Household & Consumer Safety

Chemical exposure does not only occur in workplaces, but also in homes and through everyday products, where gender roles and biological differences shape patterns of exposure.

Women, in particular, are more frequently exposed to indoor chemicals, for example through cleaning products or low-quality materials in furniture, especially in low-income households. Women often carry the main responsibility for unpaid care work and maintaining a healthy household environment. As “family health managers,” they are frequently responsible for caring for sick family members and making daily decisions to reduce exposure to harmful substances. However, access to information about chemicals in products is often limited or non-existent, making informed choices difficult. This can place additional pressure on women to avoid toxic exposures through “precautionary consumption,” such as selecting products perceived as natural or safe. While many awareness campaigns rely on these roles to spread chemical safety information within families, this responsibility should not fall on women alone, as it risks reinforcing the feminization of environmental and health burdens.

Men, by contrast, are more frequently exposed to chemicals in the context of repairs and maintenance activities within the household, such as small construction work, furniture repair, and electrical tasks. These activities are typically not performed on a daily basis but occur as single, episodic tasks when something breaks or requires fixing, and can involve concentrated periods of exposure due to the nature of the materials and processes used.

The cosmetics and personal care sector reflects strongly gendered consumption patterns. Women are the largest consumer group, and these products may contain dozens of chemicals, some of which can be harmful. In particular, the fast-growing market for skin-lightening products raises serious concerns, as some contain toxic substances such as mercury and deepen racial structures of inequality.

Empowering women through education, training, and access to information is key to enabling informed and equitable choices and strengthening their ability to act within socially assigned roles. When women understand chemical risks, labelling systems, and their rights in occupational and consumer contexts, they are better able to protect themselves and their families. However, to ensure a fair distribution of responsibilities, chemical safety must be a shared societal effort, including men’s responsibility for family health, and must be supported by effective regulation.