IPEN: toxics-free

The article highlights how plastics constantly leach hazardous substances into the air, dust, and food around us, creating invisible risks even in everyday settings. IPEN’s Bjorn Beeler calls them “everywhere, everyone chemicals."

Three CNN reporters on three continents wore chemical-tracking wristbands. The results were alarming | CNN Plastic is woven into our lives and its chemical pollution is in the air we breathe, the dust we inhale, the food we eat. We did an experiment to see what we’re exposed to every day.

Three CNN reporters wore chemical-tracking wristbands provided by IPEN found exposure to an average of 28 toxic chemicals in just five days, including phthalates and bisphenols linked to cancer, fertility issues, and heart disease.

Read and watch more: edition.cnn.com/2025/10/07/c...

ICYMI, EARTH for Thailand's shared the first successful class-action lawsuit against a corporate polluter in Thailand. Penchom Sae-Tang called it "a historic case concerning environmental harm.”
www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/gen...
These images are from 2023 when EARTH took some IPENers on a tour.

Tidal marshes trap microplastics, raising risks for ecosystems and people Freshwater tidal marshes, critical for wildlife and coastal protection, are now serving as microplastic catch basins, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. They recently found that these m...

“Freshwater tidal marshes, critical for wildlife and coastal protection, are now serving as microplastic catch basins, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. They recently found that these marshes trap large amounts of diverse plastics...”
Learn more in: phys.org/news/2025-09...

IPEN is hiring a Project Manager. It’s a full-time position, based in South East Asia.

Learn more here: ipen.org/documents/ip...

Last day to apply is 21 October.

Approximately 68% of the surveyed sites found nurdles, indicating that pre-production plastics spill into rivers, lakes, and coasts worldwide. Advocates warn that the findings highlight urgent gaps in regulation, as pellets continue to contaminate ecosystems and harm wildlife.

Communities Around the World Find Plastic Pellets in Their Local Waterways - Inside Climate News The International Plastic Pellet Count reveals what volunteers in 29 states and Washington D.C. found.

Lauren Dalban reports in Inside Climate News that volunteers in 14 countries collected nearly 50,000 plastic pellets from waterways during the International Plastic Pellet Count: insideclimatenews.org/news/1709202...

Most shipments were sent to low- and middle-income countries, exposing communities to chemicals deemed too dangerous for European farms. The investigation with Unearthed shows how industry pressure and political backtracking undermine promises for a toxic-free environment

Banned pesticides The European Union exported nearly 122,000 tonnes of banned pesticides in 2024, despite a European Commission commitment to put an end to the practice, a new Public Eye and Unearthed investigation has...

Laurent Gaberell reports in Public Eye that EU exports of banned pesticides surged to nearly 122,000 tonnes in 2024, despite the European Commission’s pledge to end the practice: www.publiceye.ch/en/topics/pe...

@arnikaorg.bsky.social @toxicsfree.bsky.social had very good side event @brsconventions.bsky.social on dioxins in free-range chicken eggs, on the need for their monitoring in Africa, and on research with colleagues from EARTH at e-waste site in Thailand. www.researchgate.net/publication/...

New research led by IPEN and partners shows how toxic flame retardants and dioxin-like chemicals from e-waste, plastics, and insulation materials contaminate chicken eggs, posing serious health risks to communities.

Learn more here: ipen.org/news/new-stu...

A promotional graphic announces the launch of the second round of applications for the Global Framework on Chemicals Fund. The background shows a gloved hand holding a test tube over water, suggesting chemical or environmental testing. Event details read: “30 September 2025 | 10:00 – 12:00 CEST | Online (Webex),” with logos for the UN Environment Programme, Global Framework on Chemicals, and Geneva Environment Network at the top.

The Global Framework on Chemicals Fund will launch its second call for applications on 30 September 2025.

▶️ 30 September, 10:00 CEST
📆 tiny.cc/GEN30Sep25

The event will inform applicants about the GFC and its Fund, the Fund’s priorities, application forms and provide guidance

Consumed by convenience: The culture of disposability When Saabira Chaudhuri began covering consumer-goods companies for The Wall Street Journal, she thought she was writing about marketing campaigns, product launches, and quarterly results. What she fou...

Author and journalist Saabira Chaudhuri digs into our global throwaway culture in her new book, Consumed by Convenience: The Culture of Disposability.

Read Mongabay’s feature on the book: news.mongabay.com/2025/09/cons...

Explore her interview with Yale E360: e360.yale.edu/features/saa...

E.P.A. Keeps Polluters on the Hook to Clean Up ‘Forever Chemicals’

The United States EPA has upheld a key rule requiring polluters to clean up toxic PFAS despite heavy opposition from the chemical industry. Hiroko Tabuchi reports in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/c...

Plastics found inside vegetable tissues for the first time, raising new food safety concerns Nanoplastics from plastic pollution can enter vegetables, raising new concerns about food safety, human health, and environmental impacts.

Researchers have found nanoplastics inside the edible tissues of vegetables for the first time. Sanjana Gajbhiye from Earth .com explains how the University of Plymouth study showed that radishes absorbed plastic particles into their roots, leaves, and flesh: www.earth.com/news/plastic...

A new study published this month shows that free-range eggs from five continents contain some of the world’s highest levels of highly toxic chemicals, including substances banned globally and others under consideration for global regulations.

Learn more here: ipen.org/news/new-stu...

This webinar discussion will bring together stakeholders from government, civil society, industry, and international organisations to share examples of successful events held during previous International Lead Poisoning Prevention Weeks, encouraging discussion for this year's week of action.

A screenshot of the landing page for a Zoom webinar announcement titled “Lead in Paint Community of Practice: Preparing for ILPPW 2025” is scheduled for September 25, 2025, at 2:00 PM (London time). The description explains that the discussion will bring together stakeholders from government, civil society, industry, and international organizations to share examples of successful past events during International Lead Poisoning Prevention Weeks.

A Zoom webinar is scheduled for tomorrow: Lead in Paint Community of Practice - Preparing for ILPPW 2025.

It takes place on Thursday, September 25 at 9am EDT / 3pm CEST: zoom.us/webinar/regi...

There is a Regional Webinar (Pacific Islands and Australia) happening this week, titled "Making Visible the Legacy of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): A Regional Webinar".

Register here: unitar.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

IPEN and our global members have produced original science, country-based data, and policy proposals to end the health and environmental threats from plastics.

We’ve produced more than 135 publications in more than 85 countries, which are visualized in our this map: ipen-plastic-map.vercel.app

Very helpful visual of #PFAS family, thanks to @toxicsfree.bsky.social @gridarendal.bsky.social

Available here: ipen.org/sites/defaul...

The Arctic’s Plastic Crisis - IPEN International Pollutants Elimination Network Damage to the Arctic from the fossil fuel/petrochemical industry includes threats from chemicals, plastics, and climate. These have combined to poison lands, waters, and traditional foods of Arctic In...

This report explores the latest science on threats from plastics, petrochemicals, and climate change that impact Arctic People: stoppoisonplastic.org/blog/portfol...
It highlights the voices and testimonies of Indigenous leaders who are engaged in efforts to protect their land and People.

#Live now!

Join @srtoxics.bsky.social and experts for a discussion on how work on the ground sheds light on the #HumanRights dimension where the impact of toxic substances weighs heavily, and increasingly, on their enjoyment.

▶️ tiny.cc/TFT25ToxicsO...
📽️ youtube.com/watch?v=2nB4...

BPA—the forever chemical. Phthalates—the everywhere chemical. These are some of 16,000+ plastic chemicals. Many are endocrine disruptors—harming hormone health and causing serious health conditions. Read the science from the Endocrine Society and IPEN.
ipen.org/documents/en...

A new study in Environmental Science & Technology Letters warns that “corporate capture”, where powerful industries sway regulators, scientists, and even NGO, is undermining efforts to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and chemical pollution.
Read more in Phys.org: phys.org/news/2025-09...

This image is the cover of a technical report titled “Plastic Waste Management with a Focus on Polymers: Cured Resins, Condensation Products, and Fluorinated Polymers.” It features multiple photos including textiles, cookware, fishing nets, and woodworking—highlighting everyday products linked to these polymers. The report is co-produced by GRID-Arendal (a UNEP Partner) and IPEN and includes policy recommendations aimed at improving plastic waste management and reducing the environmental and health impacts of these persistent substances.

A recent report from GRID-Arendal and IPEN finds that three major types of plastic waste that are mostly exempt from global transparency rules pose significant threats to the environment and human health.

Download here: stoppoisonplastic.org/blog/portfol...

In a study published by ESDO and IPEN last year, researchers found high levels of PFAS chemicals in surface and tap water samples near textile industry areas in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Download the report here: ipen.org/documents/pe...

EcoWaste Coalition Slams Dumping of Lead-Containing Paints in the Market (Another mislabeled "no Pb" paint brand found contaminated with toxic lead) Quezon City. Imported paints containing high concentrations of lead, a neurotoxin and endocrine disrupting chemical, contin...

Imported spray paints in the Philippines are still being found with dangerously high lead levels, some exceeding 100,000 ppm, despite labels falsely claiming “no Pb.”

This violates the 90 ppm legal limit, putting children and communities at risk of irreversible harm: journal.com.ph/ecowaste-coa...

A study released by IPEN and 18 IPEN member groups found #PFAS chemicals, including globally banned substances, in single-use food packaging purchased from seventeen countries.

Learn more about the study and how to download it here: ipen.org/documents/fo...

The cover of a report titled “Plastic Waste Trade: The Hidden Numbers” features two images of cargo ships loaded with shipping containers at busy ports. The report is dated March 2023 and is a collaboration between the University of Gothenburg, The Last Beach Cleanup, and IPEN (for a toxics-free future). The design emphasizes the global movement and environmental impact of plastic waste.

Plastic waste exports are far bigger—and more toxic—than official numbers show.
IPEN’s report reveals how hidden trade in textiles, contaminated paper, e-waste, and rubber is fueling global pollution and harming communities: stoppoisonplastic.org/blog/portfol...