Informe El medio ambiente en Europa: Estado y perspectivas 2020

PART 2
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Key messages
• European chemical policies have
contributed to improved air and
surface water quality and reduced
related harm to the environment and
people’s health. Nevertheless, on‐going
exposure to chemical pollution
continues to negatively affect human
health and the environment. Latent
and irreversible damage to human
health is of particular concern.
• The projected increase in chemical
production and continued emissions
of persistent and hazardous chemicals
suggests that the total chemical burden
on health and the environment is
unlikely to decrease.
• The large variety of chemicals used
in Europe makes it impossible to carry
out robust risk assessments for each
individual chemical and monitor their
presence in environmental media
and in people. Significant knowledge
gaps remain regarding the impacts
of chemicals on health and the
environment.
• Current policies mainly address
single chemicals and often in separate
policy domains. A shift to a more
integrated approach for chemicals
governance that better fosters
innovation within Europe is needed.
The current single substance approach
is not fit for assessing and managing
the risks of the large number of
chemicals on the European market in
the immediate future. A shift towards
tackling chemical groups rather than
single substances offers opportunities
to accelerate risk management.
• A transition to chemicals and
products that are safe by design, as
well as using less hazardous chemicals
along the entire life cycle of products,
offers significant opportunities to
reduce chemical pollution and improve
circularity and innovation in Europe’s
economy.
Thematic summary assessment
Theme Past trends and outlook Prospects of meeting policy
objectives/targets
Past trends (10-15 years) Outlook to 2030 2020
Emissions of chemicals
Chemical pollution and impacts
on ecosystems
Chemical pollution and risks to human
health and well-being
Trends show a mixed
picture
Trends show a mixed
picture
Trends show a mixed
picture
Deteriorating
developments dominate
Largely not on track
Deteriorating
developments dominate
Largely not on track
Deteriorating
developments dominate
Largely not on track
Note:
For the methodology of the summary assessment table, see the introduction to Part 2. The justification for the colour coding is
explained in Section 10.3, Key trends and outlooks (Tables 10.2, 10.3 and 10.4).
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