WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2474/97 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in baby toys
Date: 1997-07-16
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: chemical product, consumer protection, dangerous substance, health control, health risk, plastics, product safety, public health, safety standard, toy industry

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/7

How serious a health risk does the Commission consider the use of salt to be? What does it propose to do to
eliminate the health risk posed by salt in Europe? Does the Commission regard salt as an additive or a foodstuff?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 1997)

The sodium component of salt has indeed been implicated in a number of medical conditions and diseases, but
any  risks  are  dependent  upon  intake,  which,  in  turn,  is  mainly  determined  by  dietary  habits  in  general  and
individual choices.

Sodium chloride otherwise known as common salt is considered as food ingredient by Community legislation.
Apart from the declaration of salt in the list of ingredients, sodium must be declared in nutrition labelling under
certain conditions as provided by Directive 90/496/EEC on nutrition labelling for foodstuffs (1).

In addition products presented as foods for particular nutritional uses (diet foods) with low sodium content are
subject  to  further  labelling  rules  as  stipulated  in  Directive  89/398/EEC  relative  to  foodstuffs  intended  for
particular  nutritional  uses (2).  The  conditions  for  the  use  of  the  term  (cid:145)low-sodium(cid:146)  will  be  harmonised  at
Community level in the future on the basis of the relevant report of the scientific committee for food.

Finally, in the context of the programme of Community action on health promotion, information, education and
training  in  the  framework  for  action  in  the  field  of  public  health (3),  action  is  foreseen  concerning  the  better
understanding of the role of nutrition and other life-style factors in the etiology of diseases and the dissemination
of information to the public to improve understanding of basic nutritional principles and of new techniques and
methods of presenting and preparing foodstuffs.

(1)  OJ L 276, 6.10.1990.
(2)  OJ L 186, 30.6.1989.
(3)  OJ L 95, 16.4.1996.

(98/C 158/10)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2474/97

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(16 July 1997)

Subject: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in baby toys

1. What action does the Commission intend to take to warn consumers across Europe of the potential dangers
of plastic toys for young babies, following the withdrawal from the market of PVC plastic baby toys in Denmark,
Italy and Spain after evidence from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency of dangers to babies from the
leaking of plastics into their mouths when sucking on these products?

2. Will the Commission participate in the international working group set up by the toy industry to investigate
this problem and will it be informed of the results of their investigation?

3.
In view of the scientifically documented risks for human health from endocrine-disrupting chemicals, does
the Commission consider immediate action is necessary to protect at least the most vulnerable groups, such as
pregnant women and young children first?

4.
In view of the documented trans-generational effects of some hormone-disrupting chemicals, whose effects
may not appear on the exposed individuals but are then passed onto the next generation, does the Commission
agree  that  immediate  action  to  protect  and  inform  consumers  is  required  now,  based  on  the  precautionary
principle?