Sustainability Issue #3 June 2010

This is printed from sustainability.formas.se, last updated 5/28/2010 4:44:55 PM

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A cocktail of chemicals harms people and the environment

During our lives, we are exposed to a large quantity of chemicals through food, water, medicines, beauty products, clothes, shoes and the air we breathe. Researchers at Göteborg University, at the request of the EU, have investigated the hazards of “chemical cocktails” and proposed necessary countermeasures.

Everyday poisons. Poisons in everyday life give rise to a combined cocktail effect which is considerably greater and more dangerous than the effects of single chemicals. Photographer: Thomas Backhaus.

An American study from 2005 showed that newborn babies already have, on average, 200 environmental chemicals in their blood. These are pesticides, dioxins, industrial chemicals and flame retardants.  What effects these chemicals have on people and the environment has traditionally been estimated with reference to the individual substance, chemical by chemical.

Recent research shows that such a model is inadequate. The chemicals which humans discharge rather form a complex cocktail, the combined effects of which are largely unknown. The EU Environment Ministers have therefore requested the EU Commission to strengthen the work on hazards and change legislation concerning the combined effects of chemicals.

The mandate implies that in 2010 recommendations will be made on how combinations of hormone disrupting substances shall be dealt with in existing legislation, and that in 2011 appropriate changes in legislation will be evaluated.

Göteborg and London

In  order to map the present situation, a study has been carried out by researchers at Göteborg University and Universty of London. According to this study, all relevant studies are unanimous: The combined cocktail effect is considerabky greater and more dangerous than the effects of the individual chemical.

Responsible for this page: Birgitta Bruzelius

Journal links

Sustainability June 2010

Focus presentation

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Focus articles

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The Interview

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