Exposure / Health

Research by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the global burden of disease due to chemical exposure found that the global burden of disease attributable to environmental exposure and management of selected chemicals amounts to at least 4.9 million deaths per year.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee evaluates whether the chemical is likely to lead to significant adverse human health and/or environmental effects, such that global action is warranted.

Short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) are a group of industrial chemicals used in metalworking, and the formulation and manufacturing of products such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics and metalworking fluids. They are of concern because they are persistent, have been found in remote areas such as the Arctic, and could accumulate to levels that are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms.