International health and environmental regulations for metals: New challenges for copper.

Copper has been used by humanity for a very long time and unlike certain other metals, it is an essential element for life. Its toxicity arises both from a deficit and excess copper exposure/intake. The focus of the current discussions in countries of the European Union and in some USA States, is based on the concerns, independent of the scientific facts and the economic status of these claims, of the negative influence of copper and other metals on health and the environment. These discussions have influenced the new regulations of copper in drinking water, and the discussions on the appropriate levels of copper in surface water, soils and sediments. To illustrate the challenges ahead for copper, the evidence by which the current USEPA, WHO and EU recommendation and regulations regarding copper in drinking water have been derived is presented and discussed. The gaps between the demands for new standards of health and the environment and the practical scientific tools to achieve these goals are presented, and the need to develop new regulating paradigms is also illustrated. The impact of the possible restrictions on the use of copper in the EU because of health and environmental concerns in terms of the world market for copper is discussed. From the present use of copper, a 4.9% decrease in the demand in the world markets of copper in the near future can be estimated. From observed elasticity price/demand values, a 20-25% drop in the copper price will be followed by a return to normal prices in a period depending upon the rate of growth of the demand in emerging economies in which the consumption is low in comparison with developed countries. The importance of copper and the effects of this possible negative impact require renewed efforts by all interested parties to strengthen current research and to establish new regulatory paradigms based on up-to-date science.