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Why does Greenpeace focus onhazardous chemicals?Somehazardous chemicals have become so widely dispersed in the biosphere because they have been extracted and used by humans.That is why Greenpeace focus on hazardous chemicals.What are hazardous chemicals?A hazardous chemical has thepotential to harm people, other living organisms, or the environment, due to its intrinsic hazardousproperties. A hazardous chemical can either be man-made or it may occur naturally in theenvironment. Hazardous properties include:persistence,bio – accumulation,carcinogenic properties,mutagenicity,toxicity towards the reproductive system or the nervous system, and the capability to disrupt endocrine (hormone) systems.Why are hazardous chemicalssuch a problem?Hazardous chemicals are difficult to remove and control. They can spread here and there.The social and environmental costs ofhazardouschemicals exposure arealmost certainly extremely high.Executive SummaryThis Greenpeace analysis has tested fish from China’slongest river, the Yangtze River, and has demonstrated thepresence of a number of hazardous chemicals. While the Chinese government has taken some measures, there are no regulationsfor the production, use and release of alkylphenols andPFCs. The government should do it better.MethodologySamples offreshly caught common carp were obtained fromChongqing, Wuhan,Ma’anshan and Nanjing.These sites were chosen as they are major industrialcities located in the upper, middle and lower sections ofthe Yangtze River. The two sampled species are widelydistributed along the Yangtze River and also commonlyeaten in China.Chemicals tested for and quantified in this study:Alkylphenols, including:Arangeofperfluorinatedcompounds Three heavy metals:(PFCs), including:Threeheavy metals:nonylphenol (NP),4-tert-octylphenol (OP)perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS)mercury, lead, cadmiumKey FindingsAlkylphenolsAlkylphenols were detected in all liver samples except for one carp from Ma′anshan;Nonylphenols (NP) were by