Since May 1, more than 2,000 delegates from around the world have been meeting in an effort to find ways to curb chemical pollution, one of the biggest killers in the world and a threat that has continued to grow in scale and geographical reach over the past century or so. Data on the dangers posed to human and animal health by chemicals is practically absent, as the industry has been busy inventing new chemicals, with few, if any, studies into the impact that they or their manufacturing process can have on soil, water and the air around us, as well as once they come into contact with humans.

The World Health Organization says that, according to the data available for a small number of chemicals, more than 2 million deaths were caused by them in 2019, including from heart and respiratory diseases. In view of this, the actual damage caused by chemical pollution can only be left to guesses. Chemicals have invaded every aspect of our lives, from the water we drink to the food we eat, the clothes and shoes we wear, the accessories we carry and, of course, the dozens of gadgets we now carry throughout the day and even at night.

Chemicals are present in the air we breathe and in the ground on which we walk. The leaching of chemicals into human bodies through all kinds of material is so widespread that it is still being mapped. Hence, the exact toll that these toxins are taking on planet Earth is something that can only be imagined. Consider these factors.

According to a report submitted by experts at the ongoing conference, humans are continuously exposed to polymeric materials such as those in textiles, car tires and packaging. This study shows that nanometer-sized particles reach the brain within only two hours of gavage — the feeding of an animal or human through a tube — breaking the blood-brain barrier, an important biological barrier that protects the brain from harmful substances.

One can be certain that tens of millions of chemicals in existence today, though dangerous, have not been studied or reported on

Ranvir S. Nayar

One can be certain that tens of millions of chemicals in existence today, though dangerous, have not been studied or reported on. Meanwhile, the industry continues to produce, distribute and sell these products without a worry about the severe long-term harm they are causing to people and the planet.

As with practically any industry or environmental problem, the culprits here are the rich countries and their multibillion-dollar industrial behemoths. What is incomprehensible is the criminal approach they continue to take vis-a-vis those products whose dangers have long been known and for which there are agreements on phasing them out or banning them entirely.

For instance, at the ongoing meeting in Geneva, the rich world, mainly members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, have been accused of the misuse of the Basel Convention to avoid compliance with new plastic waste controls. The report accuses “certain” OECD countries of avoiding the application of Basel’s plastics amendments, which are aimed at eliminating the international trade in plastic waste. The report states that the countries that voted for the new amendments, or tighter rules, are the same ones that are now trying to avoid their implementation regarding this “trade,” which is nothing short of rich countries dumping their toxic waste on poor countries.

While previously the main problem was that poor countries, mainly in Africa and Asia, were receiving millions of tons of plastic waste, the explosion in the number of personal electronics and other gadgets has led to far more toxic waste. Electronic and electrical waste is even more prone to leaching and is far riskier than plastic waste, but it is now being dumped in poor countries, where a lack of controls and/or corruption mean that millions of people are being exposed to these highly toxic materials.

A report being presented at the meeting in Geneva traces the severe impact that the recycling of plastic waste is having on human health in Kenya. The report found that consumer products made from recycled plastics in Kenya, including toys, contain brominated flame retardants and highly toxic and banned persistent organic pollutants, which are human-made pollutants that last for decades or even centuries and which have entered the food chain in the country, with catastrophic impacts on health.

As with practically any industry or environmental problem, the culprits here are the rich countries and their multibillion-dollar industrial behemoths

Ranvir S. Nayar

Not only are the rich countries violating their own commitments and international treaties, which, even if limited, are trying to curb or banish chemical pollution, but they are also leading a significant growth in the chemicals industry. According to the WHO, the overall production of chemicals worldwide is on the rise and sales are projected to almost double between 2017 and 2030.

Unfortunately, in keeping with the West’s “not in my backyard” policies, a lot, if not most, of the world’s chemical production and related problems have been relocated to developing countries, mainly in Asia and Africa. These nations now suffer from the double impact of first having to deal with the pollution and toxicity resulting from the production of these chemicals, before also being left to deal with the chemical, plastic and electronic waste that is dumped on them by the rich world.

Thankfully, the discussions have already produced some small wins. According to the UN, member countries have agreed to eliminate the production and use of three so-called forever chemicals: UV-328, a UV filter used in plastics; dechlorane plus, a flame retardant; and the pesticide methoxychlor. These have been added to the Annex A list for global elimination. But these small victories pale into total insignificance when compared to the challenges that remain for the world in ensuring the safe production, distribution, use and disposal of chemicals. Little, if any, progress has been made on this, decades after scientists around the world identified the mortal dangers posed by these chemicals.

At the cost of sounding pessimistic, one can safely say that holding on to any expectations from the ongoing negotiations would be foolhardy, as the world — notably the rich world — has failed to take any serious action to eliminate the problems these chemicals have caused across the globe. Be it in terms of tackling climate change, carbon emissions or protecting the world from toxic chemicals, the West can only clock up huge failures, broken promises and missed commitments.

  • Ranvir S. Nayar is managing editor of Media India Group.