Hundreds of Thousands of Fish Used in EU REACH Chemical Safety Tests Amid Calls for Non-Animal Alternatives
The EU REACH regulation has involved the use of approximately 382,000 fish in chemical safety tests, with projected increases of up to 690,000 due to recent regulatory changes. A study commissioned by Humane World for Animals highlights the growing reliance on fish, particularly zebrafish, and calls for replacing animal tests with modern non-animal methods to improve chemical safety and animal welfare.
A new analysis published in the journal ALTEX and commissioned by Humane World for Animals reveals that 382,000 fish have been used in chemical toxicity tests required under the EU's REACH regulation, with projections indicating an additional 530,000 to 690,000 fish may be tested due to recent amendments. The study is the first comprehensive quantification of REACH's impact on aquatic animals, focusing on the widespread use of zebrafish, known for their social and cognitive complexity. While animal testing under REACH is legally permitted only as a last resort, millions of mammals and now hundreds of thousands of fish continue to be used in systemic toxicity testing. Humane World for Animals urges a revision of REACH testing requirements to phase out outdated animal tests—such as acute fish toxicity and bioconcentration studies—in favor of advanced, non-animal testing methods that better protect human health, ecosystems, and animal welfare. This call comes amid an ongoing delay in implementing REACH reforms aimed at tightening chemical safety criteria for emerging hazardous substances like PFAS. The organization also recommends establishing a dedicated scientific committee within the European Chemicals Agency to promote non-animal methods. The findings challenge whether current REACH practices deliver chemical safety in an effective and ethical manner, emphasizing that modernization does not mean lowering standards but enhancing protection through scientific innovation.
