Released inappropriately into the environment, chemicals may appear as pollutants in the air we breath, the water we drink and the food we eat. They may affect our rivers, lakes and forests, may harm wildlife, change climate and ecosystems. We are all exposed to toxic chemicals. Whether they harm us depends on the quantity, duration and frequency of exposure, and the toxicity as well as on the sensitivity of the individual. The amount may be minute, but some chemicals accumulate in the body over long periods.
Some chemicals cause harm many years after the exposure.
Although exposure duration may be short, exposure may occur frequently and to excessive concentrations. Children, the aged, pregnant women, and those weakened by disease may be more susceptible than the healthy adult. The growth of chemical industries, in developing as well as developed countries, is predicted to go on increasing for the next century. Chemical safety, that is the prevention and management of chemical hazards, is essential if the growth is to be beneficial and not catastrophic for humans and the environment. As a result, and all too often, toxic chemicals are being produced, transported, used and disposed of, without taking the necessary precautions to prevent chemical contamination and grave damage to human health and the environment.