Serbia gets app which detects dangerous chemicals in products

The Scan4Chem app might help raise awareness among consumers, as it allows them to find out whether a product contains one of the 201 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) according to the EU criteria.

This app is already available for use and is a part of the project carried out in Serbia by the Safer Chemicals Alternative (ALHem), along with 20 other European organizations headed by the German Environment Agency. This organization gathers chemists and experts who have experience with managing dangerous chemicals.

SHVCs can be found in everyday products, their concentration is limited to 0.1%, and they are carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction.

– The best known of these substances are phthalates, which are common in plastic products, flame retardants in spongy furniture elements and recycled plastic, bisphenol A, which can be found in plastic water bottles and perfluorinated substances, common in waterproof clothes and damaged teflon cookware – said the director of the ALHem program, Jasminka Randjelovic.

In what way will this app be useful to consumers?

As the organization explains, it's important for the users to scan the barcodes of products as soon as possible (or by entering the data available on the declaration) and send an inquest to the supplier or the producer about whether the product contains a SHVC.

Substances of Very High Concern

SVHC

Safer Chemicals Alternative

ALHem

German Environment Agency

app for detection of dangerous chemicals

dangerous chemicals

Scan4Chem

phthalates

Jasminka Ranđelović

bisphenol A

perfluorinated substances