Green Chemistry, Circular Growth
Hazardous chemicals are embedded throughout global supply chains and play a significant yet often overlooked role in biodiversity loss and human health impacts. From textiles and plastics to construction and agriculture, these substances can contaminate soil, water, and air, affecting ecosystems, workers, communities, and consumers alike. The report Green Chemistry, Circular Growth explores how chemical pollution moves through industrial value chains and demonstrates why addressing hazardous substances is essential for protecting both environmental resilience and human wellbeing.
Drawing on a cross-sector analysis of chemicals commonly used in four major industries, the report identifies recurring patterns of persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity that drive risks across supply chains. The findings reveal that many hazardous substances and chemical functions appear repeatedly across sectors, suggesting that pollution pathways are systemic rather than isolated. This highlights the need for coordinated action that addresses leakages at their source instead of relying solely on downstream controls or sector-specific interventions.
The report argues that green chemistry and circular economy principles must work hand in hand to enable safer, more sustainable production systems. By designing hazards out of materials and processes from the outset, industries can create the conditions for truly circular value chains where materials remain in use without perpetuating contamination. Combined with greater transparency, traceability, and collaborative governance, this approach can help businesses and policymakers advance what the report terms 'circular growth' - economic value creation that supports biodiversity conservation, environmental resilience, and human health protection.
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