Environment

The chemical industry is taking a range of initiatives to enhance their operations within planetary boundaries. The Responsible Care® initiative and the Safe and Sustainable-by-Design concept aim to address these environmental targets from the design phase. Additional legislation like the European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH), and the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) also drive the chemical sector to continuously improve on areas such as environmental pollution. Focusing on the environmental footprint by reducing emissions and addressing biodiversity contributes to achieving SDG 6 ‘Clean water and sanitation’, SDG 14 ‘Life below water’, and SDG 15 ‘Life on land’.

Emissions of air and water pollutants

Emission of air pollutants

Since 2007, the chemical industry has significantly reduced acidifying emissions into the air, with ammonia, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide emissions declining by 55%, 57%, and 80%, respectively. The implementation of measures to reduce these emissions was further triggered by Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions, adopted by Member States in January 2013.

Emission of water pollutants

The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) decreased significantly until 2012, but increased slightly again until 2019. Revisions of the Common Wastewater BREF were done in 2003 and 2016 to which companies had to comply with by 2007 and 2020.

Total nitrogen emissions have continued to decline, reaching a 57% reduction in 2021. Total phosphorous emissions show a steady trend and remain very low (approx. 0.4-0.6 kt).

Associated SDG targets

SDG Good Health and Well-being
UN SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
SDG 12-ResponsibleConsumptionAndProduction
SDG14 Life below water

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Process safety

Accidental pollutant releases

The number of accidental pollutant releases to air and water has fluctuated between 2007 and 2021, with an average of 87 releases to air and 12 to water, respectively.

Associated SDG targets

SDG Good Health and Well-being
UN SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
SDG 12-ResponsibleConsumptionAndProduction

Copyright UN Sustainable Development Goals