Preventing Chemical Pollution
Promoting policy that delivers effective chemical management and
minimises chemical pollution
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A Fidra Project
Chemical pollution touches everything, changing the air we breathe, the water we drink and the crops we eat, it impacts the foundation of our ecosystems and vulnerable species. It is this inescapable and intrinsic link across all aspects of life that makes chemical pollution relevant to so many of the global challenges we now face. By promoting effective and integrated UK chemicals policy, we can ensure chemicals are used safely without comprising the health of our environment, and without hindering our circular economy.
Harmful chemicals are found in furniture and everyday objects, risking human and environmental health and undermining our circular economy
THE PROBLEM
Chemical pollution has passed the safe limit for our planet, with scientists urging immediate action to reduce the production and release of hazardous substances.
We buy, use and dispose of products every day that contain industrial chemicals, most of them have unknown consequences for our health and environment and many of these chemicals are already impacting people and wildlife.
Harmful chemicals create a barrier to the circular economy by limiting reuse, creating a chemical exposure risk for workers and compromising the safety of recycled materials.
A lack of effective regulation is allowing the ongoing use of harmful chemicals and must be addressed to create a safer products, homes and workplaces and stop pollution at source.
Many wildlife species in the UK have been found to contain harmful chemicals
THE SOLUTION
To prevent pollution policy and regulation must be built on sound environmental principles such as:
Chemical Policy Integration, where governments and organisations consider chemical use and impacts across all relevant decision-making.
Application of the ‘Precautionary Principle’ across chemical management, including a move towards group-based restrictions (where structurally similar chemicals are regulated together) and ending the unnecessary use of hazardous chemicals.
Full chemical transparency and traceability to enable the identification of known hazards at all levels within the value chain and to allow supply chains to react efficiently to newly identified hazards, substances of concern and legislative changes.
All monitored lakes and rivers in England are contaminated with industrial chemicals. Photo by Adragan – stock.adobe.com
OUR ASKS
We are calling on the UK Government to deliver an ambitious UK Chemicals Strategy and ensure a regulatory framework that prioritises health and environmental protections.
We are asking the UK Government to commit to a minimum position of regulatory alignment with EU REACH to ensure harmful chemicals are restricted in the UK.
We want to see full chemical transparency and traceability to underpin a safe and effective circular economy.
PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ present in every day products persist and build up within the environment.
WHAT WE’VE ACHIEVED
Fidra continue to hold governments to account, representing health and environmental interests in stakeholder discussions.
Through our projects, Fidra promote best practice in chemical management and have encouraged the phase-out of hazardous chemicals such as persistent pollutants, PFAS.
Fidra have engaged wider audiences in chemical pollution, taking our message to funders, investors, retailers, politicians and the public.
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