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Published online 26 August 2009 | Nature 460, 1065 (2009) | doi:10.1038/4601065a

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Chemical-safety costs uncertain

Researchers and regulators disagree on how REACH legislation will affect costs and loss of animal lives.

Europe's chemical regulator has questioned a study suggesting that industry will have to spend €9.5 billion (US$13.

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  • Thank you for providing this more balanced set of perspectives on the Opinion pice by Hartung and Rovida.

    I have analyzed their study in detail, and have posted a critique on Environmental Defense Fund's Chemicals and Nanomaterials blog; see www.edf.org/chemandnano.

    • 27 Aug, 2009
    • Posted by: Richard Denison
  • Readers should know that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has just issued a press release disputing the findings of the Hartung-Rovida study, and providing its analysis of the numerous incorrect assumptions the study used.
    The ECHA press release is available at http://echa.europa.eu/doc/press/pr_09_11_animal_testing_20090828.pdf.

    • 28 Aug, 2009
    • Posted by: Richard Denison