Local MP meets Toxic Ted

22.10.02

Edward Davey with Toxic Ted, from Friends of the Earth

Friends of the Earth's "safer chemicals" campaign wins MP's support

The Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, Edward Davey, will this Wednesday meet "Toxic Ted" - the campaign symbol for Friends of the Earth's "safer chemicals" campaign - in Westminster and give his backing to FoE's international campaign to tackle dangerous use of chemicals.

Friends of the Earth have been asking their Kingston members to write to Edward Davey to raise their concerns about the health and environmental problems caused through the use of highly toxic chemicals by some companies, when those chemicals have never been properly assessed for their safety.

For more details see Friends of the Earth.

The campaign is centred round the "Copenhagen Charter". This calls for the phasing out of the use of dangerous chemicals that can accumulate in human bodies or in the environment.

You can download the Copenhagen Charter.

Commenting on the campaign, Edward Davey said:

"Toxic Ted is a fun way of highlighting a serious issue.

"Chemical companies must take more responsibility for their products. Safety assessments should be carried out and chemicals only approved if they are safe beyond reasonable doubt.

"Many constituents have written to me raising their concerns about this issue. I have signed the Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling for the Government to implement the Copenhagen Charter."


Text of Early Day Motion 173
COPENHAGEN CHARTER AND SAFER CHEMICALS
That this House is concerned at the potential impact of some industrial chemicals on human health and the environment; supports the Copenhagen Charter which calls for a safety assessment of all chemicals to ensure that their use is safe beyond reasonable doubt; calls for the substitution of less safe chemicals with safer alternatives wherever practical and for the phasing out of chemicals that accumulate in human bodies or the environment, and for consumers to have a right to know which chemicals are in products they buy; and urges the Government to support regulations based on the Charter which is backed by over 70 consumer and environmental groups across Europe.