EU tightens rules on workplace chemicals to prevent illness
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European Union member states approved stricter limits for several harmful chemicals that can cause cancer or asthma, protecting workers across the bloc.
The new rules focus on substances found in batteries for electric vehicles and steel production. Officials expect the changes to prevent approximately 1,700 cases of lung cancer and 19,000 other illnesses over the next 40 years. The regulations set maximum exposure levels for workers over an eight-hour period.
For cobalt and its inorganic compounds, the new limits are 0.01 milligrams per cubic meter for particles breathed in through the nose and mouth, and 0.0025 milligrams per cubic meter for finer particles that reach deeper into the lungs. The European Commission estimates that 113,000 workers in the EU are exposed to cobalt and its compounds during the production of batteries, magnets, and hard metals.
Industry will have six years to adapt to the new requirements, with higher temporary limits in place during the transition.
