Chemicals are important for many of the products modern society uses and relies on. They fulfil various performance functions in materials and are also widely used in auxiliary processes or manufacturing. However, some chemicals are hazardous and, through their release from products, can have adverse impacts on human health and the environment at different stages of a products life cycle. Certain chemicals can also complicate or hinder the recyclability of materials at their end of life. Understanding and managing chemicals in products and their global supply chains is critical to advance sustainable consumption and production and phasing out the use of chemicals of concern in products plays a crucial role in addressing the global pollution challenge.
In 2009, the transparency of information on chemicals in products has been identified as Emerging Policy Issue (EPI) under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). This has led to the development of UNEP’s Chemicals in Products (CiP) programmes, which focuses on the four priority sectors of electronics, building products, toys and textile.
In addition to the CiP programme, UNEP is working in close collaboration with stakehoalders to help further address the issue of chemicals in products on a global scale by developing and disseminating knowledge, tools and guidance and providing platforms for continued exchange. This work aims at helping to advance the sound management of chemicals and to increase transparency within supply chains in order to support the controlling and eventual phasing out of chemicals of concern in products.
Electronics
The production and use of electrical and electronic products containing hazardous substances is rapidly increasing. Such products can include lead, mercury, certain flame retardants and certain ortho-phthalates and many other chemicals whose risks have not yet been fully characterized.
These hazardous substances can impact human health and the environment through all stages of the life-cycle: During material extraction and manufacturing, workers and their surrounding communities may come into direct contact with hazardous chemicals which can result in significant adverse effects, including high cancer rates. During the use phase of a product, hazardous chemicals may be released from electronics and lead to exposure of consumers and the environment. Further downstream, hazardous chemicals can be released from e-waste during disposal and recycling, directly affecting workers and entering ecosystems by contaminating the air, water and soil and entering food chains.
What we do: To support the identification of chemicals of concern in electronics, UNEP developed a list of lists and regulatory frameworks. This list maps regulatory frameworks that contain chemical-specific provisions that are or may be relevant for the electronics sector.
To provide a strategic overview of the capacity and models that exist for regulatory action related to chemicals of concern in electronics, UNEP developed a review of legislative and regulatory approaches for chemicals of concern in electronics.
In November 2020, UNEP conducted a two-day workshop with key stakeholders of the electronics sector to explore different approaches for addressing chemicals of concern in electronics. The workshop was focussed on eco-labelling and regulatory approaches. Two draft reports on eco-labelling and regulatory approaches for chemicals of concern were consulted during the workshop. During the discussion, potential linkages and synergies between these two approaches, as well as existing challenges were identified. The meeting summary is available for download.
This work is funded by the GEF, project ID 9771.
Building Products
Urbanization is taking place on a historically unprecedented scale which leads to a need for developing accompanying infrastructure, including housing and transportation. The global construction sector is expected to grow by 3.5 annually between 2018 and 2023 and such growth will demand large quantities of resources for construction purposes as well as for maintenance and use by inhabitants. Construction is one of the largest end-markets for the chemical industry and the relevant products reflect the industry’s full width, ranging from commodity chemicals such as plastic resins (e.g. PVC, PE, PP) to specialty chemicals, such as paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, advanced polymers and additives. Some of the chemicals used in construction and construction products are hazardous and can impact human health and the environment at all stages of the product life cycle, ranging from manufacturing, to construction, through the use phase to demolition, recycling or disposal. The large growth in this sector however, provide significant opportunities to use safer chemistries and building materials, which can also support an increase in recyclability and the closing of material loops.
What we do: To support the generation and dissemination of knowledge, UNEP developed the technical overview report Chemicals of Concern in the Building and Construction Sector. The report aims at providing an overview of the challenge that chemicals of concern pose in the context of products of the building and construction sector. It outlines the relevance and linkages of chemicals of concern with regards to the building life cycle and highlights existing gaps, challenges and opportunities regarding the imperative of increasing circularity in the building and construction sector. It furthermore aims at identifying selected chemicals of concern that have relevance in the context of products of the building and construction sector.
This work was funded by the GEF, project ID 9771.
Toys
Like many other consumer products, toys contain a diverse collection of chemical ingredients, however their chemical composition often is unknown to the end user. Some of the chemicals, intentionally or unintentionally present in toys may have hazardous properties and children may be exposed to them via dermal contact, mouthing or inhalation. This is especially concerning, since children can be amongst the most vulnerable to health impacts of certain chemicals. Particularly in light of increasing circularity, this is an issue that requires careful management, as, depending on the source material, increasing recycling rates can lead to the unintentional introduction of such chemicals of concern into the toys value chain.
What we do: To support the strategic overview of the capacity and models that exist for regulatory action related to chemicals of concern in toys, UNEP is currently developing an overview of regulatory approaches for chemicals of concern in toys in selected low- and medium-income countries.
In collaboration with partners in China, UNEP is currently developing tools and training materials to support stakeholders in the toys value chain to assess and manage chemicals of concern in their products.
In June 2023, UNEP conveyed a multistakeholder virtual workshop on Tools and Guidance to Manage Chemicals in Toys to present the tools and guidance developed during the project "Global best practices on emerging chemical policy issues of concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management".
In July 2020, UNEP convened an online meeting of key stakeholders from the toy sector to present initial results of a study screening chemicals in toys for potential concern and to consult preliminary research results on an overview of regulatory approaches. The meeting also focussed on identifying opportunities for further action to address the issue of chemicals of concern in toy on an international level.
This work is funded by the GEF, project ID 9771.
Textiles
The textile industry is one of the largest industries in the world. It is significant for emerging economies and developing countries and it is expected to continue its past growth: the annual retail value of apparel and footwear is expected to increase by 30 per cent between 2017 and 2030. However, the current system is highly resource and chemicals intensive. It is estimated that up to 3500 chemicals are used in textile production, many of which are classified as hazardous for human health or the environment [1]. The transmission of sufficient information on chemicals and their hazards is crucial for minimizing associated risks to human health and the environment during textile production.
What we do: From 2015 to 2019, UNEP implemented a project in collaboration with the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China that aimed defining and demonstrating best practices for exchange of information on chemicals in textile products. This work included inter alia the identification of roles and responsibilities, establishing an online information exchange platform for the sector as well as training relevant actors to use and populate the platform with data. The project was successfully concluded in 2019.
This work was funded by the GEF, project ID 5662.
Further Resources
- UNEP Factsheets, December 2023
- GEF/SAICM Chemicals in products project
