Tox-free Construction Training - World Future Council

Tox-free Construction Training

Buildings last for generations — but so do the impacts of the materials used to construct them. Many building products contain hazardous chemicals that pollute indoor air, leach into soil, and enter water bodies through storm water runoff. Residents are exposed to substances such as PFAS, phthalates, flame retardants, and formaldehyde, some of which can disrupt hormones, impair development, or cause cancer. Despite these risks, harmful chemicals remain widespread in construction materials.

Therefore, the NonHazCity Training Course on tox-free, circular and climate-neutral building projects and renovations was developed as part of the EU Interreg Project NonHazCity 3. The course aims to build capacity among municipal staff, decision-makers, and construction professionals to help them avoid hazardous chemicals while optimizing for circularity and climate neutrality in building projects.

Module 1 provides an introduction to the topic.
Module 2 explores the technical aspects of planning in greater depth.
Module 3 focuses on implementation

Below you find all the modules in Video format as well as PDF.

Tox-free Construction 1.1 – Impact on Health and Environment

1_1_Impact_health_environment

Tox-free Construction 1.2 – Municipal Leadership

1_2_Municipal_leadership

Tox-free Construction 1.3 – Hazardous Substances, Circularity and Climate

1_3_HS, Circular economy and climate

Tox-free Construction 1.4 – Construction Materials and

Health

1_4_Health_Construction_Materials

Tox-free Construction 2.1 – Strategic Planning

2_1_Strategic_planning

Tox-free Construction 2.2 – Safety Documents SDS and EPD

2_2_SDS_EPD

Tox-free Construction 2.3 – Ecolabels and Certificates

2_3_Ecolabels_Building certificates

Tox-free Construction 2.4 – Life Cycle Analysis and Costing

2_4_LCA_LCC

Tox-free Construction 3.1 – Implementation Phase

3_1_Implementation phase

Tox-free Construction 3.2 – Detailed Planning Phase

3_2_Detailed planning

Tox-free Construction 3.3 – Construction and Verification Phase

3_3_Construction and verification phases

Full Course
NonHazCIty3 Training course full

Additional helpful resources:

Chemical requirements for rubbergranules in Sthlm

Ecological Sustainability Guidelines_Västerås

Guidance document for reuse centres_Sthlm

The development of the training course was part of the EU Interreg Project NonHazCity 3 (2023 – 2025), consisting of 20 partner entities. Following the vision of a city free of hazardous chemical substances, the project aimed to advance non-hazardous, circular and climate friendly construction in the Baltic Sea Region. Energy efficiency and circular building practices are pursued as complementary objectives.

Why are hazardous chemicals in construction a problem?

Around 40,000-60,000 chemicals are in commerce worldwide. Particularly problematic are hazardous substances in construction like heavy metals and phthalates that pollute indoor-air and wind up in the environment, e.g. through stormwater run-off.

While there are innovative and scalable solutions in the construction sector, these are competing with traditional options which have previously been chosen. In moving forward, it is critical that the sound management of chemicals is strengthened in the construction sector through inclusive, effective, inspiring and innovative laws and policies to protect future generations. Today’s buildings will be dismantled by the next generations only. Therefore, the key to future circularity lies in today’s management of toxic chemicals.

Besides the training course, the WFC also organised the NonHazCity building award, celebrating exemplary policies and help them spread across the entire region. Find more information on the Award in this brochure.

All solutions of the NonHazCity Project can be found here.

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