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The report reveals that hazardous substances, including phthalates, flame retardants, and PFASs, are present in carpets from several of Europe's largest manufacturers. It argues that current EU regulations contain loopholes—such as exemptions for recycled PVC—and that voluntary certification schemes are often insufficient. The findings suggest that while non-toxic, recyclable carpets are possible, systemic policy changes and ecodesign are required to scale these solutions.

The report reveals that many carpets from leading European manufacturers contain hazardous substances, including phthalates, halogenated flame retardants, and PFAS, which pose health risks and obstruct circular economy goals. Testing of 15 samples showed that while some products are non-toxic, others contain substances like DEHP and TDCPP, even when using recycled materials. The document argues that current EU regulations and voluntary certifications are insufficient, calling for a shift toward family-based chemical regulation and extended producer responsibility to ensure safe recycling.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reports widespread PFAS contamination at US military bases, with many sites exceeding risk levels established by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The document highlights the health risks of these 'forever chemicals', the history of industry disinformation, and the failure of the US military to transition to fluorine-free firefighting foams.

A joint open letter from various Canadian organizations calling for the expansion of the single-use plastics ban to include six new categories of items, specific problematic polymers and chemical additives, and a transition to circular systems centered on reuse.

The briefing argues that many of the 16,000 chemicals in plastics cause diseases such as cancers and endocrine disruption, costing governments billions in health care. It calls for the Government of Canada to prioritize classes of additives—including phthalates, bisphenols, PFAS, flame retardants, and heavy metals—within the Chemicals Management Priority Planning process and to use the CEPA Watchlist to flag substances of concern. Internationally, the authors advocate for a "negative list" annex in the global plastics treaty to phase out harmful chemicals worldwide. Domestically, the document recommends expanding the Plastics Registry to include additives, prohibiting harmful additives in food contact packaging, increasing port-of-entry safety testing to prevent toxic recycling imports, and addressing occupational exposures for frontline workers.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment warns that gas-powered data centres in Alberta pose significant health risks, including air pollution from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, noise pollution, and contamination from PFAS. The document highlights that these facilities place additional strain on water security and already overburdened rural healthcare systems, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and those with chronic illnesses.

The document calls for the modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), 1999, through an improved Bill C-28. It emphasizes the need for stronger regulation of toxic substances, including bans on carcinogens and hormone disruptors, and the implementation of chemical labelling for consumer products. The briefing highlights the disproportionate impact of toxics on marginalized groups, such as Inuit women and children, and lower-income Canadians, arguing that a strengthened CEPA is essential for a green and just recovery from COVID-19.

PFAS are a class of over 4,700 synthetic chemicals linked to various severe health conditions, including cancer and immune suppression. In Canada, 98.5% of a national sample had at least three types of PFAS in their blood, with vulnerable populations disproportionately affected. The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Canadian government to finalize the listing of PFAS as toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to enable comprehensive regulation and banning.

The document identifies over 59 hazardous substances in carpets sold in the EU, including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, which pose risks to consumers, workers, and the environment. It highlights a regulatory gap where many of these substances are not restricted and notes that recycled materials often face lower health standards than new materials. The briefing argues that these toxics hinder the circular economy by contaminating recycled products and complicating mechanical recycling. It recommends that the European Commission implement a product-specific carpet directive, establish Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, and introduce a comprehensive EU ecolabel to phase out hazardous chemicals and promote non-toxic, recyclable design.

The document identifies over 59 hazardous substances in EU carpets, including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, which pose risks to consumers, workers, and the environment. It highlights a regulatory gap where recycled materials are subject to less stringent health standards than virgin materials, potentially perpetuating toxic exposure. To address this, the report recommends the adoption of a specific carpet directive, the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and the introduction of an ambitious EU ecolabel for textile floor coverings.

The report identifies various hazardous substances, including phthalates, flame retardants, and PFAS, in carpets from leading European brands, arguing that current self-regulation and EU laws are insufficient to protect consumers and enable safe recycling.

The document outlines how chemical manufacturers exploit regulatory gaps and use disinformation to maintain the sale of harmful products, providing case studies on PFAS, BPA, benzene, and pesticides to illustrate these tactics.

The report evaluates the EU's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, highlighting key internal goals such as a "toxic-free environment" and the transition to "non-toxic material cycles." It critically examines the EU's international commitments, arguing that for the EU to be a global leader, it must eliminate double standards regarding the export of banned chemicals, support the listing of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) without exemptions, and provide substantial funding and capacity-building for third countries.

The report evaluates the EU's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, highlighting key internal proposals such as the 'generic risk management approach' and the definition of 'essential uses' to achieve a toxic-free environment. It critically examines the EU's international commitments, arguing that the EU must eliminate legal loopholes, such as exemptions for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and the export of hazardous chemicals, to genuinely serve as a global model. The document emphasizes the need for mandatory corporate due diligence, sustainable financing for chemical management in third countries, and the alignment of EU standards with international conventions like Stockholm, Basel, Rotterdam, and Minamata.

The report evaluates the EU's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, emphasizing the need to translate high-level promises into binding legislation. It details specific technical goals—such as the 'generic approach to risk management' and the restriction of PFAS—while arguing that the EU must align its international trade and diplomatic positions with its internal environmental ambitions to avoid 'double standards' in chemical exports.

The document argues that the lack of chemicals traceability in industry creates significant legal, financial, and environmental risks, hindering the EU's Green Deal and circular economy goals. It advocates for a horizontal traceability strategy combining strong regulatory incentives via the ESPR and capacity building for industry to ensure companies know the chemical composition of their products.

The document criticizes the European Commission's perceived imbalance in engagement, noting that corporate representatives and business associations account for 69% of meetings with Commissioners' cabinet members, compared to 16% for NGOs. It argues that the 'Antwerp Declaration' serves as a roadmap for dismantling climate and social protections in favor of industrial competitiveness. The authors highlight that European firms in energy transition sectors distributed €1.6 trillion to shareholders between 2010 and 2023, suggesting that public subsidies for these industries are unnecessary. The letter demands a shift toward evidence-based lawmaking that prioritizes the 'Polluter Pays Principle' and protects citizens from 'forever chemicals (PFAS)' and pesticide pollution.

The report argues that the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) has transitioned from an 'outstanding' to an 'outdated' framework due to 1996 amendments that slowed the regulation of new contaminants and a chronic lack of federal infrastructure funding. It highlights critical failures in monitoring and sampling protocols, which allow water systems to use infrequent or misleading tests, and criticizes the lack of transparency in Consumer Confidence Reports. The document emphasizes that low-income, Black, and Indigenous communities disproportionately suffer from these weaknesses. A case study of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in O‘ahu illustrates how the SDWA failed to detect and report jet fuel and PFAS contamination. Earthjustice calls for a modernized SDWA with streamlined chemical regulation, advanced monitoring technology, and at least $20 billion in annual federal funding.