IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i17p4785-d263188.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Chemicals Denial—A Challenge to Science and Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Mikael Karlsson

    (Department of Philosophy and History, KTH Royal University of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

Much research shows that science denial regarding climate change is widespread and problematic for science and scientists, as well as for policy-makers. Climate denial delays goal achievement. As shown in this article, science denial commonly occurs also in the field of chemicals assessment and policy, but the research on the topic is scarce. The peer-reviewed studies that exist mostly concern a limited number of specific cases, such as DDT, CFCs and endocrine disrupting chemicals. The characteristics of ‘chemicals denial’ show similarity with those of climate denial, including reliance on fake experts, cherry-picked facts and attacks on scientists, with a key aspect being the questioning of causal relationships. Considering the gaps between chemicals policy goals and the state of the environment, further scientific exploration in the field is needed. Developing a better coordinated research agenda and a common terminology are therefore warranted strategies. A key concept in such endeavors could be ‘chemicals denial’.

Suggested Citation

  • Mikael Karlsson, 2019. "Chemicals Denial—A Challenge to Science and Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-9, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:17:p:4785-:d:263188
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/17/4785/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/17/4785/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephen Andersen, 2015. "Lessons from the stratospheric ozone layer protection for climate," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 5(2), pages 143-162, June.
    2. Vincenzo Torretta & Ioannis A. Katsoyiannis & Paolo Viotti & Elena Cristina Rada, 2018. "Critical Review of the Effects of Glyphosate Exposure to the Environment and Humans through the Food Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Leonardo Trasande & R. Thomas Zoeller & Ulla Hass & Andreas Kortenkamp & Philippe Grandjean & John Peterson Myers & Joseph Digangi & Martine Bellanger & Russ Hauser & Juliette Legler & Niels E. Skakke, 2015. "Estimating Burden and Disease Costs of Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in the European Union," Post-Print hal-01505537, HAL.
    4. Brett Aho, 2017. "Disrupting regulation: understanding industry engagement on endocrine-disrupting chemicals," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 44(5), pages 698-706.
    5. Elizabeth Fisher, 2008. "The 'perfect storm' of REACH: charting regulatory controversy in the age of information, sustainable development, and globalization," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 541-563, June.
    6. Johan Eriksson & Mikael Karlsson & Marta Reuter, 2010. "Technocracy, Politicization, and Noninvolvement: Politics of Expertise in the European Regulation of Chemicals," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 27(2), pages 167-185, March.
    7. Selda Ulucanlar & Gary J Fooks & Jenny L Hatchard & Anna B Gilmore, 2014. "Representation and Misrepresentation of Scientific Evidence in Contemporary Tobacco Regulation: A Review of Tobacco Industry Submissions to the UK Government Consultation on Standardised Packaging," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, March.
    8. Peter Jacques, 2006. "The Rearguard of Modernity: Environmental Skepticism as a Struggle of Citizenship," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 6(1), pages 76-101, February.
    9. Sven Ove Hansson, 2018. "Dealing with climate science denialism: experiences from confrontations with other forms of pseudoscience," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(9), pages 1094-1102, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Justo-Hanani, Ronit & Dayan, Tamar, 2014. "The role of the state in regulatory policy for nanomaterials risk: Analyzing the expansion of state-centric rulemaking in EU and US chemicals policies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 169-178.
    2. Gui-Bing Hong & Jia-Pei Hsu & Kai-Jen Chuang & Chih-Ming Ma, 2022. "Colorimetric Detection of 1-Naphthol and Glyphosate Using Modified Gold Nanoparticles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, August.
    3. Leonardo E. Stanley, 2024. "Cambio Climático y Desarrollo sustentable: Incertidumbres y Narrativas," Revista Ciencias Administrativas (CADM), IIA, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Instituto de Investigaciones Administrativas, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, issue 23, pages 1-9, January- .
    4. Willem Van Rensburg & Brian W. Head, 2017. "Climate Change Scepticism: Reconsidering How to Respond to Core Criticisms of Climate Science and Policy," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(4), pages 21582440177, December.
    5. Carters-White, Lauren & Chambers, Stephanie & Skivington, Kathryn & Hilton, Shona, 2021. "Whose rights deserve protection? Framing analysis of responses to the 2016 Committee of Advertising Practice consultation on the non-broadcast advertising of foods and soft drinks to children," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    6. Teresa Ashe & Marianna Poberezhskaya, 2022. "Russian climate scepticism: an understudied case," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 172(3), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Brett Aho, 2017. "Disrupting regulation: understanding industry engagement on endocrine-disrupting chemicals," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 44(5), pages 698-706.
    8. Herrera-Araujo, Daniel & Hammitt, James K. & Rheinberger, Christoph M., 2020. "Theoretical bounds on the value of improved health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Daniel Slunge & Francisco Alpizar, 2019. "Market-Based Instruments for Managing Hazardous Chemicals: A Review of the Literature and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-20, August.
    10. Jenny L Hatchard & Joao Quariguasi Frota Neto & Christos Vasilakis & Karen A Evans-Reeves, 2019. "Tweeting about public health policy: Social media response to the UK Government’s announcement of a Parliamentary vote on draft standardised packaging regulations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, February.
    11. Marwah M. Hassounah & Abdulmohsen H. Al-Zalabani & Mohammed D. AlAhmari & Afraa A. Murriky & Anwar M. Makeen & Abdullah M.M. Alanazi, 2020. "Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-14, April.
    12. Glenna, Leland & Bruce, Analena, 2021. "Suborning science for profit: Monsanto, glyphosate, and private science research misconduct," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(7).
    13. Justo-Hanani, Ronit & Dayan, Tamar, 2015. "European risk governance of nanotechnology: Explaining the emerging regulatory policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(8), pages 1527-1536.
    14. Anca Turcu & R. Urbatsch, 2020. "Go Means Green: Diasporas’ Affinity for EcologicalGroups," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 20(1), pages 82-102, February.
    15. Analena B. Bruce & Yetkin Borlu & Leland L. Glenna, 2023. "Assessing the scientific support for U.S. EPA pesticide regulatory policy governing active and inert ingredients," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, March.
    16. Tomas Rivas-Garcia & Alejandro Espinosa-Calderón & Benjamin Hernández-Vázquez & Rita Schwentesius-Rindermann, 2022. "Overview of Environmental and Health Effects Related to Glyphosate Usage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-14, June.
    17. Tareq K. Al-Awad & Motasem N. Saidan & Brian J. Gareau, 2018. "Halon management and ozone-depleting substances control in Jordan," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 391-408, June.
    18. Peter Jacques, 2015. "Civil society, corporate power, and food security: counter-revolutionary efforts that limit social change," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 5(3), pages 432-444, September.
    19. Gail Markle, 2019. "Understanding Pro-Environmental Behavior in the US: Insights from Grid-Group Cultural Theory and Cognitive Sociology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, January.
    20. Lencucha, Raphael & Drope, Jeffrey & Labonte, Ronald, 2016. "Rhetoric and the law, or the law of rhetoric: How countries oppose novel tobacco control measures at the World Trade Organization," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 100-107.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:17:p:4785-:d:263188. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.