ChemSec

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Swedish nonprofit environmental organization

title: "ChemSec" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["scientific-organisations-based-in-sweden", "chemistry-organizations", "2002-establishments-in-sweden", "scientific-organizations-established-in-2002"] description: "Swedish nonprofit environmental organization" topic_path: "science/chemistry" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChemSec" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Swedish nonprofit environmental organization ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox organization"]

FieldValue
nameThe International Chemical Secretariat, ChemSec
logoChemsec logotype.jpg
logo_size190px
type[governmental funded organisation (the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) contributes approx. 3/4 to the budget) ]
founded_date2002
founderSwedish offices of World Wide Fund for Nature and Friends of the Earth, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Nature and Youth Sweden
locationGothenburg, Sweden
area_servedEU legislation; some environmental justice and development activities in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia
focusChemicals management and policy
methodPolitical advocacy
homepagewww.chemsec.org
::

| name = The International Chemical Secretariat, ChemSec | logo = Chemsec logotype.jpg | logo_size = 190px | vector_logo = | type = [governmental funded organisation (the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) contributes approx. 3/4 to the budget) ] | founded_date = 2002 | founder = Swedish offices of World Wide Fund for Nature and Friends of the Earth, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Nature and Youth Sweden | location_city = | location_country = | location = Gothenburg, Sweden | area_served = EU legislation; some environmental justice and development activities in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia | origins = | key_people = | focus = Chemicals management and policy | method = Political advocacy | revenue = | num_volunteers = | owner = | homepage = www.chemsec.org | dissolved = | footnotes =

The International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) is a non-profit environmental organisation founded in Sweden in 2002 to advocate in favour of stricter regulatory controls on potentially hazardous chemicals and to work with businesses on reducing the production and use of hazardous substances in their products and supply chains. ChemSec receives about 25 percent of its funding from the Swedish Government, the rest comes from foundations, mainly in the EU and the US, as well as from individuals. ChemSec maintains the SIN List, identifying hazardous substances likely to be restricted under EU REACH regulation.

History

ChemSec was founded in 2002 by the Swedish offices of the World Wide Fund for Nature and Friends of the Earth, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Nature and Youth. ChemSec is funded by governments and private grant-making trusts and foundations.

ChemSec argued in favour of tighter controls on chemicals in Europe under REACH, publishing analyses which contradicted industry estimates of the economic impact of the legislation. Since REACH entered into force ChemSec has continued to press for stricter chemicals regulation in the EU, arguing in favour of increasing the number of chemicals restricted under the RoHS Directive and in 2008 publishing the first version of the SIN List, a campaign tool to accelerate implementation of REACH and to help businesses identify hazardous substances.

Between 2005 and 2007 ChemSec worked with Eastern European NGOs on strengthening chemicals management and legislation in those countries. From 2006 to 2008, ChemSec worked with African and Asian NGOs on poverty and human rights issues relating to chemicals. In 2010 ChemSec was commissioned to produce a research report on flow of information in the electronics supply chain for the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) programme within the United Nations Environment Program.

Guiding principles

ChemSec's stated objectives are to “bridge the gap between decision-makers, industry, NGOs and scientists and offer expertise and guidance on chemical management policies in order to get progressive chemicals legislation.” ChemSec also works with companies to secure their support for progressive chemicals legislation and reduce their use of hazardous chemicals by substituting harmful substances for safer ones. ChemSec's interpretation of “progressive” chemicals policy incorporates the principles of precaution, substitution, polluter pays and right-to-know.

European chemicals regulation

REACH

Influencing REACH was a priority for ChemSec until the regulation was passed in 2006. ChemSec argued in favour of stricter controls on chemical use on the basis of commercial advantages and scientific evidence of benefits to human and environmental health.

ChemSec's research with the Global Development and Environmental Institute at Tufts University, Boston, into the costs of implementing REACH formed the basis of a 2004 Nordic Council of Ministers study, which concluded that the chemicals industry was overestimating the costs of changes to the new chemicals regulation in Europe.

In 2006, the European Parliament commissioned ChemSec to produce a further report on the implications of REACH for developing countries. The report concluded that concerns about the potential for REACH to interfere with trade patterns were largely unfounded.

RoHS

In 2010, ChemSec secured support from some manufacturers for their proposals to restrict the use of brominated flame retardants and PVC in electronic goods under the RoHS Directive. Although the EU rejected immediate restriction of specific substances, new measures to restrict substances likely to produce hazardous pollutants were included in the recast of the legislation.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals

In 2011, ChemSec proposed a set of chemicals whose use should be legally restricted for their potential to disrupt hormone signalling. The move, via ChemSec's SIN List initiative, coincides with EU plans over 2011–2012 to develop accepted regulatory criteria for endocrine disruptors (EDCs) and further restrict their use.

Substitution of hazardous chemicals

SIN List

The SIN (Substitute It Now!) List is a list of chemicals evaluated by ChemSec as meeting EU criteria for being Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) under article 57 of REACH and whose use in future is therefore likely to be legally restricted. There is evidence from meetings in the European Parliament that the SIN List, in particular the addition of EDCs in 2011, is influencing which substances are being prioritised for the REACH process.

Socially responsible investment

The potential for legal restrictions on chemical use increasing costs associated with reformulating products and modifying processes has resulted in SIN List data being used by investment analysis firms concerned with Socially Responsible Investment, to aid in calculating financial risk posed by companies’ sustainability profiles. In 2012 ChemSec presented a catalogue of criteria to enable financial investors to evaluate the performance of the chemical industry., and in 2013 ChemSec published a list of the European companies producing SIN List chemicals.

SUBSPORT

To address the challenge of replacing hazardous substances with chemicals which have a genuine pedigree of safety, ChemSec is involved in the SUBSPORT project, an internet portal collating legal information and case studies on substitution, and databases of hazardous substances and their alternatives.

Business relations

In 2004, ChemSec established its business group as a forum for multinational corporations to discuss chemicals management, develop initiatives for reducing the use of hazardous substances and advocate for progressive chemicals policy in Europe. In 2011 the group had the following members:

ChemSec has published reports presenting arguments from companies in favour of stricter chemicals regulation under REACH and tougher restrictions on halogenated compounds under the RoHS Directive, as described in a number of business position statements.

International networks and development

In 2006, ChemSec surveyed and advocated for improved chemicals management and handling in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. In 2008, ChemSec and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation administered a small-grant funding programme in Africa and Asia to support NGO projects to reduce harm from toxic chemicals and promote safer chemicals management.

In 2011, ChemSec published a United Nations Environment Programme Study on Information on Chemicals in Products (CiP), part of data for developing recommendations to the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM), the decision-making body of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

ChemSec is a member of the International POPs Elimination Network, working on the Stockholm Convention, and a member of Health Care Without Harm and the European Environmental Bureau.

Board members

  • Helena Norin, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (chairperson)
  • Erik Pettersson, WWF Sweden
  • Sven-Erik Sjöstrand, Friends of the Earth Sweden
  • Haldor Lorimer-Olsson, Nature and Youth Sweden

Key publications

References

References

  1. Chemsec Annual report 2018
  2. Nimpuno, N & C Scruggs (2011). ''Information on Chemicals in Electronic Products''. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers. {{ISBN. 978-92-893-2218-8
  3. ChemSec. [http://www.chemsec.org/about-chemsec/who-we-are ''An NGO Striving to Bridge the Gap''.] {{webarchive. link. (November 24, 2011 Retrieved November 17, 2011.)
  4. ChemSec (2003). ''New chemicals policy in the EU - good or bad for companies?'' ([http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/publications/ChemSec_publications/Ny_kemikaliepolitik_Bra_el_Dligt_SVE.pdf PDF]{{dead link. (November 2016)
  5. ChemSec (2003). ''Principles for a Toxic-Free Environment''. ([http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/publications/ChemSec_publications/Booklet_F.pdf PDF]{{dead link. (November 2016)
  6. {{harvnb. Cry Wolf. 2004
  7. Ackerman, F. & R. Massey (2004). ''The True Costs of Reach''. Copenhagen: The Nordic Council of Ministers. {{ISBN. 92-893-1079-0
  8. Ackerman, F. (2006). ''Implications of REACH for the Developing Countries - Possible Ways and Means to Preserve their Interests''. Brussels: European Parliament. [http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/Pubs/rp/Implications_of_REACH.pdf PDF]
  9. ChemSec (2010) ''[http://www.chemsec.org/electronics/review-of-rohs-directive/chemsec-position For a general phase-out of brominated and chlorinated organic substances in electronics] {{webarchive. link. (April 23, 2012 ''. Retrieved November 17, 2011.)
  10. ChemSec (2010) ''Leading Electronics companies and Environmental organisations urge EU to restrict more hazardous substances in their electronic products in 2015 to avoid more dioxin formation'' ([http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/publications/ChemSec_publications/RoHS_Alliance_May25_2010_-Position_Statement_CLEAN-_v1.3.pdf PDF]{{dead link. (November 2016)
  11. Chemical Watch (November 24, 2010). ''[http://chemicalwatch.com/6043/european-parliament-votes-in-favour-of-rohs-recast?q=RoHS European Parliament votes in favour of RoHS recast]''. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  12. Chemical Watch, (May 19, 2011). ''[http://chemicalwatch.com/7469/eu-commission-looks-to-sin-list-for-new-svhc-candidates EU Commission looks to SIN List for new SVHC candidates]''. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  13. European Commission DG Environment. [http://ec.europa.eu/environment/endocrine/index_en.htm Endocrine Disrupters Website]. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  14. Chemical Watch, (6.10.2011). ''[http://chemicalwatch.com/8611/meps-pressure-eu-commission-on-edcs-cocktail-effect MEPs pressure EU Commission on EDCs, cocktail effect.]'' Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  15. Environmental Finance, (12.5.2011). ''[http://www.environmental-finance.com/news/view/1702 Dangerous chemicals list sparks concern for investors.] {{webarchive. link. (April 14, 2012 '' Retrieved November 17, 2011.)
  16. ChemSec, (2012). "Chemicals Criteria Catalogue - a guide for investors evaluating the chemicals management of chemical producers." ([http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/2012/chemsec/Chemicals_Criteria_Catalogue.pdf PDF]{{dead link. (November 2016)
  17. ChemSec, (2013). ''The SIN Producers List - Companies Producing or Importing SIN List Chemicals in Europe.'' ([http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/2013/SIN_Producers_List_updated_March_2013.pdf PDF]{{dead link. (November 2016)
  18. (2011). "Substitution for hazardous chemicals on an international level—the approach of the European project "SUBSPORT"". New Solut.
  19. ChemSec. ''[https://chemsec.org/knowledge/chemicals-and-business/#chemsec-business-group Participants ChemSec Business Group] {{webarchive. link. (April 23, 2012 ''. Retrieved November 17, 2011.)
  20. {{harvnb. REACH. 2005
  21. ChemSec. ''[http://www.chemsec.org/electronics/business-initiatives Electronics Industry Substituting Brominated Flame Retardants and PVC] {{webarchive. link. (October 26, 2011 '' Retrieved November 17, 2011.)
  22. ChemSec, (2006). ''Chemicals Management in the Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation.'' [http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/publications/ChemSec_publications/compiled_East_report_chemicals_management.pdf (PDF)]{{dead link. (November 2016)
  23. ChemSec (2010) ''Welcome to ChemSec.'' p.21. [http://www.chemsec.org/images/stories/publications/ChemSec_publications/ChemSec_Folder.pdf (PDF)]{{dead link. (November 2016)

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