Chemicals and Waste - Factsheet

From shampoo to toothpaste, clothing to cosmetics, and light bulbs to food, almost every product we buy involves the use of chemicals in some form or other. Of the over 100,000 chemicals in use today, a significant number have not been assessed for their impact on human health and the environment. Managing chemicals and waste is a global challenge. The UN Environment and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have been working with countries around the world for the past 25 years to address the issue of hazardous substances. We have collaborated on some 150 projects across 141 countries, investing over $200 million in promoting the sound management of chemicals and waste to protect both human health and the environment.