We must stand together to better protect Danes from problematic chemicals
The numbers speak for themselves. Two out of three Danes are concerned about avoiding substances that are harmful to the environment and health when choosing care products, according to figures from the Nordic Ecolabel.
At the same time, experience from Asthma-Allergy Denmark's Advisory Service shows that many citizens are insecure when they have to buy a wide range of consumer products.
And a brand new study from Norstat for the Danish Consumer Council Think shows that chemistry – according to Danes – is among the most important consumer policy issues right now. And unfortunately, the Danes are absolutely right about that.
With the so-called “chemistry omnibus” that the European Commission launched last summer and that EU lawmakers have just finalized, chemical substances that may be carcinogenic or may harm our ability to have children in the future will continue to be used in cosmetics and care products for a significantly longer time than today. Even after research has concluded that the substances may harm our health.
Government officials, who usually formulate their opinions cautiously, wrote in a memo to the Danish Parliament in the autumn about the consequences of the commission's proposal: "This will mean that there may be a greater risk of developing cancer, harm to unborn children or to reproductive ability compared to today."
And as if that weren't worrying enough, a new proposal from the European Commission on food and feed safety risks significantly weakening EU pesticide regulations.
A number of Danish organizations assess that the proposal could have far-reaching consequences for public health, consumer safety, nature and the protection of Danish drinking water.
At the same time, the revision of the EU's chemicals legislation, REACH, has once again been postponed indefinitely. This is where important positive changes could be made that could better protect consumers and the environment from harmful chemicals.
There are also trends in society that are pulling in the wrong direction. Even small children are now the target group for cosmetics that can contain substances that can disrupt hormones and cause allergies.
Goods from online platforms containing harmful chemicals are increasingly crossing borders. This means we can expect increased pressure on public health and the environment from the chemicals.
At the same time, new research is emerging that shows we need to increase protection against dangerous substances.
Fortunately, there is a prevailing political consensus in Denmark that the EU is currently moving in the wrong direction in the area of chemicals. We will need this consensus in a continued strong and joint Danish effort in the EU from the government, authorities and health, environmental and consumer organizations to limit the use of unwanted chemicals in the EU.
We must not give up. We must stand together and insist on improvements that can protect both people and the environment from unnecessary exposure to, among other things, allergenic and endocrine-disrupting substances.
At the same time, we must also be realistic. And therefore, the Danish Parliament and the government should immediately launch a much larger national effort against problematic chemicals, so that we can protect Danish consumers from problematic substances with increased research, information and national bans, and at the same time press for stronger regulation in the EU.
In 2022, a united Folketing would work for a toxic-free environment, where chemicals are produced and used in a way that protects the environment, biodiversity, and current and future generations from harmful chemicals.
This must also be the goal of the newly formed government and the newly elected parliament.
This opinion piece was published in Avisen Danmark on July 23, 2026, and was written by Winni Grosbøll from the Danish Consumer Council Think, Anne Holm Hansen from Asthma Allergy Denmark, Johnni Hansen from the Danish Cancer Society, Anna-Maria Andersson from the Center for Endocrine Disrupting Substances, Jeanne Duus Johansen from the Knowledge Center for Allergy, Mette Hoffgaard Ranfelt from the Danish Nature Conservation Society, Rina Ronja Kari from Ecolabelling Denmark, Lone Hjorth Mikkelsen from the Green Transition Denmark, Phillippe Grandjean from the Danish Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Tina Kold Jensen, professor, Department of Health Services Research, University of Southern Denmark, Amalie Timmermann from the National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Lisbeth E. Knudsen, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Xenia Trier, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Terje Svingen, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Marie Holmer, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Marta Axelstad, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Hanna KL Johansson, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Sofie Christiansen, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Anna K. Rosenmai, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Louise Ramhøj, DTU National Food Institute, Research Group for Molecular and Reproductive Toxicology, Kristian Almstrup, International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Hanne Frederiksen, EDMaRC, Niels Jorgensen, EDMaRC, David Kristensen, EDMaRC, Stine Holmboe, EDMaRC, Lärke Priskorn, EDMaRC, Casper Hagen, EDMaRC, Anders Rehfeld, EDMaRC.
