Effective date: July 10, 2026
Chem Pal ("the extension") is a browser extension that lets you search and compare laboratory chemical product listings across supported supplier websites. This policy explains what data the extension handles, where it goes, and why.
Short version: Chem Pal has no backend server of its own. It does not collect, sell, or transmit your data to the developer. It contains no analytics, tracking, or advertising code. The only data that leaves your browser is the search terms and chemical identifiers you enter, which are sent directly to the third‑party supplier and public chemistry services you choose to search — the same way your browser would send them if you visited those sites yourself.
Chem Pal is an independent, open‑source project maintained by Justin Hyland. There is no company, hosted service, or third‑party data processor operated by the developer.
When you run a search, the extension sends your query — a product name, CAS number, chemical formula, or similar identifier — directly to the supplier websites and public chemistry services you have enabled, in order to retrieve and display matching product listings and pricing.
Because these are ordinary web requests, the receiving third party also sees the standard technical information any website receives (such as your IP address and browser user‑agent). Chem Pal does not add any identifier of its own to these requests. The developer does not receive, log, or store your searches.
Some suppliers require an active session to return search results. For those suppliers, the extension reads and sets cookies on that supplier's own domain solely to establish the session needed to perform your search. These cookies are used only for the supplier's normal site functionality; the extension does not use cookies to profile or track you, and does not share cookie data with the developer or any unrelated party.
The extension stores the following locally on your device (via the browser's extension storage and IndexedDB). This data never leaves your browser and is not transmitted to the developer:
If you save a product as a favorite, the extension may create and use a bookmarks folder (e.g. "ChemPal Favorites") in your browser to store it. The extension accesses your bookmarks only to provide this feature and does not read or transmit your other bookmarks to any external party.
The extension reads limited information about your current browser tab (such as the page URL) to provide context for opening product pages, search selections, and related links. This information is used only at the moment you take an action and is not logged or transmitted to the developer.
Depending on which suppliers you enable and which features you use, the extension may send requests to:
pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and the CACTUS chemical resolver
(cactus.nci.nih.gov) — to resolve chemical names, CAS numbers, and formulas.
Only the chemical identifier you are looking up is sent.api.github.com) — to check whether a newer version of the
extension is available. No personal data is sent.Each of these third parties handles the data it receives under its own privacy policy. Chem Pal has no control over, and takes no responsibility for, the data practices of these independent services.
| Permission | Why the extension requests it |
|---|---|
storage |
Save your settings, favorites, and search/price history locally. |
cookies |
Establish the session cookies certain suppliers require to return search results, on those suppliers' own domains. |
bookmarks |
Create and manage the favorites folder used to save products. |
tabs |
Read the current tab's context to open product pages and search links, and to power the right‑click "search selection" action. |
contextMenus |
Add a right‑click menu item to search selected text with Chem Pal. |
| Host permissions (supplier domains, PubChem, etc.) | Send search and lookup requests to the supplier and chemistry services you enable. |
All data the extension keeps is stored locally in your browser. You remain in control of it at all times:
Because the developer never receives your data, there is nothing for the developer to retain or delete on your behalf.
Chem Pal is a tool intended for laboratory, educational, and professional use. It is not directed to children under 13 and does not knowingly collect any information from them.
This policy may be updated as the extension evolves. Material changes will be reflected by updating the effective date above and publishing the revised policy in the extension's repository. Continued use of the extension after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Questions about this policy or the extension's data practices can be directed to:
Justin Hyland — jhyland87@gmail.com https://github.com/jhyland87/chem-pal