Safer Chemistry Impact Fund launches to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals

With seed investment from Apple and Google, the first-of-its-kind fund aims to mobilize investment in safer chemical adoption to benefit people and planet

RALEIGH, NC, UNITED STATES, February 28, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Windward Fund today announced the launch of the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund with seed investments from Apple and Google. The new fund aims to raise at least $15 million over the next five years to accelerate industry’s transition to safer chemistry.

A multi-stakeholder group developed the fund to mobilize global investment for systematically replacing hazardous chemicals with alternatives that are verified to be safer for humans and the environment. The first-of-its-kind fund will help establish a trusted data source for chemical hazard assessments, to help companies make safer chemistry decisions that go beyond compliance.

In January 2022, scientists concluded that humanity has exceeded a planetary boundary related to “novel entities,” otherwise known as chemical pollution. The critical level of this boundary reflects the risk presented by the hundreds of thousands of synthetic chemicals currently produced without fully understanding their potential effects.

The effects that are known are costly. Recent research published in Environmental Science & Technology revealed more than 100 types of common consumer products contain at least one, and often multiple, chemicals linked to cancer or reproductive and developmental problems. Chemical pollution touches everyone — with women, children, people of color, and low-income families experiencing disproportionate impacts. Every place on earth has been affected. Some of the highest levels of toxic chemicals are found in the Arctic, thousands of miles from their source.

“This investment extends Apple’s long-standing commitment to protect the environment and all the people who make, use, and recycle our products” said Art Fong, Technical Leader for smarter chemistry at Apple. He added, “The Safer Chemistry Impact Fund will leverage the power of industry collaboration to identify, fund, scale, and measure impactful solutions. Our aim is to ensure safer chemistry is standard operating procedure within industry over the next five years.”

While companies like Apple and Google have prioritized safer chemistry in their products, a historical lack of access to trusted data on the impacts of chemical hazards has hindered industry-wide progress.

The fund intends to address the current data barrier with investment to scale a shared repository of chemical hazard assessments that can empower manufacturers to make safer chemistry decisions earlier in the product and material design process. For the first time, consistent and comparable data will be available to track preferred chemistry metrics supporting meaningful reporting against corporate, national and international environmental and development goals.

“At Google, we’re protecting people and the planet through safer chemistry and responsible management across our hardware products. We envision a future where all upstream material makers will proactively assess and remove hazardous chemicals so they can deliver safer, more sustainable products and materials to customers. In that pursuit, Google is joining other industry leaders in investing in the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund to activate and accelerate the systems change needed to make this goal a reality,” said Mike Werner, Head of Sustainability Programs and Innovation at Google.

The Safer Chemistry Impact Fund is managed by Windward Fund. Advisory Board members include Art Fong, Technical Leader for smarter chemistry at Apple, Mike Werner, Head of Sustainability Programs & Innovation – Global Sustainability at Google, and Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, Senior Director, Chemicals Management at lululemon.

Interested organizations are encouraged to contact [email protected] for more information.

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Stacy Glass
Safer Chemistry Impact Fund
[email protected]
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