By Martin Banks - 4th June 2007
The European parliament was today accused of effectively consigning 350 years of European tradition to history when it approved a ban on mercury.
The move follows a decision by the environment committee not to challenge a European commission ban on the use of mercury in barometers.
The production of thermometers and barometers containing mercury will be banned after a two-year phase-out period, ostensibly to prevent tons of toxic metal entering the food chain.
Europe's small but skilled barometer industry thought it had won a reprieve from the legislation after winning an initial exemption last year, but the vote signals the end of their campaign to save the instruments.
The move, already approved by national governments, was hailed by environmental groups but condemned by MEPs from the UK, Portugal and the Netherlands, who had joined forces in a bid to block the move.
The vote follows strong lobbying by member state governments, including Lord Rooker, UK minister for sustainable farming and food, who decided that “the use of mercury in traditional barometers, which are essentially decorative, cannot be considered an essential use”.
UK Tory MEP Martin Callanan, an environment committee member whose amendment to the law was rejected, said: "A 400-year-old tradition had been crucified by the nanny state."
"This is tragic because the European parliament, backed by the UK government, has voted to destroy hundreds of years of British tradition and ban the production of barometers."
"This ban brings to an end the tradition of barometer making which was begun in the mid-1600s. Businesses involved in production of these instruments will now probably close down."
Another committee member, UK Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies, also backed the exemption "in order to protect jobs in the industry and because he believes the perceived health risk involved is negligible."
Philip Collins, secretary of the British Barometer Makers Association, said: “Barometers are my livelihood. I deal with mercury every day and the levels are so small that I have never been adversely affected."
"The commission has no justification for banning our barometers. They should have preserving our tradition by ensuring we can continue to practice this ancient art," he added.
MEP Linda McAvan, a UK Socialist member of the committee, voted for the ban because she says there is clear evidence that mercury in barometers is "highly dangerous".
"There have been several accidents in the US involving mercury so the ban is totally justified. To say that we are consigning history is absolute nonsense," she said.
About 300 tonnes of mercury is used by industry in the EU each year but just 0.2 per cent of this is used to make barometers.
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