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What's in a biocide?
Biocides are products that act against pests and bacteria. To have this effect, they often contain hazardous chemicals. If you want to know what’s in the biocides you buy and to find the most environmentally friendly options, try out our database on biocides.
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Clothes and textiles
There are many ways we come into contact with textiles in our everyday lives – the clothes we wear, the bed linen we sleep in, the towels we dry ourselves with and the furniture we sit on. Chemicals are added to these products for various reasons to improve them, but in some people they can cause troublesome health effects, including allergies.
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Chemicals in cleaning products
Chemicals make your cleaning products work. It is important that you always check the labels to use them in a safe way.
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Good to know about hair dyes
More than 60 % of European women and up to 10 % of men dye their hair. The EU is the safest market in the world for hair dyes. Still, the products contain lots of chemicals and can cause an allergic reaction.
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Finding safer products
As information about the dangers of hazardous chemicals grows and consumer demand for safer chemicals increases, more and more companies are looking for safer alternatives.
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What about imported products?
The EU legislation aims for safer use of chemicals also in the products you buy on the EU market. There are systems in place to ensure the safety of products, as well as to trace and withdraw unsafe ones.
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Nano enhanced products
Lightweight and strong are some of the properties that have made nanoforms popular in many consumer products. Next time you get a new bike, you might find yourself sitting on nanoparticles.
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Know your electronics and their chemicals
Devices in your home, like phones, computers, tablets, TV sets, game consoles and smart kitchen appliances, are made of hundreds of components and thousands of chemicals.
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Chemicals in food
All food is made of chemical substances. Many of these occur naturally, some not. Read about additives and find out where to look for more information.
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Chemicals in cosmetics
In Europe, we use at least seven different cosmetic products per day on average. They range from hygiene products like soap, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste to beauty products like perfumes and make-up. Cosmetics contain many chemicals – take a look at the ingredients labels.
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Chemicals in plastic products
Plastic makes our lives easier in many ways, but some plastic products contain chemicals that can harm our health – such as bisphenol A or some phthalates.