Miljøstyrelsen, the environmental protection agency, has reported a Danish company to the police for the first time for violating the rules governing the nature of the chemicals it imports.

Companies are required to submit information about the nature of the chemicals they use, the possible risks and what they are used for.

The rules were introduced a few years ago after years of negotiations within the EU to try to get a handle on the rapidly growing chemical market.

EU praises DK
The EU’s environmental organisation, EEB, expressed its satisfaction with the Danish group’s decision.

“Surveys show that about two out of every three companies under observation violate the rules of the chemical directive,” Tatiana Santos, a senior employee at EEB, told Politiken newspaper. “Members are very weak at prosecuting violators.”

The business in question was reported after the investigation of 20 Danish companies.

“The company failed to report 12 compounds,” said Miljøstyrelsen head Peter Østergaard Have. “This is a company that knows the rules. Therefore we believe that this is a serious breach of the rules."

Have said that not documenting the chemicals would give the company an economic advantage over its competitors.

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“The documentation required is quite expensive and companies often hire consultants to do the work.”

Have said that the company’s savings by not registering the compounds could have added up to several hundred thousand kroner. 

Miljøstyrelsen declined to release the name of the business, but said that the company has stores in Denmark and abroad.