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Greenpeace investigations into hazardous chemicals in our bodies and homes

Here is a collection of our reports testing hazardous chemicals divided by what was tested - Consumer products, perfumes, Disney childrenswear, rainwater, housedust, wildlife and blood.

Consumer Products

Greenpeace investigations have reported on the content of undesirable chemicals in a wide range of consumer products, including textiles, electronic products, toys and cleaners:

Hazardous Chemicals in Consumer Products (September 2003)

The Determination of Selective Additives in Consumer Products (December 2003)

The Chemical Shopping Basket, a selection of consumer products in Italy (April 2005)

Greenpeace has also reviewed efforts by major household brands and consumer goods manufacturers (Nike, Sony, Persil and others) to eliminate hazardous chemicals in their products. While some companies are making innovative changes to phase out and substitute hazardous chemicals, the lack of response of other companies to environmental and health concerns reinforces the need for legislation.

See national Chemical Home websites
UK , France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy

Perfumes

In February 2005, a Greenpeace report revealed the use of hazardous chemicals in perfumes and provoked great concern within the cosmetics industry and the wider public. Download the 'Eau de toxines' report The report is based on a study commissioned by Greenpeace from independent Dutch laboratory TNO: Phthalates and artificial musks in perfumes.

Disney Childrens wear

Greenpeace tested Disney children's clothes for hazardous chemicals, with shocking results. Disney has ignored calls to change its manufacturing guidelines.

Rainwater

Chemicals in rainwater (Netherlands) May 2003

House Dust

Hazardous chemicals in house dust (UK) May 2003

Blood

A present for life (Sept 2005)- Hazardous chemicals that are used in everyday household products end up in the bodies of unborn children via the mother. This study, conducted for Greenpeace and WWF UK by TNO, analysed blood samples donated by a number of women and confirmed that hazardous chemicals are unwittingly passed from mother to child.

Chemical footprints in blood (November 2004)
The report is based on a study commissioned by Greenpeace from independent Dutch laboratory TNO.

Wildlife:

Swimming in Chemicals (November 2005) - Widespread presence of brominated flame retardants and PCBs in European eels.

European eels from across Europe were found to contain varying levels of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The results provide a snapshot of hazardous chemicals in eels and indicate the degree to which their habitat has been contaminated.

General:

Reebok, Sony Ericsson, Ikea and H&M join a Greenpeace catwalk show in Brussels to demonstrate toxic-free products: Substitute with Style, April 2005

A report detailing the impact of hazardous chemicals on children. Chemical Legacy: Contamination of the Child, October 2003

Recommendations for policy-makers. Safer Chemicals Within REACH - Using the substitution principle to drive green chemistry, February 2005.