The contamination of environment with hazardous chemicals due to ever increasing consumption of various products has reached alarming levels. The problem is internationally recognised and actions are taken to reduce the negative effects of chemicals’ use. Ecodesign, which recently has emerged as a comprehensive tool for environmental management, is seen as one of the most effective approaches to minimise chemical risks associated with products since it starts at the conceptual development phase of the products when problematic materials can be avoided or design for closed loop systems of those materials can be made. There are different types of ecodesign tools ranging from guidelines and checklists to one-score screening indicators and full life cycle assessment. This paper analyzes existing ecodesign tools with respect to the minimization of chemical risks and focuses on critical points that hamper the application of these tools. The study outlines the need for sub-instruments that achieve a successful reduction of hazardous chemicals while maintaining the design objectives. Ideas for the development of such sub-instruments are presented in this paper.