According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of fatalities resulting from exposure to dangerous chemicals rose by 29% in 2019 when compared to 2016. Two million people perished as a result of hazardous chemical exposure in 2019, versus 1.56 million in 2016. On a daily basis, between 4,270 and 5,400 individuals lost their lives due to unintentional chemical exposure. These alarming figures were disclosed by WHO Director-General during the Ministerial Dialogue at the Berlin Forum on Chemicals and Sustainability: Ambition and Action towards 2030.
Defining Hazardous Chemicals
Hazardous chemicals, substances with potentially harmful properties, can cause harm to human or animal health, the environment, and property. The risk they pose helps determine their classification. They are widely used in workplaces for varied purposes, including raw materials, solvents, cleaning agents, and catalysts. Hazardous chemicals are categorized into flammable or explosive, irritating or corrosive to skin, lungs, and eyes, and toxic chemicals. They are present in air, consumer products, workplaces, water, and soil, causing various diseases such as mental, behavioural and neurological disorders, cataracts, and asthma.
The Deadliest Chemicals
In 2019, lead poisoning was responsible for almost half of the deaths. Lead, often added to paints to enhance colour, reduce corrosion, and decrease drying time, causes cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases, and idiopathic intellectual disability. Despite its dangers, only 41% of countries have legally binding controls on the production, import, sale and use of lead paints. Other major contributors to preventable deaths include occupational exposures to particulates and carcinogens causing Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancer.
Disability-adjusted Life-years Lost
In 2019, 53 million disability-adjusted life-years were lost, marking an increase by over 19% since 2016. There has been a surge of 56% in disability-adjusted life-years lost due to exposure to lead since 2016. The concept of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), vividly showing the number of years of life lost due to premature death and a weighted measure of the years lived with disability due to a disease or injury, is accepted and promoted by India’s National Health Policy of 2017.
Preventive Measures
Several international chemical conventions have been introduced prohibiting or restricting the production, use, and trade of certain hazardous chemicals. These include Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Minamata Convention on Mercury. India has ratified and acceded to these conventions.
The Road Ahead
The need for comprehensive legislation to regulate chemical use, production, and safety is imperative. In this context, India’s national chemical policy, which has been delayed since 2012, requires urgent attention. Additionally, extreme caution needs to be exercised while handling, storing, transporting, and using hazardous chemicals, including wearing protective clothing and personal protective equipment. This not only ensures the safety of individuals but also works towards reducing the global burden of disease.
