOELs in 2016 and to reach a total of 50 BOELs in the Carcinogens Directive by 2020. But with only 13 BOELs added in May 2016 and five in the current proposal, the ETUC says “we are far from the objective”.

https://www.etui.org/Publications2/Reports/Carcinogens-that-should-be-subject-to-binding-limits-on-workers-exposure

https://www.etuc.org/press/more-carcinogen-exposure-limits-must-be-adopted-says-etuc