CHEMICAL firms in East Lancashire today warned jobs could be lost if new proposals for the regulation of chemicals are given the go-ahead.

Europe is planning to toughen up the regulations governing chemicals, which could see manufacturers and suppliers being forced to pay up to register and assess the materials -- one local firm says it faces paying out £10m and would have to shed jobs.

And it is feared this could have a knock-on effect on users of the chemicals, companies such as Darwen-based Wolstenholme International Ltd, whose costs could be increased to cover the registering process.

The proposals were published on Wednesday by the European Commission, but will go out for consultation during the next 18 months. They were drawn up because of growing concern about the long-term consequences of chemicals on health and the environment.

Up to 30,000 man-made chemicals in daily use have never been properly tested, and it is believed that potential risks in humans could include cancer, birth defects, allergies, asthma, skin disorders and disruption to the hormonal system.

But, despite agreeing that chemicals should undergo a risk assessment, bosses at Wolstenholme International and WM Blythe, which has sites in Church and Hapton, say they are worried about the consequences.

John Wells, safety, health and environment manager at chemical manufacturer Blythe, said: "Because we are a chemical manufacturer, we will have to register all 46 chemicals we produce which will cost WM Blythe an enormous amount of money, in the region of £10m. For a small to medium enterprise that will have extreme implications. We have been protesting as best we can through the Chemical Industries Association and have approached our MP and MEPs.

"It will take an awful lot of time and money if it continues the way it is doing and it will no doubt cost jobs.

"We make chemicals that are used in everyday things. including the pharmaceutical industry and in drinking water. These proposals would make us non-competitive. Plus if we go to our customer and say we need to put 20 per cent on the price to cover the registration, they will just go elsewhere."

John Maynard, safety and regulatory affairs manager at Wolstenholme, said: "As a user of the chemicals rather than a manufacturer, we do not have to register any chemicals, but all the chemicals we use are mainly from small chemical manufacturers so we don't know if we'll have supplies when this directive comes in. If we do have supplies we are concerned that the cost of the raw materials will increase to cover it."

Janet Anderson, MP for Darwen and Rossendale, has had talks with Wolstenholme International about their concerns and has passed on their worries to the Government.

She said: "They believe that their business is seriously under threat from the EU directive on chemicals, which is known as the REACH directive, which will require all chemical components in manufacturing processes to be tested and registered.

"I have raised this with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Patricia Hewitt MP, and the Government has now agreed to question the EU position. Gary Titley, our Euro MP is also pursuing this."