Chemicals

Chemicals also play a role in the development of environmental technologies, for example through their use in membrane systems for the treatment of water.

A chemical is sustainable if

• The specific need for energy, raw materials and additives is reduced by
• using renewable resources;
• improving the exploitation of resources in the manufacturing process;
• recovering valuable resources;
• making durable products (consumer goods)
• Materials which are hazardous to health and the environment are avoided
• Materials which are as harmless as possible are developed and used
• The emission or discharge of chemicals or pollutants to the air, water and soil is avoided or reduced
• The amount of wastewater and waste is reduced
• The full life cycle of the chemical or product is considered, i.e. from extraction of the resource through the manufacturing, treatment and use of the chemical to its disposal

An important contribution to sustainable chemistry is made by REACH, the European chemicals regulation, the aim of which is to replace hazardous chemicals with safe alternatives in the chemical and other branches of industry.

Innovative technical solutions and products help to make it possible to implement the legal requirements. Alternative methods in the production of powder coatings, for example, enable the use of supercritical carbon dioxide and eliminate the need for ecologically harmful organic solvents.

European Union reference documents (BREF) provide information to the chemical industry on the best available techniques which contribute to a reduction in environmental burdens. They are based on the EU’s Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).