Future-proof your business

Find safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals

Chemicals are used in all sorts of manufacturing. Unfortunately, chemicals designed for certain functions – such as flame retardants, water repellents and plastic softeners – are many times hazardous and pose a liability to both your business as well as human health. Make sure YOUR product is toxic free – substitute with a safer alternative.

Explore Safer Alternatives by Category

Construction

Electronics

Textile

Chemicals under scrutiny

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Selection of Available Safer Alternatives

Recycrom – Sustainable dyeing solution using 100% recycled clothing

Nordic Paper - the natural choice

ANTIGEL® KF - Antioxidant with additives in solvent mixture

Seyco Sperse SPW & SPW Conc: Anti-redepostion aid

good natured Recyclers & Waste Bins

BioFoam Packaging (EPLA)

AVITERA® SE: A Sustainable Step Change in the Dyeing of Cotton

Halogen free flame retardant for Polyolefin extrusion - HFFR 00G62 EVA

Green Polyurethane™ - Zero Isocyanates, Zero VOC

pH control in swimming pools with carbon dioxide

Exolit® OP non-halogenated flame retardants – Patented chemistry for more safety

ORGANOTEX® is a fluorocarbon-free water repellent technology for textiles

GrüneTinte - Green industrial inks from renewable resources

good natured Plant-Based Food Packaging

Eco-friendly chrome plating based on nanotechnologies

good natured Plant-Based Compost Bins

Packaging made from Elephant Grass instead of plastics

Alpha® Free Direct Thermal POS Paper

Piñatex® - a natural textile made from pineapple leaf ﬁbre

FluidWorker replaces toxic biocides used in process fluids in the metalworking industry

Industry Requests for Safer Alternatives

Alternative to Melamine as a Fire Retardant

Biodegradable chelating agents

Water and oil repellant surface treatments

Alternatives to NMP in semi-conductor manufacturing

Wanted: Alternative to thiourea in silver polish

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Marketplace Supporters

Do like the following organisations and support the core idea of Marketplace – to increase the visibility of safer alternatives and make them available to the market.

H&M

IKEA

Watch what happens when a car seat meets the chemical of her dreams!

This car seat has had her share of bad relationships with endocrine disruptors and so on.

Luckily, she tried ChemSec’s online meeting point – Marketplace – and found a match with a safer alternative to a toxic flame retardant.

On Marketplace there are hundreds of safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals just waiting to hook up with products.

Try it yourself!

Video: Imagine Chemistry Challenge 2019 Webinar

ChemSec Marketplace hosted the presentation of Nouryon’s collaborative innovation program: Imagine Chemistry 2019.

Flame retardants – a constant hot topic

Flame retardants might as well be called “Everywhere Chemicals” because they are found far and wide, really anywhere you look. In carpets, mattresses, upholstered furniture, computers, television sets, cables, walls, car seats, clothing, animals, humans – you name it.

How’s Marketplace doing? Here is the answer

At ChemSec, we like to think that Marketplace is pretty unique. But what do Marketplace users think of the platform and how is it being used? Here are some hard numbers to answer those questions.

Chromium VI – the carcinogen of international fame

For some time now, chromium VI has perhaps been the most well-known toxic chemical in the world – largely because of the Hollywood movie Erin Brockovich starring Julia Roberts. That was over 20 years ago, but the problems have not stopped.

The Danish Popcorn Revolution of 2015

In May 2015, the Danish supermarket COOP completely stopped selling microwave popcorn. The shelves where it used to be were suddenly empty. Then in October the same year, it reappeared on the shelves. What had happened?

Frequently asked questions

What is Marketplace and how can it help your company?

Here’s a collection of the most asked questions we get from time to time.

Additional Resources

SINimilarity shows if a substance is structurally similar to a substance on the SIN List, which in turn indicated similar problematic properties. The aim is to help avoid substituting one problematic chemical with another.

Go to SINimilairity

The Textile Guide walks you through the process of chemicals management from a textile industry perspective. You will learn to identify the relevant chemicals and find ideas on how to phase them out.

Go to Textile Guide

The SIN (Substitute It Now!) List is a globally used database of chemicals likely to be banned or restricted in a near future, as we have selected them for fulfilling EU´s REACH ”Substances of Very High Concern” criteria.

Go to SIN List

GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals is a method for comparative chemical hazard assessment. It can be used by anybody interested in assessing the inherent hazards of chemicals and their potential effect on human health and the environment.

Go to GreenScreen

The Substitution Support Portal provides general information on substitution and hundreds of ”case stories”, examples of successful substitutions.

Go to SUBSPORT

The OECD Substitution and Alternatives Assessment Toolbox (SAAT) is a compilation of resources relevant to chemical substitution and alternatives assessments.

Go to OECD Substitution Toolbox (SAAT)

SIN Producers is a database of companies that are producing or importing the most hazardous chemicals in Europe. This information can be used for making sustainable investments, identifying companies with a product portfolio likely to be regulated.

Go to SIN producers

CleanGredients is the definitive database of market-ready chemical ingredients pre-approved to meet U.S. EPA’s Safer Choice standard.

Go to CleanGredients