Chemicals in Products

Hazardous chemicals in consumer products are posing an avoidable health risks to consumers, and to workers who are exposed to them within the supply chain, including waste handling. Chemicals of concern include toxic flame retardants, phthalates, vinyl chloride, dioxin, mercury, lead, pesticides and many other hazardous pollutants and known carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive and development toxicants and endocrine disrupting chemicals. HEJSupport Co-Director Olga Speranskaya is active in the steering committee of the SAICM chemicals in products programme and the UN Environemt 10 YFP on Sustainable Consumption and Production. Alexandra Caterbow, Co-Director of HEJSupport, is the NGO representative in the chemicals working group of the German Textile Alliance. HEJSupport advocates for toxic-free products, and the implementation of the right to know and the precautionary principle.

Subscription Chemicals in Products Newsletter

• Ban Lead in Paints 10.10.2019 - On the eve of the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action HEJSupport Co-Director Olga Speranskaya speaks about lead poisoning through paints in Europe. ... Read More
• Plastic and Toxic Free Period 26.04.2019 - HEJSupport is happy to announce a new project on toxic chemicals, health, and plastic pollution. The project entitled “Plastic and Toxic Free Period” is supported by Funding for Social Change Ltd and is part of a broad initiative on plastic and toxic free disposable and reusable menstrual products involving Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE),… ... Read More
• 27 NGOs urge EU member states to vote for health and environment protection 11.02.2019 - 27 national, European and international NGOs urge EU member states to take responsible decisions at the next REACH Committee Meeting that will take place on the 14 and 15 of February 2019. ... Read More
• Welche Rolle spielt die Textilindustrie bei der Verschmutzung von Flüssen? 07.01.2019 - HEJSupport hat im letzten Rundbrief des Forums Umwelt und Entwicklung einen Artikel zum Thema Textilien und Flüsse veröffentlicht. Die globale Tex- tilindustrie ist eine der größten VerschmutzerInnen von Flüssen weltweit. ... Read More
• Will EU MEPs allow the violation of the Stockholm Convention? 05.10.2018 - On Thursday, 4th of October 2018, HEJSupport and ten other NGOs sent a letter to the members of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament, expressing their concern about some of the proposed amendments and changes to the Regulation on Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs). ... Read More
• Three EECCA countries are taking steps forward to ban plastic products 04.10.2018 - In the last months three EECCA region countries, Georgia, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan, strive for regulations to ban plastic products. ... Read More
• Fragrance chemicals harm human health – consumer should know about them 26.09.2018 - Dozens sometimes even hundreds of chemicals can hide in beauty and personal care products that contain fragrance. HEJSuport joins Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and many more environmental and health organizations worldwide and calls for full fragrance ingredient disclosure so consumers can make safer, more informed purchases. ... Read More
• EU Parliament should vote against toxic recycling 12.09.2018 - On September 13, the European Parliament will decide whether recyclers in the EU will be able to trade waste containing chemicals that are banned in the virging materials. HEJSupport joins EEB in the demand to the European Parliament to end toxic recycling. ... Read More
• The Sustainability of Fashion: what role can consumers play? 19.06.2018 - Read our new article about sustainable textiles and the demand of consumers. The textiles industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Its supply-chain includes agriculture, manufacturing, processing, fabric care, use, recycling and disposal. Nearly all countries are involved in the textile industry though the actual involvement can vary from textile and product… ... Read More
• New Article in HazMat Magazin: Recycling end-of-life materials may be perpetuating toxic chemicals in new products 09.05.2018 - HEJSupport International Co-Director Olga Speranskaya, together with a researcher from the Canadian Environmental Law Association and paralegal, Fe de Leon, recently co-published a paper with to bring public attention to toxic chemicals that appear in new products made out of recycled materials.  The authors of the paper argue that many countries have made investments into… ... Read More

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