News

Industry Stands Committed to SAICM’s Success in Order to Achieve Sound Chemicals Management

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (JULY 17, 2018) – Today, at the United Nations High Level Political Forum, the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) is joined by stakeholders and governments from around the world to reiterate our commitment and share innovative ideas for improving the safe management of chemicals and waste globally. Guiding our journey is the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), a voluntary, multi-stakeholder approach that enables all relevant stakeholders to contribute to building a stronger foundation for sound management of chemicals and waste more broadly than any alternative approach.

SAICM’s multi-stakeholder approach enables governments of developed and developing nations, as well as non-governmental organizations, industry, and other supporters to partner and collaborate in ways that would not […]

ICCA Statement on The Hague Ethical Guidelines

A strong supporter of the Chemical Weapons Convention, ICCA maintains a constant dialogue with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Convention. It is also a member of the group of chemistry practitioners created by the OPCW to promote peaceful uses of chemistry for the benefit of all.

This group of 39 scientists and chemistry professionals from 29 countries produced the ‘The Hague Ethical Guidelines’ https://www.opcw.org/special-sections/science-technology/the-hague-ethical-guidelines/ intended to build understanding among the science community and between scientists and society about the culture and practice of responsible science. Disseminating the Guidelines more widely is key to achieving this goal and they have been endorsed by the International Union of Pure and […]

Government, Industry and the United Nations are joining forces in Argentina for sound chemicals and waste management

Three-Day Event Holds Promise of Strengthening Country’s Commitment to the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
For Immediate Release
Media Contacts:
Sarah Jane Scruggs/ACC : sarah_scruggs@americanchemistry.com
Irene van Luijken/Cefic : ivl@cefic.be

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (April 26, 2018) – A diverse group of industry, government and international experts have convened in the city of Buenos Aires to support strengthening the sound management of chemicals and waste in Argentina. The meeting, hosted by the Argentine Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in cooperation with the UN Environment Programme and the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), aimed to strengthen cooperation between government authorities, industry, the United Nations and other stakeholders in order to improve chemicals and waste management at the national level in Argentina.

“The UN Environment […]

Ongoing collaboration with UN Environment across a range of projects

Following three month working with Cefic and ICCA Jean Balsat is now the junior ICCA consultant at UN Environment.  Working within the UN Environment chemicals and waste branch as part of the secretariat of the SAICM, his role will be to liaise with the industry, increase awareness of the initiatives and facilitate dialogue.

UN Environment and ICCA are currently engaged in five collaborative projects – two country projects in Argentina and Kenya on government-industry cooperation, chemicals regulations and Responsible Care; and three projects concerning data availability on chemicals in commerce, Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economy. Here are further details on each:

Study on availability of chemicals health and safety information

ICCA is working with UN Environment on a study to demonstrate the […]

ICCA and German Federal Ministry cooperate on GHS implementation in Africa

ICCA has started a cooperation project with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment on GHS implementation in a French and English speaking country in Africa: Ivory Coast and Ghana. The idea to work together to introduce and initiate implementation of the UN Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling was the result of a meeting between ICCM-5 president and Gertrud Sahler, Head of Directorate-General for Environment and Health at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment and Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).

ICCA and German government representatives subsequently met in the margins of the 2nd intersessional meeting in Stockholm earlier this month, to get a better understanding of the respective country situations and secure commitment from local government […]

European social partners launch new project on digitalization and innovation in the European chemical industry

In January the European social partners of the chemical industry, European trade union industriAll and the European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) launched a new social partner project entitled “The impact of innovation and digital transformation in the workplace: a sector-specific study of the European chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industry”.

Based on an EU-wide research survey and expert interviews, the project partners aim to formulate a social partner joint action plan on how to anticipate, prepare for and manage change in the workplace arising from innovation and digital transformation in three domains: skills, working patterns and health & safety.

Over a period of 24 months, 16 experts from 8 EU Member States will steer the project.  Each brings specific sectoral knowledge and […]

New video and communication package illustrating how chemicals help curb CO2 emissions now available for members

A new video and communication package illustrating the significant contribution of chemicals in curbing CO2 emissions has been created and is now available on the ICCA website.

A range of chemical-based technologies are directly fighting climate change as irreplaceable components in a range of applications from advanced building materials and batteries, renewable energy sources, and electric and high-efficiency vehicles, through to lightweight plastics.  They improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions throughout our economy.

The ICCA short animation film “Measuring how chemicals contribute to our low-carbon future” complements ICCA’s wider communication package on the quantification of emissions avoided via chemical-enabled solutions which includes:

The ICCA/WBCSD guidance on the measurement of avoided emissions  https://www.icca-chem.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ICCA-2017_Adressing_guidelines_WEB.pdf
17 case study summaries https://www.icca-chem.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ICCA_17-Case-Studies_Summaries_WEB.pdf
17 full technical reports https://www.icca-chem.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ICCA_17-Case-Studies_Technical-Reports_WEB.pdf
The ICCA study “The Essential Role of […]

Large industry presence at second meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM

ICCA (colleagues from CEFIC, ACC, Abiquim and some member companies Dow, Exxon Mobil and BASF) and representatives from broader industry stakeholders including USCIB, Croplife International, ICTA, Pfizer, Boeing and Mining and Minerals industry attended the second Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 earlier this month.  The meeting, held in Stockholm from 13-15 March, gathered some 360 delegates. Despite the large industry presence at the event,  there is still a need for broader participation from downstream industry, including plastics and waste as well as from ICCA representatives from other regions, particularly Asia and Africa.

The meeting was co-chaired by Brazil and Canada and driven by stakeholder input on elements of […]

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 […]