Four years ago, Europe set course on the world’s most far-reaching plan to shield people and nature from daily contact with hazardous chemicals. That plan is way behind schedule, a new study published today has found. Unlawful delays by the European Commission have led to around 100,000 tonnes of chemicals contaminating food systems, drinking water, homes and elsewhere, the study calculated. Read the press release here.
We secured a fantastic result with this press push. So often success is measured merely in the number or prominence of press hits, while hoped-for impacts at a policy level remain vague or unknown. This time, we learned that an article had caused concern at a high level and outreach with the NGOs was sought. Our alarm was seen and listened to. The push was reasonably successful, generating at least 47 articles with a good spread across 19 countries, as we’d planned. That included prominent placement by many editor and coverage in leading outlets around Europe (Le Monde, The Guardian, Delo, Information, Le Soir, De Tijd and Dagens Nyheter, 24HU). The story was a leading story on The Guardian’s Europe edition homepage well into the afternoon and Slovenia’s Delo commissioned a cartoon.
The Guardian homepage at nearly 4pm
Delo’s cartoon, translated: “No, it wasn’t a chemical accident! They just came to replace the food and drinks in our vending machines!”
