This month the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released its fourth report on the use of animals and alternatives for European chemical tests. The report shows ECHA is failing to meet EU requirements in the REACH law to use animal testing as a last resort and promote the use of non-animal methods.

Shockingly, the total number of animals used in REACH testing has doubled since the previous report in 2016 from 1,119,283 animals to 2,395,056 in 2019. Including animals used in agreed test proposals from 2017-2019, the total number of animals used in EU chemical tests in 2019 was 2,628,306 - greater than the Commission’s best-case estimate of 1.9 million and exceeding the average estimate.

Worryingly, the figures may not show the full picture. We do not know the extent to which animal tests are being conducted alongside non-animal methods now accepted for skin sensitisation as well as skin and eye irritation tests.

Since the last report, equally little progress has been made in the use of non-animal alternatives

With calls for an even tougher chemicals strategy in Europe there are also concerns that more animal testing could soon be required.

Dr Katy Taylor, our Director of Science & Regulatory Affairs says: “ECHA’s attitude to the use of alternatives to animal tests is far too passive. ECHA needs to be more assertive in demanding that non-animal methods are used wherever possible and invest in promoting and enforcing this. The lack of more information in the report about why tests such as skin irritation in rabbits are still happening when alternatives are available is completely inexplicable and inexcusable. Citizens expect much more.”

The ECHA report is required to be published every three years under Article 117 of REACH. So far there have been reports in 2011, 2014 and 2017.