Press Release: Dangerous preparations: European Commission directive restricts creosote applications

A new Directive banning the sale to consumers of the wood preservative creosote was adopted by the European Commission on 26 octboer 2001. This follows conclusions by an EU scientific committee after a recent study that creosote has a greater potential to cause cancer than previously thought, and exceeds the limits permissible under existing legislation. The ban, which takes effect from 30 June 2003 at the latest, also applies to creosote-treated wood. Creosote may still be used for industrial applications, e.g. railway sleepers and telegraph poles, but with tougher restrictions on its composition.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enterprise/chemicals/index.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enterprise/chemicals/index.htm

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