Chemophobia: Nearly 40% of Europeans Want a Chemical-Free World | American Council on Science and Health

Chemophobia: Nearly 40% of Europeans Want a Chemical-Free World | American Council on Science and Health

• A new study reveals that nearly 40% of Europeans want to "live in a world where chemical substances don't exist." 
• Another 82% didn't know that table salt is table salt, whether it is extracted from the ocean or made synthetically.

It's not a secret that the average person is scientifically illiterate. 

The question is, "Just how scientifically illiterate?" 
The answer is appalling.

Researchers Michael Siegrist and Angela Bearth report in the journal Nature Chemistry on a survey they conducted to gauge Europeans' attitudes toward chemicals. They had about 700 respondents from each of eight countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom, for a total of 5,631 participants.

The first series of questions was designed to measure chemophobia, the irrational fear of chemicals. As shown below, 30% of Europeans report being "scared" of chemicals, and about 40% try to "avoid contact with chemical substances" and want to "live in a world where chemical substances don't exist." Obviously, this is impossible. Everything -- water, food, your smartphone -- is a chemical or a combination of chemicals.

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