EU Chemicals Enforcers Target Amazon, EBay, Other Online Vendors

The European Chemicals Agency said Monday inspectors across the bloc had started checks on chemical products sold online for compliance with the EU’s REACH and other chemicals laws. Checks would continue through 2020 and would cover all types of online vendors, including websites aimed at consumers and specialist users of chemicals, and platforms including Amazon and eBay, the agency said. Inspection authorities in EU countries would check if online purchasers are sufficiently informed about chemical hazards, and would also check the composition of products sold online, including toys and clothing, for undeclared or excessive hazardous substances, the agency said. “It wouldn’t surprise us if they do find a lot of products that really shouldn’t be there,” said Anton Lazarus, spokesman for the European Environmental Bureau, an advocacy group.