IKEA and H&M have joined forces in a large-scale study reviewing chemical content of recyclable fabrics such as shirts, pants and other textiles as a step towards becoming circular.
ChemSec invites you to the full-day event “Ready, Set, Substitute It Now!” in Brussels on November 14, 2019.
Last month, 187 governments signed off on amendments that will dramatically expand the Basel Convention’s controls on how plastic waste is exported and imported in the world. This new plastic waste ban is a big deal. It will most likely re-shape the world’s waste trade quite a bit.
Circular economy is the new buzzword in the world of sustainability. It has truly become a hot topic – not only among legislators in the European Union, but also among companies that strive to have a progressive sustainability profile. And most importantly, the concept has gained a lot of traction in public opinion. But. Not all recycling, and not all recycled materials, are good.
In order for circular economy to become cost-efficient and economically feasible, the whole value chain will need to invest in smooth collaboration. The key to its success? Trust, transparency and traceability.
I’d like to argue that a database that can help us understand some of the toxic chemicals we surround ourselves with is pretty solid idea. And imagine the possibilities: What if it wasn’t limited to Candidate List substances, but could also include SIN List chemicals, or better yet, full material declarations? This would seriously incentivize the use of recycled materials as well as increase the value of the industry.
Prioritization is a well-used term in chemicals management. It builds on the idea that instead of trying to deal with all hazardous chemicals in products and supply chains at the same time, you should focus on the worst offenders first. The problem is that many professionals connected to chemical regulation focus too much on prioritization. They spend their time forever prioritising instead of keeping their eyes on the ultimate goal, which is of coursing dealing with the hazardous chemicals.
Finding out if a product contains hazardous substances can be difficult. Or at least time consuming. But soon a new database will be established to provide consumers with information on whether or not a product contains Substances of Very High Concern.
