In an important ruling, the Board of Appeal of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has said that it would be ‘disproportionate’ to carry out further animal tests for the substance carbon tetrachloride (CTC). The decision overturned an order for a cruel experiment on rodents using the chemical. 

The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE), for which Cruelty Free International is the Secretariat, was allowed to intervene in the appeal brought by Akzo Nobel and five other companies.

The animal test in question is the extended one-generation reproductive toxicity study (EOGRTS) in rodents that causes significant suffering to animals, who are usually force fed a toxic substance for at least 10 weeks. There is particular concern about the inhalation method used because animals are forced into small chambers for several hours a day, five days a week. During this time they have to breathe in fumes from the substance. This experiment requires at least 1200 animals, and as many as 2200-2600 if a second generation of animals is allowed to breed.

Cruelty Free International Director of Science, Dr Katy Taylor said: ‘We warmly welcome the Board of Appeal’s decision. We always felt the experiment was completely unnecessary given what was already known about CTC and the strict risk safety measures already in place. As a result of the decision, well over a thousand animals will now be spared a distressing test’.