IPEN’s Impact

At a Glance

IPEN has more than 25 years of experience and success in promoting global and national policies to protect health and the healthy environments all people need to thrive.

1,000+

Projects by IPEN members to end toxic pollution in their countries

5,000+

Paints from 59 countries tested for high lead levels

1,000+

Children’s products tested for hazardous chemicals

100+

Hazardous chemicals banned globally since 1998 (including some large chemical groups consisting of 100s substances)

1,000+

Groups endorsing IPEN’s Common Statement for action on chemical safety

Testimonials

Snapshots of IPEN’s Impact

Since its founding in 1998, IPEN has:

Contributed support, training, and opportunities for collaborations to hundreds of small public interest organizations in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and across the world, most with little or no previous engagement in global policy development processes.
Collaborated with its member groups to produce hundreds of original science and research reports, many in multiple languages, often providing the only data of its kind on chemical threats to community health in their countries and regions.
Engaged in hundreds of global and regional policy events and nurtured IPEN members in support of their work to implement and adapt global policies for national health and environmental protection.
Contributed to the development of global standards on mercury contamination and on lead in paint, and successfully advocated for laws banning lead paint in dozens of countries.
Participated in the development and ongoing work of every major global chemical policy forum, including the Stockholm Convention, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Global Framework on Chemicals, the Plastics Treaty talks, and others.
Fostered new and ongoing international alliances among workers, women’s rights advocates, Indigenous Peoples, youth, public health professionals, scientists, and others concerned about protecting health and the environment from harmful chemicals.
Exposed dumping of toxic waste from wealthy nations to Global South countries and worked to support countries’ right-to-know about and to refuse hazardous waste imports.
Won global bans and restrictions on dozens of highly toxic chemicals (including large chemical groups of hundreds of related substances), protecting millions of people from hazardous chemical exposures.