Why do we worry about Chemicals

Everything is made of chemicals. Every chemical can be dangerous if used in the wrong way. Equally every chemical can be used safely if controlled in the right way. Chemicals can bring great benefits to society. It is up to the relevant stakeholders to strike the right balance between the benefits of using a particular chemical and the resources required to control it.

People have many concerns about chemicals. The Royal Society of Chemistry is an independent learned and professional body and does not speak for the chemical industry. The Society believes that many of the concerns people have about chemicals are legitimate and some are well founded. However the Society also believes that chemical risks can be adequately controlled - and usually are - and that without chemicals modern life would not be possible. The Society also believes that controlling chemical risk and balancing it against the benefits of chemicals is complex and poorly understood by most people. This paper attempts to open a debate on the issue. The Society is keen to engage in constructive discussion with both those who agree and with those who disagree with its views.