Gender & Chemicals
Knowledge Platform

Chemical production has increased 50 times since 1950 and is expected to triple again by 2050 – with different risks for different genders.

An analysis of 8,500 beauty and personal care products on the U.S. market found that 30% of ingredients lacked sufficient hazard data to fully assess their safety— yet women face higher exposure every day.

In a global survey of 1,343 chemists, women reported receiving less support from doctoral advisors and supervisors and less access to research resources than men.

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining releases an estimated 2,000 tonnes of mercury annually, contaminating rivers, soils and food chains across more than 80 countries. Women and children are especially at risk, as mercury can cross the placenta and harm fetal development.

Sperm counts declined by 62.3% between 1973 and 2018 according to a global meta-analysis of 223 studies covering men from 53 countries. A growing body of research links exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals—including phthalates, BPA, PFAS and certain pesticides—to reduced sperm quality, impaired sperm production and other reproductive disorders in men.

Women account for more than 80% of the workforce in the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear industry, where exposure to hazardous dyes, solvents and other chemicals can pose risks to reproductive health and increase the risk of certain cancers.