Danish EPA accepts nickel is not a systemic carcinogen
November 2005
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (D-EPA) has accepted industry research which proves that the proposed carcinogenicity classification for water soluble nickel compounds should be limited to the inhalation route of exposure only.
The study, sponsored by NiPERA (Nickel Producers' Environmental Research Association) demonstrated that daily oral administration of nickel sulphate hexahydrate to rats did not significantly increase the occurrence of tumours, at doses more than 2,000 times higher than the human average daily nickel intake.
In a letter to the Classification & Labelling Technical Committee, the Danish-EPA agreed that the study was "convincingly negative".
This means that the R49 designation ("may cause cancer by inhalation"), which constrains the carcinogen Category 1 classification to inhalation exposure only, will be finalised upon publication of the 30th ATP (Adaptation to Technical Progress) later this year.
For further information, contact:
Paola di Discordia
didiscordia@euronickel.org
