1. sciencepunk
  2. Chem industry calls on new MEPs to keep science close

Chem industry calls on new MEPs to keep science close

By sciencepunk on June 5, 2009.

The REACHforLIFE campaign has appealed for incoming MEPs to ensure science takes centre stage during their five year term. The organisation, comprising of chemical companies Albemarle, Chemtura and ICL-IP, has a stated aim to tackle mistrust of science and move toward a balanced approach in applying sound scientific evidence in the EU decision-making process. Spokesman Willem Hofland said:

Sound science, particularly when obtained through the EU's official risk assessments, should be paramount in any forthcoming EU legislation. Hence, whils we look to congratulate all new and returning MEPs on their election, we also call on them to ensure science receives the attention it deserves.

Having seen the articles posted on SciencePunk recently, they contacted me for a quote. I told them:

Decisions made in Europe affect the air we breathe, the food we eat and the medicines we take. It is essential these decisions are based on the best possible evidence, and science offers the means to do this. Science is at the heart of our modern world, and deserves to be at the heart of political discussion too.

You can read their letter

here

.

Tags
Science and the European Elections

More like this

Science and the European Elections: Chemical Safety
This entry is part of the Science and the European Election series, a collaboration between SciencePunk and the Lay Scientist blog to encourage public discussion of the science policies of the major parties standing at the forthcoming European elections. In 2007, The REACH act came into force,…
European elections: The anti-science sentiment infecting politics
The Guardian Science blog were kind enough to allow Martin of LayScience.net and myself to write up an article on science and the European elections: On Thursday, millions of us will go to the polls to decide how Britain is represented in the European Parliament, but few will have the faintest…
Election Special: is your MEP anti-science?
The European Elections are taking place this week, when millions of people will go to the polls to decide how they are represented in Europe. The European Parliament is a stage on which countless battles are played out, influencing aspects of our economy, law, judiciary, technology, environment,…
The Science Integrity Project and the Statement of Principles for Sound Decision Making in Canada
Though not explicitly tied to our current federal election campaign, the début this week of the Science Integrity Project and the publishing of their Statement of Principles for Sound Decision Making in Canada just as the campaign heats up is surely not coincidental. In any case, election or not,…

Perfectly reasonable on the face of it, but the phrase "sound science" sets off this klaxon in my head when it's used by an industry lobby group...