BRUSSELS: Controversial proposals to force Europe’s chemicals industry to test a minimum of 30,000 substances for toxicity were backed the other day by the European parliament in a move which the industry fears could lead to thousands of job losses and bankruptcies.

The vote paves the way for the European Commission to begin drawing up detailed legislation, the idea being to test thousands of chemicals found in everyday products to make sure they are safe for human health and the environment.

The move is highly controversial — it has been estimated that the plan will initiate the biggest animal testing programme Europe has ever seen and require the death of at least 50m animals. Animal rights campaigners and Britain’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) are demanding that other ways be found for the testing.

It is, however, regarded as essential to protect public health from thousands of untested chemicals found in mundane products such as plastic and car upholstery.

MEPs backed the proposals by a narrow margin in the face of fierce lobbying from the chemicals industry, which in Germany took out full page adverts in newspapers to protest against the legislation.

The measures could come into force as early as 2003 in the UK, where the chemicals industry employs 240,000 people and accounts for 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product.

Neil Eisberg, spokesman for the UK’s Chemical Industries Association, said that he had serious reservations about the EU plan. “We’re very concerned about the impact on the chemicals industry, particularly in the current economic climate. It may drive final product manufacturing overseas and jobs will follow. It’s going to be expensive and we don’t really know exactly what we will be required to do.”

According to another official the measures “will certainly kill many small firms”.

But Labour MEP David Bowe said the testing programme was essential to safeguard human health, something the industry says it recognises too. “At the moment we don’t know if the acetone in nail varnish...or the plastics in toys our children play with are a serious threat.” —Dawn/The Guardian News Service.