Healthier Spaces: Removing Harmful Chemicals From the Built Environment
Now is the time to take radical action and remove chemicals of concern from our buildings and spaces.
The recent Los Angeles fires left entire communities devastated, but beyond the visible destruction, they revealed a hidden and often-overlooked danger. When urban fires consume plastics, paint, and synthetic materials, they create a hazardous “toxic soup” of chemicals that can linger in the air long after the flames are extinguished. This is just one example of how chemicals of concern have permeated our built environment, with serious implications for human health.
Harmful chemicals often lurk within the walls of our buildings and in the everyday products we rely on. Among them, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), phthalates, and microplastics are known endocrine disruptors, interfering with hormone function, and posing serious risks to human health, wildlife, and entire ecosystems. While the built environment is designed to support and protect us, these substances are silently eroding individual and community health. Now is the time for radical action — because the cost of inaction is too great.
The Science Is Clear
PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” persist in our environment and accumulate in our bodies. Linked to cancer, immune suppression, and hormonal disruption, PFAS contamination is rampant in everything from water supplies to the materials used in construction.
PFAS are just one of the many classes of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in building products, furnishings, and cleaning supplies which alter hormonal systems at minuscule levels of exposure. These disruptions can lead to infertility, developmental issues, and chronic diseases.
Adding phthalates and microplastics to the ever-present mix of PFAS — which pervade our air, water, and food — creates a trifecta of endocrine-disrupting threats with profound consequences for human health.
Research shows that reducing exposure to EDCs can lead to significant health benefits, including lower rates of hormone-related cancers, improved fertility outcomes, and reduced risk of developmental disorders in children. By eliminating these chemicals from our environments, we can design healthier lives for current and future generations.
Facts That Inspire Action
- Over 350,000 chemicals are actively in use worldwide, but only a fraction have been adequately tested for safety.
- Fewer than 100 chemicals have enforceable U.S. drinking water regulations, leaving countless contaminants unregulated.
- Asbestos usage is rising in regions like Latin America, despite its well-documented links to cancer.
- 90% of indoor dust contains chemicals of concern, including flame retardants, phthalates, and PFAS.
- Microplastics have been detected in human lungs, brain, and blood, underscoring the pervasive impact of our material choices.
A Built Environment at Risk
Buildings are designed to protect and nurture us, but they can be complicit in these exposures if no action is taken to remove harmful materials. Vinyl flooring, flame retardants in furnishings, and non-stick coatings release risky substances into our indoor air, dust, and water.
Studies reveal that indoor air can be two-five and even 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, with chemicals leaching from materials we rarely scrutinize. These hazards disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant individuals, and those with pre-existing conditions.
Top 5 Actions You Can Take Today
- Remove Vinyl From Material Specifications: PVC and vinyl release toxic substances throughout their lifecycle, including dioxins and phthalates. Opt for safer alternatives, such as exposed concrete, linoleum, terrazzo, or FSC-certified wood flooring.
- Shift Away From Single-Use Plastics: Eliminate single-use items, especially water bottles, from your spaces. The act of twisting the water bottle cap produces about 500 microplastic particles, per twist. A better option is to install water refill stations paired with reusable dishware.
- Implement Green Cleaning Programs: Transition to eco-friendly cleaning products that avoid harmful chemicals like ammonia (commonly found in glass cleaners, which can trigger respiratory and skin irritation), chlorine (found in bleach and presents multiple health concerns when in the presence of other cleaning chemicals), and phthalates (often disguised as scents and can lead to obesity, hypertension, and impact reproduction).
- Install Indoor Air Quality Sensors: Monitor air quality in real-time to detect pollutants such as VOCs, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide, ensuring healthier indoor environments.
- Adopt Material Red List Planning: Work with experts to audit and eliminate chemicals of concern from your projects, prioritizing transparency and safety in your material choices.
Case Study: Proven Results From the California State Long Beach Project
At California State Long Beach, our team vetted over 2,000 materials and building specifications to ensure alignment with stringent health and sustainability criteria. By implementing a Red List-free strategy at the Hillside Gateway project, a new net positive administrative and commons building designed to support student housing on campus, we evaluated and eliminated chemicals of concern across the project.
This approach was recently reviewed and approved by the International Living Future Institute as part of the strategy to achieve Certified Living Status application for the Living Building Challenge.
The results speak for themselves: healthier indoor environments, reduced toxic exposures, and a benchmark for what’s possible in creating truly sustainable spaces.
The Time for Radical Action Is Now
We cannot afford to wait for slow regulatory changes or incomplete scientific consensus. Human resources leaders, real estate developers, and construction professionals are uniquely positioned to drive immediate change. Your decisions shape the environments where people live, work, and thrive.
By addressing chemicals of concern, you can:
- Attract and retain talent: Employees increasingly demand healthier, more sustainable workplaces. A commitment to wellness and transparency signals leadership.
- Protect long-term value: Buildings free of hazardous chemicals align with evolving market demands, ensuring resilience against future regulations and public scrutiny.
- Enhance community trust: Creating safer, healthier spaces builds goodwill and sets a precedent for ethical responsibility in the industry.
The Path Forward
Imagine a world where buildings are free of toxins, where the air you breathe and the materials you touch promote vitality instead of harm. This vision is within reach — but only with decisive action.
This is not just about compliance; it is about leadership. It is about ensuring that the spaces you create today will support the health and well-being of generations to come. The question is not whether you have the power to act. The question is: will you?
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