The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently published its final decision that Cadmium pigments will not be restricted in artist paints.
You can read the entire document here:
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=8530&lang=en
In two previous issues of Just Paint we shared information concerning the possibility of Cadmium pigments being banned in artist paints. Just Paint Issue 4 (October 1996) detailed regulatory requirement changes for the use and disposal of Cadmium based pigments due to environmental and health concerns. Also discussed were the potential restrictions on their use in artist paints and potential alternatives.
More recently, Ben Gavett, Regulatory Affairs Director at Golden Artist Colors wrote a follow-up article in Just Paint Issue 32 (February 2015), describing the process and results of an attempt to ban cadmium in artist colors in Europe, the reasoning behind it, and the response from both within the artist community and by those responsible for determining whether the ban would be implemented.
As part of this process, a survey was created to solicit feedback around two themes of the restriction proposal: whether there are suitable substitutes for cadmium pigments in fine art and to what extent artists avoid washing cadmium down the drain.
The survey was circulated via direct email [artists were also encouraged to visit the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) website and submit comments directly]. We received over 1,500 survey responses. Thank you for your interest and participation in the survey. The response was certainly notable, confirming your collective effort to minimize environmental impact.
Again, thank you for contributing to the dialogue, participating in the process and sharing your viewpoint.
Jodi
