# EU occupational chemical exposure regulation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/eu-occupational-chemical-exposure-regulation
> Updated: 2026-10-23T08:03:05.000Z. Sources: 14. Developments: 2.

The European Union has adopted stricter limit values for several hazardous substances to protect workers from illnesses such as cancer and asthma. These regulations specifically target substances used in steel production and the manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries, magnets, and hard metals, including new thresholds for cobalt and its inorganic compounds.

Following these EU-wide measures, the Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Security issued a Presidential Decree to establish stricter occupational exposure limits for lead, its inorganic compounds, and diisocyanates, which are identified as toxic to reproduction. The Greek initiative includes the use of digital tools to map hazardous chemicals and track protective measures in industrial workplaces.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-23: Greece Ministry of Labour sets stricter chemical exposure limits

Greece has introduced a Presidential Decree setting stricter exposure limits for lead and diisocyanates, alongside new digital tools for monitoring hazardous chemicals in industrial workplaces.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/greece-ministry-of-labour-sets-stricter-chemical-exposure-limits

### 2026-10-19: European Union adopts stricter chemical exposure limits for workers

The EU has approved stricter exposure limits for hazardous chemicals like cobalt to protect workers, aiming to prevent thousands of illnesses and cancer cases over the next 40 years.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-union-adopts-stricter-chemical-exposure-limits-for-workers

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Cite as: EU occupational chemical exposure regulation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/eu-occupational-chemical-exposure-regulation