As chemical products are being used everywhere in the world on a daily basis it is extremely important to maintain your chemical-based company’s sustainability. ‘The Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH), is the main EU law to protect human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals’, this was brought into force on the 7th of June 2007. During early February this year, ECHA (European Chemical Agency) released its strategic plan for 2025 – 2027, this being the second phase of the 2024-2028 strategy. This plan includes the 19.5% increase of EU REACH registration fees beginning April 1, 2025. You can read more here of what ECHA plans to implement during 2025-2027.
During last month’s blog ‘Why Chemical Safety Matters’ ,we touched base on why the appropriate disposal of chemicals is crucial, in this blog we’ll develop further on this topic along with additional advice in achieving your sustainability goals within the chemical industry. We’ll delve into certain matters involving raw materials, waste management, energy efficiency, emission reduction, green chemistry, water management, etc.
Sustainable Raw Materials:
When searching for elements to embed in chemical solutions or your final product, sourcing renewable or bio-based materials is highly recommended as it not only benefits the planet but also provides your company with a good reputation. Many companies tend to rely on fossil fuels, yes, many companies must but if your business doesn’t find it necessary then begin now by reducing your dependency on these non-renewable energy sources. When searching for these raw materials, monitoring where these ingredients are sourced is essential in maintaining sustainability and avoiding using unethical suppliers.
Energy efficiency:
As a chemical company we understand how much our members and other companies in this industry rely heavily on energy but improving energy efficiency and reducing the emissions is vital for sustainability. There are multiple ways in which this can be done, such as, alternative energy sources, cleaner production processes and modern equipment which all will aid in reducing their environmental footprint. As mentioned above, Carbon emissions can be reduced by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. Some of these changes include switching to solar and wind power systems. The solar thermal system will provide heat that can aid in chemical reactions, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cell, commonly called a solar cell, is a nonmechanical device that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Some PV cells can convert artificial light into electricity. An alternative to solar panels is wind turbines which many companies are investing in to supply direct renewable energy. Similarly, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are contractual arrangements between electricity producers (frequently renewable energy generators) and buyers. By providing renewable electricity at mutually agreed rates, these contracts foster stability for both parties and promote the adoption of renewable energy sources (RES).
Emission Reductions:
The chemical industry accounts for nearly 7% of global CO2 emissions, making it one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. In achieving sustainability within the EU, your chemical business must comply with EU climate regulations and implement active strategies in reducing emissions. There are three scopes all companies in this industry must understand, according to National Grid, scope 1 are those direct emissions that are owned or controlled by a company, whereas scope 2 and 3 indirect emissions are a consequence of the activities of the company but occur from sources not owned or controlled by it:
Scope 1: covers emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly for example from burning fuel in our fleet of vehicles (if they’re not electrically-powered).
Action to take: Switching from fossil fuels to electric powered systems, using solvent free and water-based processes to avoid Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions which emit gases from certain solids/liquids, applying extractors for capturing the atmospheric CO2.
Scope 2: emissions that a company causes indirectly and come from where the energy it purchases and uses is produced. For example, the emissions caused when generating the electricity that we use in our buildings would fall into this category.
Action to take: Implementing the solar panels and wind turbines which I mentioned above along with investing in PPA’s, upgrading to high-efficiency boilers, compressors and pumps in order to reduce the loss of energy.
Scope 3: encompasses emissions that are not produced by the company itself and are not the result of activities from assets owned or controlled by them, but by those that it’s indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain. An example of this is when we buy, use and dispose of products from suppliers. Scope 3 emissions include all sources not within the scope 1 and 2 boundaries.
Action to take: Altering the supply chain routes to reduce the transport distance/emissions, recycle and reuse any chemical byproducts instead of wasting them, collaborate with raw suppliers specialising in raw materials who follow sustainable practices.
Sustainability in the chemical industry is no longer an option, as you have read above, it is a necessity to comply with regulations in order to build a reputation for your chemical company. As EU regulations such as ECHA’s REACH strategic plans for 2025-2027 are implementing stricter requirements and increasing the registration fees, chemical businesses must engage in these sustainable practices in order to remain competitive. We can assure you that all our members take pride in maintaining these regulations and will continue to do so in the future.
