What is a week without yet another enviro-scare piece from the eco-loons among us? This week it is the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) Directive, again:

"Every family member is contaminated with a cocktail of at least 18 different man-made chemicals, many found in everyday consumer goods," the World Wildlife Foundation [pdf] said. 'How much more evidence is needed before industry and European politicians accept that these hazardous chemicals cannot be adequately controlled?' said Karl Wagner, director of the WWF's DetoX campaign. [...]

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME from its French acronym) said 'it has now been scientifically demonstrated that there is indeed a link between chemical products and the appearance of diseases', in particular cancers. CPME draws attention to WHO (World Health Organisation) registers which show cancer rates have risen 'alarmingly' since the 1950s and that cancers affect 'all age ranges'."

Obviously the people of Europe are dropping like flies. Given that "every family member is contaminated with a cocktail of at least 18 different man-made chemicals" the life expectancy rate from birth has undoubtedly been plummeting over the years:

Source, Eurostat

Although not a trained scientist, both lines do appear to be in the ascendancy. To the untrained eye this might denote that both females and males in the EU25 are actually living longer. This despite the 'fact' offered by the WWF that, "every family member is contaminated with a cocktail of at least 18 different man-made chemicals".

What does the WWF base their far-reaching 'scientific' study upon? Ahh, page 16 of the report [pdf]:

"Thirteen families from twelve countries around Europe – Belgium (2 families), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Sweden, Luxembourg – were sampled for blood during June of 2005. Each family sampled comprised three generations (the grandmother, the mother and one child) with a total of 39 family members sampled."

Although not a trained statistician, it would appear to be absurd to base the regulatory apparatus of an entire continent on 39 people or 0.000000086% of the total European population. A population which increases it's life expectancy each and every year.

Some of the products silently waiting to currently stalking and killing each and every inhabitant of Europe:

"flame retardent sofas, textiles, electrical appliances, non-stick coatings on cooking pans, fragrances in toiletries, ingredients in cosmetics, stain/water repellents for clothing and furniture, floor waxes, kitchenware, soap and personal care products, protective liners in metal food cans/tins, etc, etc."

The horrors of non-stick cookware, who knew?