Hazardous chemicals

Each year the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KemI) and Statistics Sweden (SCB) jointly produce a Statistical Bulletin (Statistiskt Meddelande, SM for short) which is issued through the SCB publishing service. The publication (in Swedish) is entitled Miljö- och hälsofarliga kemikalier (Chemicals hazardous to the environment and health).

Hazardous chemicals 2008 on the website of Statistics Sweden

The SM contains data from various statistical sources concerning a selection of substances hazardous to the environment and human health. The sources compared are KemI's Products Register, the SCB industrial statistics (SCBs Industristatistik) and Foreign trade statistics and product statistics (Utrikeshandelsstatistik och Varustatistiken).

Primarily, chemical substances whose use is to be restricted or discontinued are followed.

An account is also given of large product groups, total quantity and chemical products hazardous to health that are available to consumers. The use of major substances is illustrated by tables showing quantities of them sold to different sectors.

Each edition also includes a special survey of the Products Register, giving a more detailed account of a particular group of products and the substances used in it.

Cleaning agents are studied in 2008

2008 year's special study of the Products Register is cleaning agents. The quantity and number of cleaning agents are continuously increasing, and in many industries thousands of tonnes of cleaning agents are used every year. About 30 % of these products are available to consumers. Of these, dishwasher detergents, degreasing agents and products for cleaning of ovens are most harmful.

In 2006, 259 cleaning agents were classified as environmentally hazardous. The amount of nonyl-phenol-etoxilates in cleaning agents has decreased to a very low level. The use of phosphates in washing detergents has been around 4000 tonnes per year in recent years. Since March 2008, however, phosphates in washing detergents are prohibited in Sweden.

Read Statistical Bulletin SM 0801 on the webpage of Statistics Sweden. Summary in English is available on page 47. 

The following SMs entitled Chemicals hazardous to the environment and human health have been issued since 1994 (figures from 1993). They are assigned an SCB number and the topic of the special investigation is indicated.

• Na 45 SM 9401 No special investigation.
• Na 45 SM 9501 Cleaning products and included preservatives.
• Na 45 SM 9601 Major types of products for construction.
• Na 45 SM 9701 Carcinogenic, allergenic and mutagenic substances and those toxic to reproduction, including a table of substances classified differently in Sweden than in the rest of EU.
• Na 45 SM 9801 Rigid plastics, polymers and monomers, diisocyanates, Bisphenol A-diglycidylether and acrylates.
• Mi 45 SM 9901 Biocides, preservatives and disinfectants.
• Mi 45 SM 0001 Products available to consumers.
• Mi 45 SM 0101 Products and chemicals for construction.
• Mi 45 SM 0201 Paint products.
• MI 45 SM 0301 CMR substances in chemicals.
• MI 45 SM 0401 Use of environmentally hazardous chemicals.
• MI 45 SM 0701 Adhesives.
• MI 45 SM 0801 Cleaning agents.
• MI 45 SM 0901 Sensitizing substances and chemical products.
• MI 45 SM 1001 Biocides.

The statistical bulletins can be ordered from the SCB publishing service or via the SCB website.