Addressing Barriers to Changing Environmentally Relevant Behaviors: Toxic Chemicals as a Case Study

As the health of humans is inextricably connected with the health of other species and the planet itself, efforts promoting sustainability must address the prevalence of toxins. Potentially hazardous chemicals and products are ubiquitous in contemporary environments. Exposures are associated with serious and wide-ranging health impacts and have implications related to social justice, economics, and environmental health and biodiversity. Although there are several barriers to changing environmentally relevant behaviors including those related to toxins, psychological research suggests that providing specific information about how and why to change, asking for commitment to change, restructuring social norms, and providing social support can effectively alter behaviors related to toxic substances and household hazardous waste.

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