Chemicals out of control

Governments and industry have failed to control the spread of dangerous chemicals around the globe. So widespread are manmade hazardous chemicals in our environment, in our homes and in the products we use every day, that we are constantly exposed to a cocktail of chemicals. As a result, even our own bodies are contaminated.

Moda sin Toxicos

High fashion isn't normally known for being held in high regard among environmentalists. But some big names and big brands in fashion have gotten together with us to put on a toxics-free fashion show. The clothes we wear, no matter how expensive, shouldn't cost the Earth.

In our environment: It now seems that no part of the planet is free from chemical contamination. Research shows that fish and whales caught hundreds of kms offshore, and in remote areas such as Alpine lakes and the polar regions, despite being far from any industry, are no longer pristine. Rainwater in Europe has been shown to be polluted with the hazardous chemicals that are added to consumer products. A recent study has found that eels in freshwater ecosystems across Europe are contaminated, raising concern for the impact on this once abundant species whose numbers now are in rapid decline.

In our homes: Our testing has found that house dust in homes across Europe is contaminated with hazardous manmade chemicals. Chemicals that are added to ordinary household products (including carpets and other furnishings, electrical and electronic goods, toys and childcare articles, etc.) can be released over time, accumulating in the dust in our homes. Chemicals in such products are rarely labelled and you probably don't realise they are there. Bringing these chemicals via consumer products into our homes leads to a repeated and long-term exposure to low doses of these contaminants.


In our products: Hazardous chemicals are intentionally added to consumer products that we use every day. Electronics, toys, shampoos, perfumes, furniture, even babies' pyjamas, can all contain substances with the potential to harm health and development. We have tested a wide range of these products for hazardous chemicals. You can read the results of our testing and discover which brands contain the most toxic substances on our Chemical Home website.
 
In our bodies: Analyses of umbilical cord blood have confirmed the presence of hazardous chemicals in humans at the very start of life, indicating that chemicals released today could have profound consequences for the next generation. This proves that chemicals released into our environment may have an impact on future generations. No one knows how many man-made chemicals contaminate our bodies but more than 100 is a conservative estimate. So great is the number of chemicals all around us that we're constantly exposed to multiple doses, the combined effect of which could be impacting our health. This effect of chemicals in our bodies, including in our blood, is largely unknown. There's particular concern about the risks to children and babies, since they are the most vulnerable, and because some of these hazardous chemicals are known to affect the development of babies inside the womb.

The European Union has approved a new chemical law to replace regulation that is over 40 years old. But the new EU chemicals legislation (REACH) is in critical condition. Read more analysis or a guide to how you can help strengthen the new law.

We are campaigning for solutions. We believe that politicians must take action and require companies to stop using hazardous chemicals and to substitute them with safer alternatives whenever and wherever possible.