PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The results of a 2017 Eurobarometer survey indicate that more than two-thirds of EU citizens are concerned about exposure to hazardous chemicals in daily life. However, less than half of respondents feel well informed about the potential dangers of chemicals contained in consumer products, such as paints, detergents, household products and cosmetics. In Hungary, there is uncertainty about the labelling of chemicals, including lack of awareness of the meaning of GHS pictograms (Globally Harmonised System for the unified classification and labelling of chemicals). There is also a lack of credible sources of information.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the Green & Safe LIFE-styles project was to facilitate behavioural change and raise awareness about the sustainable and safe use of chemical products. It mainly, but not exclusively, focused on goods with safety warning labels or ecolabels.
The project built synergies with EU regulations from various policy domains. In line with the REACH directive, the project promoted awareness raising on environmental matters and knowledge on sustainable development and new patterns for sustainable consumption. It also aimed to contribute to the goals of the seventh Environment Action Programme, namely for chemicals to be used in ways that minimises significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.
RESULTS
The Green & Safe LIFE-styles project chose to raise consumer awareness and change consumer behaviour to achieve changes. Consumer demand and markets are means of governance. Markets as governing structures can only function if consumers are aware of the public good and willing to act for it. If consumers change their preferences for safer and sustainable products, it will trigger changes in corporate attitudes and product design, i.e. on the supply side of household chemical products. The message was to use less household chemicals and to switch to sustainable alternatives, preferably to third party certified ecological products.
The project reached 27.4 million people, the awareness of the EU Ecolabel on cleaning products increased from 17% to 32% between 2018 and 2023 in Hungary; 31,000 people changed their behaviour: they seek actively for sustainability related product information or changed to greener and safer products.
In 2020, the project introduced the Conscious Consumer mobile application that helps consumers to identify safe and sustainable household chemical products. It reached more than 24,000 downloads.
10 comparative product tests were completed: the tests focused on the functional efficiency of products, e.g. if they have proper cleaning effects or harmful substances. More than 12 million people were informed about the test results.
EcoTeams, a community-based behaviour change program was used in the project with 155 trained volunteer coaches, 920 EcoTeams participants and 564 EcoTeams group meetings. Six months after EcoTeams, compared to the beginning of the programme there were 60% more ecolabelled products and 25% more alternative cleaning products in these households – this all happened during the COVID pandemic.
The project submitted opinions and comments to public and private policy consultations, among others to the revision of the Hungarian Ecolabel regulation, the Hungarian Ecolabel framework conditions for fabric softeners, the revision of the Hungarian advertisement codes of ethics, green claims policies on the European and local level and the European detergent regulation. The project also shared its experience and data about misleading green claims (greenwashing) with the BEUC, Directorate-General for Environment, the Hungarian Competition Authority and with the competent ministries in Hungary.
