News

Japanese chemical company Kaneka wins Foreign Investment of the Year Trophy in Flanders, Belgium

For the third consecutive year a company from the chemical and life sciences sector has won the Flanders Foreign Investment of the Year Trophy – an award highlighting the importance of foreign investment in the Flemish, northern region of Belgium. Kaneka Belgium was presented with the 2018 Trophy by Minister-President of Flanders, Geert Bourgeois.

The Japanese chemical firm was recognized for the recent expansion of its production facility for modified silicone polymers in Westerlo. When construction is complete, the Flanders-based site will be Kaneka’s largest global production plant. Previous winners of this prestigious prize are Nippon Shokubai and Sanofi. American pharma firm Pfizer succeeded BASF as winner of the Lifetime Achievement Trophy.

Flanders’ chemical industry is one of the most integrated chemical […]

GPCA signs MOU with Gulf Standardization Organization to collaborate on Industrial Waste Management

Last month GPCA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) to collaborate on developing world-class standards and pave the way for the adoption of internationally recognized best practices on Dangerous Goods Transportation, Global Harmonization System and Industrial Waste. http://gpca.org.ae/2018/02/21/gpca-and-gulf-standardization-organization-sign-mou-to-collaborate-on-world-class-gcc-standards/

The MOU follows the position paper produced by the GPCA Industrial Waste Taskforce at the end of last year which identified potential benefits and opportunities arising from stakeholder collaboration between regulators, waste management service providers and the industry in developing an effective industrial waste management program for the Arabian Gulf region as it expands its production capabilities. The correct approach would support sustainable development by providing job opportunities, while reducing both industrial waste generation and the use […]

Newly developed ICCA Connect offers collaborative sharing platform

The newly developed ICCA Connect is now in place, offering enhanced transparency and access for all ICCA members. It includes all workplaces and sites and is managed by the Leadership Group/Task Force secretariat.

Built using the web-based SharePoint system, well known for its user-friendly approach to sharing and managing content, the structure replaces the former system and is the result of a successful pilot project undertaken by the ICCA Capacity Building Task Force.

All ICCA members have now received access and login information enabling them to access the overall content of the extranet and several ICCA groups have already started to use it.

Icca Chemicals Policy & Health Leadership Group & Stakeholders meet In India

Comprised of leaders representing chemical manufacturers and producers from around the world, the International Council of Chemical Associations’ (ICCA) Chemicals Policy & Health Leadership Group (CP&H LG) is dedicated to ensuring the global chemical industry PAVES the way to sound chemicals management and sustainable development. The CP&H LG met in November in New Delhi, India for its second face-to-face meeting in 2017, where it tackled today’s chemical industry challenges and discussed further opportunities to show chemical industry’s commitment to the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and sustainable development.

AREAS OF FOCUS: UNEA-3 AND SAICM

Major areas of discussion included preparations for the 3rd United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-3) and the SAICM intersessional process and how industry could contribute to both important events:

The […]

ICCA attends UN Climate Conference in Bonn

ICCA was present at the COP23 UN Climate Conference in Bonn last month and hosted an exhibition booth with videos and publications showcasing the contributions of the chemical industry to sustainability and low carbon solutions.

Many ICCA members were also in attendance and participated in side events running alongside the COP23.  ICCA held an event on transparency and chemicals contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and VCI hosted a tour of the Chempark in Leverkusen for delegates and journalists where Wacker, Covestro and Lanxess demonstrated technology pathways in the field of PV, CCU and water purification.

COP23 gathered some 22,000 delegates from Governments, non-Party Stakeholders, UN organizations and the media. As the second COP following the December 2015 Paris Agreement, it […]

ICCA makes commitment to UNEA-3 to expand its Responsible Care program to combat pollution

At the third UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) meeting taking place this week, ICCA will make a commitment to combat pollution by expanding its Responsible Care program to continuously reduce emissions and increase global capacity to manage chemicals safely.

UNEA-3, held in Nairobi from 4-6 December under the theme “Towards a pollution-free planet”, has called on governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and other interested groups or institutions to join the fight against pollution.

ICCA is making its commitment on behalf of the global chemical industry. It recognizes that, as part of our everyday lives, chemistry is essential for sustainable development – and to realize the benefits of chemistry, we must handle chemicals safely.

ICCA promotes RC to continuously improve the implementation of sound chemicals management […]

ICCA representatives meet with Erik Solheim at UNEA-3

Martin Kayser, BASF and co-chair Chemicals Policy and Health Leadership Group and Alexa Burr of ACC held a successful meeting with three members of the United Nations Environment Agency at the UN office in Nairobi at the start of December: Erik Sohleim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme; Ligia Noronha, Director, Economy Division, UN Environment and Jacob Deuer, Chief, Chemicals and Health Branch.

Mr Solheim was supportive of ICCA’s cooperation with UN Environment, emphasing both the current joint projects and financial contribution.  He underlined the importance of UN Environment working with innovative industries in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In particular Erik Solheim stated the need to improve the communication of sound science and innovation to the […]

OPCW Director-General addresses ICCA Board meeting

Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) addressed the ICCA Board meeting in Vienna in October.

Delivering a statement entitled ‘Twenty Years of the OPCW: its Achievements, Future Outlook and Cooperation with Industry” Ambassador Üzümcü described the partnership with the chemical industry as a pillar of OPCW’s success and emphasized that building bridges with organizations such as ICCA was vital to their future endeavors.

At a time when OPCW activities are shifting from verifying the destruction of chemical weapons to preventing their re-emergence, Ambassador Üzümcü encouraged industry representatives to consider new perspectives, saying, “Our partnership with the chemical industry has been a pillar of that success and building bridges with institutions such as the ICCA […]

ICCA addresses OPCW Conference of State Parties

Marco Mensink addressed the OPCW Conference of State Parties in the Hague at the end of November.  Speaking in his capacity as Council Secretary of the International Council of Chemical Associations he praised the OPCW for the excellent work it was undertaking, and voiced his appreciation of the positive partnership and cooperation between the two organizations in ensuring that chemicals are not used for prohibited purposes.

Stressing that the creation of a trustful partnership was invaluable for relations between national authorities and industrial players as well as for ICCA and the OPCW secretariat, Marco Mensink highlighted the successful capacity building programme carried out during 2017. 18 chemical plant sites from 15 member states hosted participants for a three week training with […]

OPCW elects new Director-General

Ambassador Fernando Arias Gonzalez of Spain will be the new Director-General of OPCW for the period 2018-22.  His appointment was ratified at the Conference of the State Parties of the OPCW in the Hague at the end of November.

Ambassador Arias was the victor in three successive votes, securing an increasingly larger margin over six other candidates.  His election provides continuity to the work carried out by Spain on the United Nations Security Council from 2015-16, particularly in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament.

OPCW, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, was set up in 2013 by the State Parties of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.  The Convention, whose State Parties number 192, accounting for 98% […]