Today is International Women’s Day! To mark the occasion, we spoke with Johanna Hausmann, a freelance consultant working on gender and chemicals policy. She works for the eco-feminist organisation Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF) and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), among others. In this interview, we introduce her and her work on harmful chemicals. Read the interview in full in German on CHEM Trust Europe’s website.
How long have you been working on gender and chemicals policy?
For around 20 years. My first project launched on 8 March 2005, so also on International Women’s Day. On that day, WECF wanted to draw attention to the issue of environmental toxins and how women are particularly affected with an action in Berlin with the slogan: ‘Women are becoming toxic’. I was responsible for the communications work for that project.
Then, with this interview, we’ve come full circle! What are the central themes of your work on gender and chemicals policy? And what are NGOs doing on these topics?
I work primarily on the connection between harmful chemicals and health, with a focus on women’s health and gender aspects, and particularly on chemicals in products, such as plasticisers, bisphenols and PFAS, along the entire life cycle of a product, from production to disposal.
My focus is on hormone-disrupting chemicals, also known as endocrine disruptors or EDCs for short. These chemicals mimic the hormones in our bodies and are associated with serious health effects such as reproductive, fertility and neurological problems, diabetes, obesity, and even some cancers.
Since there is usually no obligation to declare them and far too little information, many people are unaware that harmful chemicals, including EDCs, are present in everyday products such as food packaging and cosmetics, and also in pesticides. That is why NGOs like WECF provide information about these chemicals in products and their environmental and health impacts, and advocate for stricter regulations and bans on harmful substances in Germany, the EU and globally.
In recent years, plastics have also become more of a focus as they not ‘only’ generate a lot of rubbish, but also contain countless harmful chemicals. An important part of my work is therefore participating in international processes for WECF and other NGOs, such as in the negotiations for a global plastics treaty.
What gender-specific differences are there in the exposure to harmful substances?
Unfortunately, I can only speak in terms of men and women, because we lack data on trans and non-binary people.
From a purely biological point of view, the female body has much more fatty tissue than the male body and is, therefore, more likely to store fat-soluble substances such as plasticisers. When these substances act like oestrogens, they can, for example, stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, women are particularly sensitive to endocrine disruptors, which can disrupt the hormone balance.
We also know that pregnant women can pass on their entire ‘chemical cocktail’ to their children via the placenta, which can lay the foundation for the development of diseases later in life or even for health problems at birth. It is therefore very worrying that almost all children worldwide are born having already been exposed to harmful chemicals.
Are there also other, non-biological gender-specific differences?
Yes, for instance in consumer behaviour. Women are more likely to use products that may contain more harmful chemicals, such as cosmetics and menstrual products. The latter can consist of up to 90% plastic and therefore can also contain the chemicals typically found in plastics, such as bisphenols and phthalates.
Or in the workplace. In many chemical-intensive industries, there is an above-average number of female workers. An example of this is the textile industry, which is one of the dirtiest industries of all. In Cambodia, 90% of workers in the textile industry are women. Studies show that women in this work environment repeatedly suffer from miscarriages or have problems getting pregnant at all.
Another example is the informal sector. As part of a field study, WECF visited Dandora, the largest landfill site in Kenya. There, ‘waste pickers’ talked about how they experience month-long bleedings, possibly caused by the harmful substances they are constantly exposed to when rubbish is sorted, burned or melted.
Many women working in these sectors do not make the connection between their health problems and their work. How could they, when so often there is a lack of information? It is not uncommon to hear, ‘I’m just sick,’ or ‘I just can’t have children.’
Such gender-specific differences are probably not only a problem in Cambodia or Kenya, but…
… also in Germany, exactly. The textile industry, for example, is more of a problem in Asia – but even here in Germany [and other European countries], the different genders are exposed to different pollutants.
Let’s take retail as an example, since many women work there. I was recently at a clothing store and there was a huge rubbish bag full of plastic packaging. And I immediately thought: Who unpacked all the clothes and possibly exposed themselves to the harmful substances in the plastic? Probably women.
Cosmetic shops and nail studios are also areas where many women work. These women often come from immigrant backgrounds and are exposed to substances of concern. Health care and nursing are also areas where cleaning agents and health and care products that can contain harmful chemicals are often used.
And also, at home. Unfortunately, 70% of housework is still done by women. That means women are more exposed to cleaning agents, and also dust, which can contain harmful chemicals from everyday products.
Do you also have some examples of your political work, or any cases where NGO work has made a real difference (politically)?
Yes, the last German government published a five-point plan for protection against EDCs at the end of 2023. This has at least got the ball rolling. And I think that NGOs have played a major role in this. I supported WECF in this and will continue to accompany this work to make sure that the plan is actually implemented. A few months ago, WECF, CHEM Trust Europe, HEJSupport and PAN Germany also published a paper explaining which measures are urgently needed from the German government.
At the European level, EDCs are now an official hazard class. NGOs have also made a significant contribution to this. At the international level, a gender action plan is being developed in the Global Framework on Chemicals, and the health and chemicals issues are strongly present in the negotiations for a global plastics agreement. In my opinion, these are also the results of intensive NGO work.
As a final question, what advice would you give to women – or actually to everyone – to better protect themselves from harmful chemicals? Even though you have said several times that this should be a political task and not the responsibility of citizens…
Yes, it is a political issue, but we know that many products contain harmful chemicals and that the legislation on this subject has gaps. So, I would refer people to the WECF website or the IPEN website where they can find a lot of information. And here are a few quick tips:
- Personally, I try to avoid plastic. For example, I store leftover food in glass jars instead of plastic containers, avoid plastic and aluminium foil, and try to buy unpackaged or local products in the supermarket. This is not necessarily more expensive – it’s just different.
- When it comes to cosmetics, less is more. I also buy natural cosmetics, which don’t necessarily have to be more expensive. Many pharmacy chains have their own organic labels, and some of them also have good products. For menstrual products, I recommend choosing reusable ones, but pay attention to the ingredients. The WECF brochure, ‘Toxic-free Periods,’ can help here.
- As for cleaning products: we don’t need, 25,000 different cleaning products. Regular cleaning prevents the need for really harsh products to get rid of dirt. A mild all-purpose cleaner is enough. In some cases, you can use agents such as baking soda or acetic acid. But in general, the same applies here: less is more.
- Regarding clothing, I would recommend natural materials such as cotton, wool, linen and silk, maybe even certified or organic, because these contain fewer harmful substances than polyester. Second-hand clothing made from natural materials is an affordable alternative – for children too.
- I would also try to avoid plastic toys, particularly old plastic or old or used toys. This is because there are plasticisers that are no longer allowed in toys for children under three years of age, but which may still be present in old toys.
This is great advice. Thank you very much for that! Is there anything else you would like to add or say?
Yes. I keep getting asked the question: How do you keep motivated for your work? It’s not always easy, given the negative reports about harmful chemicals in the media; given the huge lobbying efforts of the powerful chemical industry (which often uses unfair methods to influence politicians to serve its interests), and given the fact that progress in politics is slow. But, I believe that it would all be much worse if NGOs weren’t there. And there has definitely been some success in achieving more protection against harmful chemicals. That is what keeps me going.
