The EU has laid out a plans to ban 12,000 harmful chemicals which it claims will help manufacturers anticipate future restrictions. 

The EU Commission on April 25 put together an action plan to restrict harmful chemicals that are still being used in sectors such as food packaging, construction, toys and cosmetics. The “Restrictions Roadmap” targets 12,000 chemicals including flame retardants, bisphenols, PVC plastics, toxic chemicals found in diapers and the “forever” PFAS. 

The commission has said the road map will give companies the chance to prepare for future restrictions by assessing alternatives to these substances in manufacturing. 

“This ‘great detox’ promises to improve the safety of almost all manufactured products,” said Tatiana Santos, a campaigner from the European Environmental Bureau.

The plan is to outlaw the groups of toxic chemicals as a rule without the need to assess them on a case-by-case bases. The list will be regularly reviewed and updated. The list will be used by the European Chemicals Agency to employ new restrictions until the EU’s flagship Reach regulation is updated in 2027. In addition, EU member states are allowed to propose new restrictions for substances that are not yet included in the list.

EU member states have welcomed the roadmap and it has been hailed by campaigners are the EU's boldest yet.