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The guide 'A Safe Home for a Child' now available in English

Tukes
Publication date 28.5.2014 9.51
Press release

The guide 'A Safe Home for A Child' was published by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) in April 2014. The English-language version of the guide is now available online. The guide provides practical advice on how to improve chemical and consumer safety at home. In a recent survey by Tukes, one in five respondents were concerned about exposure to chemicals in their everyday lives.

The guide discusses the safety of child care supplies and toys and the safe use of cosmetic products and household chemicals: the practical examples of the guide include playing with toys indoors and in a sandpit, furnishing and decorating a nursery/child's room, and feeding and washing a baby.

The guide is part of the Children and Chemicals theme year at Tukes. In the National Communications Plan for Dangerous Chemicals 2014 - 2020, published at the turn of the year, one key target group for chemical-related communications are families with children. In 2014, Tukes aims to make the issue of chemical safety of families with children a topic for public discussion and allocate control measures to children's products.

One in five in Finland is concerned about exposure to chemicals

Tukes commissioned a survey from Taloustutkimus, examining Finnish people’s attitudes towards the use of products that contain chemicals.  According to the survey, most Finnish people are unconcerned about exposure to chemicals in their everyday lives. On the other hand, one in five is at least mildly concerned.

Based on the survey, more than half of Finnish people always or almost always read chemical warning labels and user instructions. One in four people either rarely or never reads them. Women read warning labels much more often than men.

The survey reveals that, although parents of small children tend to be worried about exposing children to chemicals, families with children read warning labels and instructions more rarely than other households.

The survey was conducted in April and May among Finnish consumers between the ages of 15 and 79. The total amount of respondents was 1003. The plan is to conduct the survey again in one year's time to evaluate the impact of more effective communications on chemicals on the general public's knowledge and attitudes.

Further information:

A Safe Home for a Child guide: Pdf-version / browsable version

Read more about chemical safety research (press release 21.5.2014)

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