In their official report to the Government, the Committee embraced the fullest implementation of the precautionary principle yet proposed in the management of chemicals. Specifically, if a compound is shown to be persistent and bioaccumulative, its use will be banned unless it can be shown that the chemical is safe.
Current practice allows use unless the chemical can be shown to cause harm.
New products introduced on the market are largely free from mercury, cadmium, lead and their compounds. Metals are used in such a way that they are not released into the environment to a degree that causes harm to the environment or human health. Man-made organic substances that are persistent and bioaccumulative occur in production processes only if the producer can show that health and ethe environment will not be harmed. The use of brominated flame retardants must be restricted. PBB and PBDE will be phased out.