Resources
Resources featured on this website are developed jointly by a group of NGOs working for TOXIC-FREE FOR EU project. They include links to webinar recordings and presentations, as well as factsheets and joint letters. The resources aim to provide stakeholders inside and outside the EU with in-depth information about developing the EU environmental policy prioritizing chemicals and waste-related legislation.
Webinars
HEJSupport Co-Directors participated as speakers in a series of webinars on chemical policy issues of concern organised jointly by the EEB and other NGOs.
The aim of these webinars is to provide a better understanding of preventive EU chemical policies, legislation, and tools, including institutional arrangements, processes, actors, data, and information sources. The sessions gave an overview of European and relevant international policies on different topics with the participation of experts while encouraging the exchange of experiences of NGOs working on these subjects.
Below you can find the topics covered and a link to the recordings.
Gender and chemicals
In this webinar, the panelists addressed the gender differences to chemical exposure as well as how this topic is dealt with in international chemicals governance. Participants then discussed the various solutions and pathways to tackle this issue.
Inputs:
- Alexandra Caterbow, HEJSupport
- Olga Speranskaya, HEJSupport
- Sascha Gabison, WECF
- Yuyun Ismawati, BaliFocus
- Johanna Hausmann, WECF
Moderator: Dolores Romano, EEB
Identification and classification of hazardous chemicals
In this webinar, the speakers reflect on the identification and classification of hazardous chemicals in the EU, and we also discuss the challenges of the Global Harmonisation System of Classification and Labelling implementation. In addition, we dived into the different EU databases on hazards of chemicals and discuss how these platforms can be useful for NGOs work.
Inputs:
- Apolline Roger, ClientEarth
- Mats Forkman, Kemi, Sweden
- Jenny Holmkvist, ECHA
- Olga Speranskaya, HEJSupport
- Rico Euripidou,. groundWorkSA
Moderator: Dolores Romano, EEB
Chemicals and Children
During this webinar, thespeakers reflect on the risks that hazardous chemicals pose on children, and we discuss what actions the EU is taking to prevent this situation.
Inputs:
- Leonarde Trasande, Grossman School of Medicine
- Natacha Cingotti, HEAL
- Phuong Hai, CGFED
- Alexandra Caterbow, HEJSupport
Moderator: Dolores Romano, EEB
Transparency on chemicals in products
During this webinar, we explained the situation of transparency on chemicals in products in the EU, globally and the situation in North Macedonia.
Inputs:
- Natasa Dorovska, Journalists for Human Rights
- Olga Speranskaya, HEJSupport
Moderator: Dolores Romano, EEB
IN Germany, HEJSupport is a member of the toxci-free future Alliance /Giftfreie Zukunft. The Alliance organized several webinars relevant to EU policy. Find more information here: https://www.giftfreie-zukunft.org/
Find below some of the webinars, where HEJSupport was presenting.
Endocrine Disupring Chemicals (EDCs)
Endocrine disruptors are a threat to our health and they are everywhere. They enter our bodies via clothing, packaging, cosmetics or food and can trigger various diseases. Pregnant women and children are particularly predisposed. Exposure to EDCS is also responsible for metabolic diseases, an increase in cancers and a reduction in fertility. These health effects not only mean suffering for many people but also an enormous, constantly growing challenge for the healthcare system and environmental protection. It is time for these dangerous substances to become the focus of political measures – internationally, in Europe and in Germany. The German government is, therefore, planning a national action plan on endocrine disruptors.
Inputs:
● Alexandra Caterbow, HEJ Support
● Johanna Hausmann, WECF
● Susanne Smolka, PAN Germany
Moderation:
Tom Kurz, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung
Global Responsibility of Germany as main chemical producing country
Germany is one of the largest chemical industry locations in the world, and its chemical industry exports products worldwide. Although Germany has banned some of the chemical substances it produces, it still exports them, and the German government has taken no action to stop this harmful practice. The new coalition agreement contains approaches to change this approach. At the international level, Germany should also play a pioneering role in chemical management, including its role as President of the SAICM process. But what about Germany’s assumption of responsibility for the pollution of our planet and its responsibility for a gender-equitable chemicals policy?
Inputs:
- Alexandra Caterbow, Health and Environment Justice Support (HEJ-Support)
- Manuel Fernandez, Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND)
- Johanna Hausmann, Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF)
Moderation:
Tom Kurz, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung
Chemicals in Plastic
Plasticizers, flame retardants, fragrances, or water-repellent substances: a number of chemicals are added to plastics during production and processing, and a number of chemicals are added to plastic to achieve specific product properties. Many of these substances are harmful to health and the environment, and their use is therefore highly problematic. They also prevent a safer recycling of the material. Anyone talking about the regulation of chemicals cannot remain silent about plastic.
Inputs:
- Alexandra Caterbow, Health and Environment Justice Support (HEJ-Support)
- Johanna Hausmann, Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF)
Moderation:
Tom Kurz, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung
Letters
To achieve the goals of the EU Green Deal, NGOs wrote several letters adressing actors on the EU and German level.
REACH Revision
- Letter to German Minister of Environment calling for a swift REACH Revision: https://hej-support.org/keine-verzogerung-der-reach-revision/
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
- Open letter to Members of the European Parliament, Ministers of the Council of the European Union regarding the key objective of the PPWR, which is reducing packaging waste and improving the environmental performance of this increasingly wasteful sector: https://eeb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PPWR_-Open-Letter-and-Fact-Sheet-1.pdf
German Circular Economy Strategy
- NGO Recommendations: https://hej-support.org/ngos-recommendations-for-a-successful-german-circular-economy-strategy/
PFAS
- Letter to German state environment ministers on protection from PFAS: https://hej-support.org/ngos-fordern-ablehnung-des-bayerischen-antrags-zur-pfas-regulierung/
- Letter to EU Commission president to urge her participating in PFAS testing: https://hej-support.org/letter-to-eu-commission-president-to-participate-in-pfas-testing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=letter-to-eu-commission-president-to-participate-in-pfas-testing
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Podcast
Listen to our Podcast “Building a world without toxins – Real life stories”.
How do toxins affect our lives, and what can we do about it? There are around 350.000 chemicals on the market; many of them are in the products we use, and many are harmful to our health and the environment.
Listen to the stories from experts and agents of change working worldwide to resolve the issue. The first episodes of this podcast focus on the social, environmental, and health impacts of textile production and disposal and ways to address them.
You can find the podcast
on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-a-world-without-toxins-real-life-stories/id17
on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2MHjExStG4PXGNkBMLszGs