IPEN

See Pamela Miller's tribute to Tadesse and welcome to Yuyun here.

Yuyun Ismawati, a dedicated Indonesian national with over thirty years of work in advocacy for environmental health and for strong policies on chemicals and waste, has been elected as IPEN Co-Chair, the key leadership position in the global network. Yuyun, who received the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2009 for her groundbreaking work on reducing pollution and waste, will share chairing responsibilities with Co-Chair Pamela Miller of Alaska Community Action on Toxics. IPEN, a network of over 600 public interest environmental health groups in more than 125 countries, works to eliminate threats to health and the environment from the world’s most harmful chemicals, with the goal of a toxics-free future for all. 

Jakarta, 11 June 2024 - A study released today by Nexus3 and IPEN finds that workers in factories where lead paint is made have increased risks for health problems, including cancer, compared to workers where lead-safe paints are made. Using blood lead level testing, the study finds that workers in the lead paint making facilities had blood lead levels linked to a significant increase in their lifetime cancer risk, 4 times higher than for workers in a facility that eliminated lead nearly 20 years ago, and 2.5 times higher than for workers in a facility that eliminated lead recently.

“More than 90% of raw materials used to produce paints are chemicals. Our study shows that chronic exposure to lead and other heavy metals increases the cancer risk and non-cancer risks of paint workers. Replacing lead with safer alternatives, regular risk communication, the use of PPEs, and adequate facilities for workers to clean themselves before they go home is crucial to protect workers," said Yuyun Ismawati, Senior Advisor with Nexus3 Foundation."The government of Indonesia must prohibit lead paint being manufactured and sold in Indonesia."  

Dhaka, Bangladesh-A study released today by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) and IPEN reveals high levels of toxic PFAS chemicals in surface and tap water samples collected near industrial areas that are centers of the textiles industry throughout and around Dhaka. PFAS chemicals were found in nearly all samples. The water analyses showed PFAS amounts in many samples at levels above current or proposed regulatory limits in the EU, US, or the Netherlands, with several samples containing one or more globally banned PFAS. 

The study, “Persistent Threat: PFAS in textiles and water in Bangladesh,” notes that the textile industry in Bangladesh is a global center of the export “fast fashion” sector, with dozens of factories making clothing for major brands. PFAS are found in countless products where they provide water-, grease-, and stain-resistance and are widely used by the textiles industry, which accounts for about 50% of the total global use of PFAS and ranks second in PFAS emissions.

“Bangladesh is an international textiles manufacturing hub, and the prevalence of toxic chemical emissions from this sector puts our residents at higher risk. The fashion export industry should not get a free pass to contaminate our rivers, lakes, and taps with PFAS,” said Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO in Bangladesh. “We are not against industry, but we are against pollution. As a party to the Stockholm Convention, Bangladesh should implement PFAS regulations and health-protective standards.”