Elimination of Toxic Chemicals

Toxic chemicals in our environment threaten our rivers and lakes, our air, land, and oceans, and ultimately ourselves and our future.

The production, trade, use, and release of many synthetic chemicals is now widely recognised as a global threat to human health and the environment.

Yet, the world's chemical industries continue to produce and release thousands of chemical compounds every year, in most cases with none or very little testing and understanding of their impacts on people and the environment.

Scientists estimate that due to the presence of effluents in our rivers, toxic waste dumps in our fields, poisons in our groundwater, in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, all living species today carry at least 700 man-made chemical contaminants in their bodies. These chemicals are implicated in effects in living beings ranging from the gory to the subtle -from gross effects like cancers, deformed sex organs and hermaphroditism to hidden consequences such as falling sperm counts, aggressive behaviour and diminished intelligence.

Greenpeace India has been campaigning to highlight issues related to toxic products and processes (Chlorine Industry) toxic legacies (Bhopal), toxic trade (shipbreaking), toxic waste management and disposal, (Vapi, Eloor, Patancheru), and Corporate accountability (Kodaikanal). Our campaign strategy has focused on community concerns for environmental health of rivers (Periyar), lakes (Patancheru), forest (Kodaikanal), oceans (Alang) and health (toxic hotspots).

Using scientific analysis, epidemiological health studies, a strident communications strategy, non-violent direct actions, and lobbying the concerned authorities, Greenpeace India has successfully played a crucial role in informing society, building pressure on corporations and assisting the state and the judiciary in recognising the extent of the toxic problem and forced them to act.

Source: greenpeace.org/india


Print Page