Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-25-Speech-3-293"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2000-10-25"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Endocrine disrupters2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20001025.12.3-293"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-10-25-Speech-3-2942
lpv:speaker	lp:Chris Davies2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, I represent the north-west of England which, with the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, is I suppose one of the most densely populated parts of the European Union. We have a particular problem with marine flat fish – flounders in the estuary of the River Mersey in fact – which are exhibiting extreme intersex characteristics and we do not know what the cause is. We have a lot of chemical factories around the estuary and suspicion has fallen on them, but the scientists are also looking at the detergents which are used both for industrial purposes and in our own homes. They are looking at oestrogens – synthetic oestrogens in particular – used perhaps in the pill by hundreds or thousands of women in the region. Indeed, they are looking at natural oestrogen produced by women in their millions. It could be a combination of all these things – and this is the difficulty. We do not know the answers and there are more than 500 chemicals from which we could choose. I have doubts about the use of the precautionary principle and of course, about the misuse of the precautionary principle – by its nature we never know when it is appropriate to use it or not. There must be very great concern about the long-term effects of putting thousands of chemicals into the natural environment, but it is difficult to identify exactly which chemicals to target. The evidence of falling sperm counts, of rising levels of breast cancer, of female polar bears growing penises or whatever gives rise to very real fears and we have to be prepared to ban some substances on suspicion alone, even before we have firm scientific evidence. I support both the Commission's proposals and the rapporteur's suggestions. However, we can be sure that there are many disputes to come when we start highlighting chemicals which must be banned."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; PETI (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Liberal Democrat Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; ELDR (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation to the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-09-29--2002-01-14)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Davies (ELDR )."1

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