Do the public really know about chemicals? Are consumers aware that they rely on petrochemicals and polymers each and every day? And are chemical producers doing enough to highlight the importance of their products?

Can anybody get through a week without coming into contact with a certain chemical?

I'm going to give it a go!

A few volunteers at your favourite chemical magazine are planning to go cold turkey and give up a selection of chemical products - trying to entirely avoid using them or anything they're used in for a week. We'll post our efforts on this site and let you know how the challenge goes...

For example, cutting out polyethylene could see an end to drinking from milk bottles, using yoghurt pots, driving a car or carrying shopping home in plastic bags!

What do you think we would struggle to do without for a week? Post your suggestions here...  

 

You can take a look at the Chemical Intelligence pages on ICIS.com for ideas http://www.icis.com/v2/chemicals/intelligence.aspx 

 You could cut out PET - used in drinks bottles. Or PVC - might be tricky to avoid in the home though. Or how about titanium dioxide (TiO2) - used in products such as paints, coatings, plastics, paper, inks, fibres, food and cosmetics.

 

If I wanted to be frivolous today (which I do), I'd suggest cosmetics!

OMG the only way i could give up cosmetics is if it was for night time only..........I think I would struggle to cope without anything cosmetic. I could give up PET water bottles though and no use of a car for a week.

 

I coud give up drinking tap water (it contains chemicals) and bottled water. So I would have drink ale all day as people did hundreds of years ago.

I'd bet that you'd not want to give up Sodium laureth sulfate, which seems to be in everything from shampoo to toothpaste. If you do give it up for a week then please work at home from Wednesday.

 

 

It is quite easy to eliminate sodium laureth sulfate. I have found some excellent herbal shampoos which don't list this ingredient (and I am assuming that it not present in some miniscule percentage). And they work quite well!

In addition to my comment about not being able to live without toiletries/cosmetics - have you ever seen that bit in the Batman film when the Joker claims to have put poisonous toxins into everyday items, such as cosmetics? They go to a scene with two newsreaders that haven’t used any make up/toiletries and so on since the scare and their hair is everywhere and they have spots, greasy skin, dirty teeth, big old dark circles under their eyes etc…. CHEMICALS are sooooo important – looking forward to hearing how you guys get on with your ‘cold turkey’ efforts.

 

 Plastic bags seems the obvious choice to give up with most supermarkets now going to charge for them. And I am now the proud owner of some very nice hessian bags for my shopping. BUT, will find it difficult to dispose of my rubbish as that has to go in plastic sacs in the dustbin - any alternatives?

I reckon it would have to be anything with a humectant in it - just because I like the word so much. They're used in tobacco to keep it moist apparently. I wonder what else? Baby wipes, perhaps, or that moistened toilet tissue. That would probably be pretty easy to go without, though...

you're right, it would be difficult to give up the plastic bags for rubbish. unless you went down the wormery route ... 

This made me chuckle Friday, I was in Marks and Spencer and the guy in front of me bought 8 loose lemons, after he paid he then stuffed the lemons in every pocket he had (not sure where else he put them) but by the time he finished he was only holding 2 lemons and muttering something about how there was no way on earth he was going to pay for a plastic bag (even though they are actually still free in M&S until 6 May) and how it is all a big conspiracy for making money out of the consumer.    

 

Cosmetics, plastic bags, paints - all good suggestions...but I fancy giving up some type of plastic - particularly the type that's used in my computer...I'd happily spend a week not typing anything or checking emails!!!

This could be tough. How about giving up watching/listening to DVDs and CDs for a week? These are made out of polycarbonate