The home improvement company Kingfisher pledges to phase out three well-known groups of hazardous chemicals – phthalates, PFCs and halogenated flame retardants – by 2025.

As of now, the pledge applies to Kingfisher’s own branded products, but the ambition is to expand it to the rest of its supply chain.

“Considering the kind of company Kingfisher is, with a product portfolio consisting of thousands of different articles, ChemSec can really appreciate the challenge that Kingfisher is taking on. It’s an ambitious commitment and a nod to other DIY stores to accept this challenge and try to catch up”, says Theresa Kjell, Senior Business and Policy Advisor at ChemSec.

The three chemical groups – phthalates, Perfluorinated & Polyfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) and halogenated flame retardants – are all common substances found in products such as paint, textiles and PVC flooring.

These chemicals will be removed from the shelves of more than 1,300 stores across Europe, including B&Q and Screwfix outlets in the UK, Kingfisher writes in a press release.