Eliminating hazardous chemicals from supply chains - Integrated Program

Fashion and construction are among the top three economic sectors contributing to pollution, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land degradation, water pollution and threats to biodiversity. The continued use of hazardous chemicals in products is a barrier to circular economy initiatives as such products cannot be recycled and are therefore incompatible with a circular economy model. The pollution and resource scarcity implications of the fashion and construction global value chains are less clearly understood than their climate and nature impacts limiting action and investment to address those impacts.

The Supply Chains Integrated Programme (IP) aims to address environmental degradation and focuses on transforming these supply chains to

be green, achieve zero pollution and zero waste,
integrate nature-based solutions,
and become carbon neutral.

The Supply Chains Integrated Program is a Global Environment Facility GEF-funded program implemented through a Global Coordination Project and eight country projects: Cambodia, Trinidad & Tobago, Pakistan, Ecuador, Peru, Mongolia, Costa Rica, India.

The IP is implemented through strong inter-agency cooperation between United nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Food and Agriculture Organization on the United Nations (FAO). More information.

Engagement and Events

A webinar organised in May 2024 delved into cross-cutting and policy issues within the construction and fashion value chains while introducing the Supply Chains Integrated Programme.

The Launch and Inception Event of the GEF-8 Integrated Programme on Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals in Supply Chains took place in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 9-10 December 2024. A UNEP press release was published on 9 December 2024. The Launch and inception was followed back-to-back with the first Steering Committee meeting of the Global Coordination Project on 11 December 2024.

The First Annual Meeting of the GEF-8 Integrated Programme on Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals in Supply Chains will be hold in April 2026.

UNEP hosted two side-events at the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Summit 2026 in April 2026:

Chemicals and Construction through the lens of Circularity, 20 April – Concept note and Agenda
Advancing on a Global Implementation Programme on Chemicals in Buildings and Construction, 22 April – Concept note and Agenda