WWF-UK: A once in a lifetime chance to protect the health of future generations
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Chemicals and Health
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A once in a lifetime chance to protect the health of future generations
We live in a chemical world. Tens of thousands of chemicals are manufactured, used and released, intentionally and unintentionally, into the environment every day. They are in use all around us – in products ranging from furniture to cosmetics and baby bottles to computers – and our 21st century society depends on them.
However, this reliance has come at a price. From the tropics to the once pristine polar-regions, contamination by man-made chemicals is a global phenomenon, and many of these chemicals have hazardous properties. Some man-made chemicals have contaminated the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.
Many studies have revealed humans and wildlife around the world are contaminated with chemicals such as DDT and PCBs (banned since the 1970's), and flame retardants. These chemicals have "persistent" and "bioaccumulative" properties which mean they do not easily break down in the environment and can build up in the bodies of living things.
The adverse impacts of such chemicals on wildlife have been well documented (e.g. population crashes in birds of prey caused by DDT). But there is now increasing concern over possible links between such chemicals (and also "endocrine disrupting" chemicals – those that can disrupt hormone systems in the body) and increasing incidence of certain human health impacts (e.g. cancer, reproductive problems, birth defects, asthma, allergies, behavioural problems, effects on infant brain development).
REACH, your last chance to take action
Many of the chemicals which we are daily exposed to have never been tested for their safety. This is why the proposed new EU chemicals legislation, know as REACH (Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), is absolutely vital.
Before it can be implemented the national governments of every EU country and every Member of the European Parliament must agree the scope and strength of this new law. The EU is half way through this process but the final decision now lies with the EU Member State governments.
Visit our take action page to see how you can help.
However, this reliance has come at a price. From the tropics to the once pristine polar-regions, contamination by man-made chemicals is a global phenomenon, and many of these chemicals have hazardous properties. Some man-made chemicals have contaminated the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.
Many studies have revealed humans and wildlife around the world are contaminated with chemicals such as DDT and PCBs (banned since the 1970's), and flame retardants. These chemicals have "persistent" and "bioaccumulative" properties which mean they do not easily break down in the environment and can build up in the bodies of living things.
The adverse impacts of such chemicals on wildlife have been well documented (e.g. population crashes in birds of prey caused by DDT). But there is now increasing concern over possible links between such chemicals (and also "endocrine disrupting" chemicals – those that can disrupt hormone systems in the body) and increasing incidence of certain human health impacts (e.g. cancer, reproductive problems, birth defects, asthma, allergies, behavioural problems, effects on infant brain development).
REACH, your last chance to take action
Many of the chemicals which we are daily exposed to have never been tested for their safety. This is why the proposed new EU chemicals legislation, know as REACH (Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), is absolutely vital.
Before it can be implemented the national governments of every EU country and every Member of the European Parliament must agree the scope and strength of this new law. The EU is half way through this process but the final decision now lies with the EU Member State governments.
Visit our take action page to see how you can help.
