Hazardous substance reduction in businesses – a tough nut to crack!
The multitude of businesses in municipalities are important actors for reducing chemical risks. Business operations may involve the use of hazardous substances that may be released via wastewater to the environment or there may be occupational exposure at the workplace. NonHazCity provided information including newsletters and brochures, direct consultancy and training courses for different businesses to realise the hazardous substance reduction potential within their sectors.
Hairdressers and cleaning services were among the sectors targeted for these activities. Other NonHazCity target sectors included car repair workshops, laundry services, the construction industry, the woodworking industry, healthcare services, hotels and, in general, offices.
However, most businesses outside the manufacturing sector, in particular small businesses (which represent 99% of all businesses in the EU), do not believe that they use hazardous substance containing products or articles in their operations and workplaces. NonHazCity in its ambitions to raise awareness of hazardous substances in everyday life wanted to show that in some types of businesses, occupational exposure and exposure of customers, can far exceed emissions to the environment.
NonHazCity in Stockholm
LIFE interviewed NonHazCity 1 manager Arne Jamtrot from the City of Stockholm to find out more about the project and the city’s work on chemicals. The interview can be found here.
International pilot study of the European Chemicals Agency shows:
Companies must strongly improve their communications on hazardous substances in everyday items!
NonHazCity 2 kicks off!
NonHazCity starts its extension phase with a kick-off meeting in Riga, 3-5 September. In the course of the extension (August 2019 – January 2021) we will monitor and assess implementation of the Chemicals Action Plans and Chemicals Smart Procurement guidelines developed within NonHazCity 1. We will also produce an online training programme for municipality employees […]