The Louisville Charter for Safer Chemicals: Transforming the Chemical Industry: Safer Substitutes for a Non-toxic Economy
Dr. Unseld was honored to contribute to the final version of this work.
The Louisville Charter for Safer Chemicals is a pivotal piece in the battle for climate and environmental justice. Both Until Justice Data Partners and Rubbertown Emergency Action (REACT) contributed to the final version of this document. Please see the message below from Coming Clean.
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Today, Coming Clean released a fantastic third policy paper in support of plank three of the Louisville Charter: “Transforming the Chemical Industry: Safer Substitutes for a Non-toxic Economy,” by Beverley Thorpe. This paper strengthens our roadmap for creating a safe and healthy environment, and is a huge asset for future educating and organizing!
You can find our full press release here. Please spread the word on social media with our Twitter explainer thread, Facebook and LinkedIn posts. Sample posts can also be found below.
A new paper from @stoptoxics outlines how to transform the chemical industry so it no longer threatens human and planetary health & fuels climate disaster. To start, we must replace 7 building block petrochemicals with nontoxic, renewably sourced alternatives. https://bit.ly/3bTPzww
A new paper from @stoptoxics urges us to replace hazardous petrochemicals with safer alternatives, using #greenchemistry. But watch out for #falsesolutions! Carcinogenic benzene doesn't get safer when made with biobased feedstocks. https://bit.ly/3bTPzww
Summary:
The paper diagnoses fundamental problems with chemical use and production today, highlighting the chemical industry’s lack of accountability for rampant chemical pollution that is damaging the health of communities and workers, and the stability of life-supporting ecosystems.
It then offers ten recommendations for transforming the chemical industry. To begin with, seven high-hazard and fossil fuel intensive “platform” chemicals - methanol, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene, and xylene - which are the basis for 90% of the chemicals on the market today, must be replaced with lower hazard, non-fossil fuel derived substitutes. Benzene and butadiene, for example, are commonly released from chemical production sites in the US with devastating impacts on environmental justice communities like Louisville and Houston.
The paper also calls for:
Redesigning products and systems to reduce carbon AND chemical footprints, while avoiding false solutions.
Prioritizing a "hazard first" approach that encourages chemical producers and retailers to phase out hazardous chemicals and set chemical footprint reduction goals while transitioning to safer substitutes.
Full material disclosure throughout supply chains.
Functional substitution to reduce chemical consumption.
Avoiding chemical recycling in the circular economy.
Prohibiting the planned expansion of both petrochemicals and plastics production and reducing the amount and complexity of chemicals in circulation, by eliminating all non-essential uses.
Rewarding and incentivizing innovation in safer chemicals by removing subsidies on fossil fuels, taxing the use of hazardous chemicals and integrating chemical footprint reduction goals and investment in safer chemicals into all ESG reporting.
Ensuring local communities benefit from and can participate in new chemical innovation, while ensuring that all production is properly zoned away from houses and schools.
Promoting food and fiber production without fossil fuels.
Training the next generation in chemical hazard literacy, green chemistry and green engineering principles and policies that advance a non-toxic future.
Read the paper, it's great!
-Deidre
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Deidre Nelms
Manager of Communications and Media
802-251-0203 ext. 711
Please read and share with your networks. Climate change disproportionately impacts some, but affects all of us. Remember that carbon dioxide is the co-pollutant. These chemicals also play a role.
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