“In the past 50 years, the chemical industry has doubled the production of chemicals multiple times. Despite research showing many of them are harmful, they remain common ingredients in consumer products found in every household”, says Anne-Sofie Bäckar, Executive Director at ChemSec.

Despite the strong link between chemical production and both climate change and public health issues such as cancer, ADHD and infertility, the topic remains unfamiliar to many.

Most media coverage of chemicals has focused on giving different consumer tips: choosing the right sunscreen, finding a baby bottle without bisphenol A, or a frying pan without PFAS, and so on. However, according to Ms. Bäckar, the chemical crisis cannot be solved by teaching consumers how to make informed purchases. 

“The problem with harmful chemicals is so extensive and complex that it cannot be left to consumers to solve”

Anne-Sofie Bäckar

“The problem with harmful chemicals is so extensive and complex that it cannot be left to consumers to solve. This is something that must be addressed at a legislative level. Contrary to common belief, this is not an unknown issue. But despite plenty of research, legislation remains stagnant, often due to large chemical companies spending millions of euros to delay and postpone regulations”, she says.

In an attempt to break the deadlock, ChemSec now launches an extensive awareness campaign to help people understand how the chemical crisis affects us. Through a petition with over 110,000 signatures, ChemSec aims to show EU lawmakers that there is strong support for better chemical legislation.

“There are plenty of alternatives to harmful chemicals, and many companies are eager to make safer chemicals the norm in the manufacturing industry. But for these new chemicals to gain market share, politicians need to create stronger incentives, like what happened with catalysers, which quickly became an industry standard in the 90s after a series of political decisions”, Ms. Bäckar says.

As part of the widespread use of PFAS, a discussion is now underway for an EU ban on all PFAS chemicals. According to Ms. Bäckar, this restriction proposal needs all the support it can get in order to counteract industry pressure:

“There is currently a tremendous amount of activity in Europe regarding PFAS, where several industry representatives are lobbying hard to water down and create as many exceptions from the legislation proposal as possible. That’s why it’s incredibly important to highlight that many people want to get rid of PFAS. Through our business contacts, we know that it’s not just individuals who are engaged, several of the world’s most well-known brands support the fight for better chemical legislation as well”.

Selected chemical facts:

• PFAS chemicals are used in thousands of different products, ranging from makeup and dental floss to guitar strings. Studies link several PFAS chemicals to cancer, ADHD, infertility, and more.
• Blood tests show that everyone who has been tested has PFAS in the blood, often above recommended safety limits. ChemSec recently tested the blood of a number of EU parliamentarians. PFAS was found in everyone’s blood.
• Harmful chemicals are common in food packaging. The same chemicals that are banned in toys are fully allowed to be used in food packaging targeting children.
• In the past 40 years, men’s sperm count has decreased by almost 60 per cent. Several researchers see exposure to hormone-disrupting substances, common in plastic and cosmetics, as one of the causes.
• Very few harmful chemicals are completely banned for use. Most are permitted ingredients in products such as clothing, cosmetics, electronics and food packaging. Labelling or ingredient declaration is not required.

Why are harmful chemicals found in consumer products?

Synthetically created chemicals are added, for example, to create a good scent, to make mascara hold properly, to make the frying pan non-stick or to dye clothes. They are used in plastics to make them soft and flexible, and they are used to create entirely new materials, such as polyester. The areas of application can be counted in the millions.

Things you didn’t know that you didn’t know

ChemSec has collected 25 astonishing facts about the chemical crisis in the social media awareness campaign Wrapped in Chemicals. Learn more about how chemicals affect health and the environment by participating in the campaign currently visible on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany. And above all, sign the petition in support of better chemical legislation.