Dangerous substances and preparations: restrictions on the marketing and use of 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, methylenediphenyl diisocyanate, cyclohexane and ammonium nitrate

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted a report drafted by Miroslav OUZKY (EPP-ED, CZ) and amended, in the 1st reading of the codecision procedure, the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 76/769/EEC as regards restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, methylenediphenyl diisocyanate, cyclohexane and ammonium nitrate.

The main amendments are as follows :

- DEGME restrictions should also apply to cleaning agents, self-shining emulsions and floor sealants;

- DEGBE restrictions should also apply for the spray form of cleaning products, as the possibility of inhalation is also likely;

- gloves for MDI should be appropriate (rather than polyethylene) as the Commission had required;

- the committee deleted the  clause obliging the collection of data on possible cases of persons suffering from respiratory allergy during the use of preparations containing MDI;

- Cyclohexane should have a reduced package size of 350g rather than 650g as the Commission had proposed;

- lastly, the committee wants to restrict the marketing of Ammonium Nitrate fertilisers with a nitrogen content less than 28% rather than 20%. It noted that many fertilisers produced in Europe contain around 27% ammonium nitrate. The possibility of extracting ammonium nitrate from a fertiliser depends on its quality and not only on the concentration of ammonium nitrate. The Commission has stated that "Ammonium nitrate based fertilisers containing less that 28% nitrogen are not considered to pose a risk of explosion under normal conditions of handling and use", therefore the limit of the nitrogen content should be below 28%.