A typical day in most households could look like this. The non-stick pan is made ready in the kitchen to make a delicious morning dosai or paratha. Snacks for the day come out of plastic wrappings. The dishes in the kitchen sink are washed with dish soap. After a nice meal, the family members settle down on the glistening furniture in the living room. The floors of the house are swept clean with a conventional cleaning product.
What is common to all these actions? The answer: harmful chemicals or Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs). Quietly, but surely, these chemicals have embedded themselves in every facet of our living environment and related products.
The omnipresence of toxic chemicals
On April 7, 2025, as we celebrate World Health Day, it is time to pause, reflect and take stock of how these products, and in turn the chemicals, have infiltrated our lives. Chemicals such as Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — often called “forever chemicals” — found in non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, food packaging, and cosmetics, silently creep into our surroundings and affect us through food, water, air and dermal contact. Consumer product usage from household cleaning products to indirect exposure to industrial waste or chemicals unknowingly gets into our food systems and can cause irreparable damage to overall health. These chemicals derail the immune system, the nervous system and, more specifically, the liver and kidneys.
These contaminants termed Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), are toxic chemicals that resist degradation, persist in the environment for decades, and accumulate in the food chain, leading to long-term exposure risks. These compounds include pesticides (DDT, Chlordane), industrial chemicals (Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, PFAS) and unintentional by-products (dioxins and furans). They have been linked to cancer, reproductive disorders, immune dysfunction, neurological diseases, and endocrine disruption.
Industrial production, agricultural practices and waste incineration generate POPs. The long-lasting nature of the POPs make them persist in ecosystems long after their intended use. While some of the pesticides and agricultural chemicals such as DDT, aldrin, and dieldrin have been banned, their residues persist in soil and water, exposing communities through contaminated food and water. Similarly, household and consumer products such as flame retardants in furniture, non-stick cookware, and plasticisers in packaging materials pose a threat to human health. Several banned substances persist in older products and landfill sites, where they continue to leach into the environment.
The widespread health ramifications
The extent of damage these chemicals can have on our health is alarming. But more than being alarmed, the need of the hour is awareness backed with intentional action. Let us look at the multitude of ways in which these chemicals can hurt our health. Many of these chemicals and certain pesticides cause endocrine disruption as they mimic hormones, leading to reproductive disorders, developmental issues, and even some types of cancers. Prenatal exposure to endocrine disruptors has been linked to birth defects, reduced fertility and neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Some of the pollutants can mimic or interfere with hormones, particularly estrogen and testosterone. Exposure to these chemicals and pesticides has also been linked to infertility, menstrual irregularities, and birth defects. Fetuses and young children are especially vulnerable, with prenatal exposure leading to congenital disabilities, neurological impairment and increased risk of miscarriage. The list goes on and on. From the suppression of the production of white blood cells to heart disease, diabetes and obesity, these villains are responsible for increased cholesterol, hypertension, and insulin resistance. Chronic inflammation, which is a key driver of metabolic syndromes and cardiovascular conditions, is perpetuated by these chemicals.
It is not only humans but also animals that are highly impacted by these harmful chemicals. Multiple organ systems in animals are affected, leading to chronic diseases, reproductive failure and population decline. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in POPs mimic or interfere with hormones, leading to infertility, birth defects and skewed sex ratios in affected populations. The industrial chemicals accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and persist for decades. Species such as whales, polar bears, and birds of prey at the top of the food chain experience the highest concentrations and have led to their population declining. These chemicals cause cognitive deficits, learning difficulties, and altered behaviour. In marine mammals, it impairs their ability to communicate, hunt, and navigate. Studies on seals and dolphins have linked this chemical exposure to high mortality from viral and bacterial infections. In birds, they cause eggshell thinning, reducing hatching success. PCB contamination spreads globally through air, water, and soil, and gets deposited in colder regions, such as the Arctic.
There needs to be awareness and action
Despite international efforts to regulate these substances, they continue to affect millions worldwide, particularly in under-resourced countries. Thus, urgent action is needed to eliminate these chemicals from the environment and protect the health of millions of people. The harmful effects of human industrial activity must be prevented. Current waste disposal technologies should improve, and those managing these technologies should be trained in cutting-edge techniques. Research organisations have a key role in tracking the presence, levels, and degree of pollution in air, water, soil and biota. Environmental protection and consumer protection have to get more teeth. Best practices from similar contexts around the world can help others learn from mistakes and replicate success stories.
With growing evidence of their dangers, regulations for these emerging pollutants should be strengthened all over the world and this includes India. Cost-effective, environment-friendly alternatives such as bio-pesticides should be used instead of traditionally used pesticides. We need to focus on enhanced monitoring of these chemicals, improve wastewater treatment, and implement policy reforms to mitigate their health impacts. Policy changes, public awareness and scientific research must drive sustainable solutions to safeguard human health and the environment.
Girija K. Bharat is MD, Mu Gamma Consultants in Gurugram, India and works towards the management and the mitigation of contaminants of emerging concern. Venkatesh Raghavendra is a philanthropy adviser and a global social entrepreneur working on access to safe water, youth entrepreneurship
Published – April 07, 2025 03:46 pm IST