3 ms·

My understanding is that most European regulators err on the side of caution with respect to banning chemicals. It's more of a "you have to prove this is safe"

My understanding is that most European regulators err on the side of caution with respect to banning chemicals. It's more of a "you have to prove this is safe" mentality, rather than "you have to prove this is dangerous" in terms of the scientific uncertainty. They're all looking at the same global set of available research data it seems: https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/banned-europe-safe-us/ https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/banned-europe... > "This principle, in the words of the European Commission, “aims at ensuring a higher level of environmental protection through preventative” decision-making. In other words, it says that when there is substantial, credible evidence of danger to human or environmental health, protective action should be taken despite continuing scientific uncertainty. In contrast, the U.S. federal government’s approach to chemicals management sets a very high bar for the proof of harm that must be demonstrated before regulatory action is taken."

saiya-jin 5y ago
US vs Europe approach difference was nicely visible right after brexit. US lobbyists for agro sector were trying to persuade UK government to ease EU-based laws on quality of food, farming etc.
- mardifoufs 5y ago
  Food safety regulations are more strict in the US than in europe. I'm not american, but the US FDA is very powerful and does not really mess around, the point where it's actually a bad thing. The horse meat scandal probably couldn't have happened in the US, at least not at the same scale
  - hetspookjee 5y ago
    Well you can argue both sides than. I think the FDA is going overboard with their requirement to wash the poultry in chlorine. As an add-on there's this oddity that the EU eggs cannot be sold in the US, due to the ban on washing them, and vice versa.
  - krageon 5y ago
    > Food safety regulations are more strict in the US than in europe Novel food additives are always approved in the US first and there are more types of additives allowed in the US to begin with. This is an extraordinary claim that requires evidence.

saiya-jin 5y ago

US vs Europe approach difference was nicely visible right after brexit. US lobbyists for agro sector were trying to persuade UK government to ease EU-based laws on quality of food, farming etc.

mardifoufs 5y ago
Food safety regulations are more strict in the US than in europe. I'm not american, but the US FDA is very powerful and does not really mess around, the point where it's actually a bad thing. The horse meat scandal probably couldn't have happened in the US, at least not at the same scale
- hetspookjee 5y ago
  Well you can argue both sides than. I think the FDA is going overboard with their requirement to wash the poultry in chlorine. As an add-on there's this oddity that the EU eggs cannot be sold in the US, due to the ban on washing them, and vice versa.
- krageon 5y ago
  > Food safety regulations are more strict in the US than in europe Novel food additives are always approved in the US first and there are more types of additives allowed in the US to begin with. This is an extraordinary claim that requires evidence.