We did it – a big thank you to everyone!
Yesterday afternoon, the European Commission issued its communication confirming that it will not adopt a REACH restriction on cadmium in artists’ paints, which would have seen cadmium colours effectively banned in Europe. Cadmium paints have been saved for artists!
Cadmium in its pure form is highly toxic, but when cadmium is bound into a chemical compound like that used for artists colours it is not classified as hazardous by Reach, the EU body that advises on the use of chemicals. Many experts says that the real problem is nickel cadmium batteries, which are buried in landfills and leak into the watercourse.
Background
In 2013/14 the EU’s Chemical Agency responded to a Scandinavian request that attempted to reduce the quantity of cadmium batteries sent to land-fill waste across Europe. Alarmingly the proposed legislation made no allowance for the entirely safe cadmium compounds used in artists’ paints and if successfully adopted would have seen cadmium banned from use by European paint makers. Without concerted and urgent effort, artists would have been deprived of the vibrant cadmium yellows, reds and oranges that have formed an essential part of the professional palette since the 1840’s!
How we did it
Co-ordinating the campaign were Spectrum Paints, a comparatively small UK paint maker. Their size meant they were unrestricted by legal departments and press officers, so Michael Craine, Rachel Volpé and Angela Brown set about raising awareness and speaking with the EU through the paint maker’s trade organisation CEPE. Artists & Illustrators Magazine was an early supporter and joined the campaign to spread the word and encourage individual artists to contact the ECHA with their views. Michael Craine recalls: “It was a fascinating time through which we had a growing sense that perhaps the strength of our argument might win through. As a result of the Artists & Illustrators publicity and excellent blogging by Jackson’s Art and other enthusiasts and supporters, the story went global! We were contacted by British broad-sheet newspapers, the story was taken up by Emma-Jane Kirby of the BBC who interviewed me for broadcast on Radio 4’s PM programme. We made it onto the BBC news. We appeared in the media in the USA, South Africa, Australia and the French and German press”.
The Spectrum Paints team
What happened?
The European Chemical Agency ECHA were impressed with the art world’s reasonable, informed and strongly-held view that pigments such as Cadmium Sulphate are indispensable to artists- perfectly safe, perfectly strong, wonderfully lightfast and producing unique shades. There are imitations but no replacements! Rachel Volpé of Spectrum Paints comments that, “whilst we discussed the technical case for cadmium pigments, many artists were passionately able to stress the economic and artistic importance of cadmiums as they uniquely bring a warmth, light, strength and colour to paintings that stands the test of time”.
Have we won just a temporary reprieve?
Michael from Spectrum writes: “this is more than a reprieve. The ECHA recognise our case and acknowledge the substance of our arguments. This astonishing collaboration has taken up a great deal of time for me over the last two years and innumerable emails, meetings and conversations, but it was worth it!”
Not only is the change of heart over cadmium a joyous occasion in its own right, the fact that the artist fraternity is recognised as a community in its own right is an exciting development and one that should help us protect our mutual interests in the future. So congratulations and sincere thanks all round!
Read Our Earlier Articles
Jackson’s have been covering the topic for the last 18 months, encouraging artists to make their voices heard and giving them updated information on the Proposed EU Cadmium Ban. This has been a very big topic for artists in the EU.
Read the earlier articles on our blog.
Excellent result; such an achievement!
Well done and ‘thank you’ to everyone who put in so much time and effort on behalf of the artistic community.
Thank God for that, and congratulations to all those who worked so hard, and produced such compelling arguments, to achieve this result.
Thank you to all who have saved our cadmiums. Artists are responsible people who are aware of the hazards associated with all art material. I knew a baker who died from flour on his lungs. I suppose they EU will ban bread next.
Well done! If only we could have saved flake white!
I agree with Michael. Allthe lead based whites are necessary to us. Can nothing be done to rectify the situation?
HI Shirley. It’s too late for the leads, I’m afraid.
Hurrah! Well done to all concerned and especially Spectrum paints, we are all indebted to you for your hard work in saving our wonderful cadmium paints.
Brilliant result – an uncommon triumph of common sense. Very well done!
Well done. Excellent result. Thank you so much for all your hard work on behalf of us all. Shame about the whites. Is it really too late?
Hi Carol. Thanks! It is great news, isn’t it.
Yes, I’m afraid lead is gone.
As far as I am concerned flake white and lead white is still available, there is a hassle with getting it right hand, it has to be imported, but why would say it is gone? Currently I have a DR Georgian flake white which I bought via the net here in Poland, I have got an imported lead white from W&N bought in the U.S. and shipped to Poland and I have several tubes of stack lead white made by my friend from the pigment. I believe that there is still one French oil colour manufacture making genuine chrome yellows and try as might there shall be no problems with getting genuine lemon yellows, i.e. strontium chromate (http://www.nevskayapalitra.ru/eng/brands/master_class) and obviously barium chromate (Harding’s is really good).