Reducing our exposure to hazardous substances requires concrete actions by all sectors of society including public authorities, private citizens and companies. Companies have an especially important role to play as they have the possibility to improve their chemicals risk management and to engage in chemical substitution where hazardous substances are replaced by less hazardous alternatives.
Three international projects, NonHazCity, LIFE AskREACH and LIFE FitForReach, with a shared goal of reducing our exposure to hazardous substances joined with invited experts at an international seminar in Riga last October. Seminar participants discussed the challenges and opportunities to motivate and support chemical substitution by companies.
The increasing complexity and globalisation of supply chains makes chemicals risk management at companies challenging and time consuming, requiring resources and competences as well as continuity and patience, in particular where information from the supply chain is needed for down-stream users. Awareness raising, capacity building, (global) communication standards as well as potentially extended legal communication requirements and IT-tools are needed to improve supply chain communication that lead to optimized substitution of harmful substances.
To learn more about other recommendations and conclusions from the seminar, please find the policy paper “Enhance substitution and support better chemicals risk management” and the summary of policy recommendations from the seminar here!