EppsteinFOILS in dialogue with Dr. Anna Lührmann on lead regulation
On Wednesday, Dr. Anna Lührmann, Member of the German Bundestag for the Main-Taunus district and Chair of Alliance 90 / The Greens in Hesse, visited the metal foil manufacturer EppsteinFOILS in Eppstein. It was the politician’s first visit to the more than 170-year-old traditional company, where she had previously spent part of her childhood in nearby Hofheim am Taunus.
Managing Director Dr. Marco Holst explained, among other things, the extensive measures implemented by the company in recent years to ensure occupational safety, health protection and water conservation. He also emphasized the essential importance of the lead and zinc foils manufactured at the site for various high-tech industries, such as medical technology.
According to the company, the invitation for the discussion was prompted by considerations at EU level to make future applications of the material lead subject to authorization by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Such authorization procedures are highly complex and can take several years; they are typically required for sophisticated chemical applications, for example plant protection products.
Dr. Marco Holst explained:
“There are very few metallic materials that have been studied and understood as extensively as lead, and its use is already strictly regulated. Industrial use, with a recycling rate of 99 percent, effectively represents a closed-loop economy. In addition, due to its unique combination of properties, lead is difficult to replace in many high-tech applications. Additional regulatory restrictions would place medium-sized companies like ours under considerable strain without delivering any discernible benefit.”
Dr. Anna Lührmann commented:
“EppsteinFOILS demonstrates the innovative strength of small and medium-sized enterprises in Hesse. For companies like this to operate successfully, they need planning certainty and authorities that implement political guidelines pragmatically and efficiently. Bundling administrative decisions in dedicated clearing bodies could help achieve this.”
You can download the press photo here.
