LamprouMemo27

Memo 27 Describing People Aleksandra Kordecka is a member of Friends of the Earth Europe for 8 years now. She is well educated and very active in the area of chemical regulation. As a chemicals campaigner she has participated in many activities concerning the regulation of chemicals. Her name appears more often than any other name on statements, press releases and activities towards processes for better regulation of chemicals. Her ideas about how chemicals can be regulated are obvious through her statements and arguments on various cases. For example, in the case of REACH she stated that “EU Governments should be doing everything they can to encourage safer alternatives to hazardous pesticides. We need a strong and consistent line to protect public health and the environment and to promote sustainable farming.” In the broader sense of the regulation of toxics, Aleksandra is leading the activities for the regulation of nanotechnology. She believes that “the jury is still out on whether nanotechnology will prove to be an environmental protector or, in fact, a polluter.” As a member of the Friends of the Earth Europe she fights for better regulation and public awareness in the EU. Aleksandra did not just participated at the First Annual Nanotechnology Safety for Success Dialogue, she was the only non-expert, meaning the only participant not coming from the government, policy, industry, or scientific/technological institution, leading a discussion section on nanotechnology the second day of the 2007 workshop. Her opinion about it: Talking, talking, talking, no action and no consideration of the public opinion. In February 2008 the European Commission adopted a voluntary code of conduct in the field of nanotechnology research in an attempt to establish some guidelines in this fast-growing but little-understood research area. Aleksandra once again stated that Friends of the Earth like a lot the idea in the code of conduct, “but it really doesn’t go far enough, as it’s only a voluntary code. It needs to be mandatory.” The nanotech research should be directed in such way so its products will benefit everyone. “Do we really need research into socks that don’t stink?”