The scale and complexity of chemical pollution are increasing rapidly with impacts on people and the environment distributed unevenly, a UN expert said today.
"This results in disproportionate and long-lasting adverse impacts on vulnerable communities and people living near industrial production and waste sites," said Bethanie Carney Almroth, Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, at her first interactive dialogue with the UN Human Rights Council.
The expert presented the report of her predecessor, Marcos Orellana, and highlighted that Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals, undermine the effective enjoyment of human rights, including the rights to life, health and a healthy environment. "Once released, some of these substances do not readily degrade in the environment, while effective and scalable technologies to eliminate PFAS from contaminated ecosystems do not exists" she said.
PFAS also pose a threat to global environmental justice. Primarily produced in industrialised States, these chemicals spread worldwide through emissions, transboundary waste movements, and international trade. The expert stressed the urgent need to address and control PFAS pollution, including through an immediate ban on all non-essential uses.
Carney Almroth also presented the findings of her predecessor's latest visit to Mexico. The report acknowledged Mexico's international leadership on environmental issues and its constitutional recognition of the rights to health and to a healthy environment. It also identified serious challenges, including sacrifice zones, mercury mining, agro-industrial practices, pesticide use, industrial and water pollution, and barriers to access to information and effective remedies. The report called for stronger environmental governance, updated science-based standards, and protection for environment human rights defenders.
Outlining her vision for the mandate, Carney Almroth said efforts must move beyond managing toxic pollution after harm has occurred and focus instead on prevention.
"To mitigate the adverse impacts of PFAS on human health and the environment, it is imperative to consider the full life cycle of chemicals and materials and identify more sustainable alternatives," she said.
She added that strengthening the interface between science and human rights would be a key priority during her term. She called for the protection of independent science from conflicts of interest, disinformation and manufactured doubt, while ensuring that scientific knowledge remains available and accessible to uphold human rights.
"Prevention must be accompanied by accountability," the expert said, underscoring that environmental justice would remain at the core of her work. "Our task is to ensure that people everywhere can live, and raise generations in a non-toxic environment," she said.
