Chemistry acquires a taste for sustainability

24-Jun-2014 - Netherlands

sustainability is high on the strategic agenda of many chemical companies. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a strategy to reinforce competitiveness and to parry major changes such as the impending shortage of raw materials, stringent environmental requirements and the uneven playing field in the world. This becomes evident in the first sustainability report of the Dutch chemical industry, which was composed by the Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry (VCNI).

The report describes the ambitions, objectives and results achieved to present, on the way towards a sustainable chemical industry. As a manufacturer of chemicals and smart materials, the chemical industry finds itself right at the start of production chains. Sustainability in the chemical industry also assists industrial sectors that make use of these chemicals to become more sustainable. The Dutch chemical industry is working hard to achieve its sustainability goals with regards to the climate, raw materials and energy. Sustainability is also about providing a lasting contribution to the Dutch economy, cooperation in innovation, sustainable deployment of employees and increasing the attractiveness of the sector to be able to recruit sufficient numbers of employees. The report is illustrated through practical examples and interviews with chemical companies such as AkzoNobel and DSM.

Highlights from the report

Energy consumption per tonne of product decreased by more than 30 percent in the period 2003-2012.
In the period 2005-2012, greenhouse gas reductions of about 11 percent per tonne of product were achieved. When calculated from 1990, greenhouse gas reductions of approximately 40 percent have been achieved in an absolute sense.
The reduction targets for air emissions in 2010 were easily achieved for sulphur dioxide, ammonia and volatile organic compounds, but reduction targets for emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter were not met in 2010. A sharp decrease was nevertheless achieved with these substances when compared to the base year 1985 (approximately 75 percent reduction of nitrogen oxides and about 90 percent reduction of particulate matter).
The infrastructure for innovation (led by the Top Team Chemical Industry) has vastly improved.
The influx of chemical industry students at Dutch universities has increased by twenty percent over the past five years, while chemistry students at Dutch Colleges have increased by thirty four percent when compared to 2009.
The number of accidents that resulted in absenteeism has declined significantly over the last decade.

Some issues from the report

Competition from the Middle East and Asia has increased as these countries have become involved in the further processing of gas and crude oil.
Attracted by the low price of shale gas, investments have decreased in the sector, especially in the US, but this change has barely been noticed in Europe.
The Dutch chemical industry must redouble its efforts to remain competitive on the international market in an uneven playing field, a result of which sustainability is not developing as fast as we would like.
Non-fossil fuels can barely cover operating costs in its competition against fossil fuels, both of which are used to produce the same products in efficient factories.
A considerable number of experienced employees will be retiring in the coming years.

The optimism among chemical companies in the report is striking. “Technologically speaking we are capable of facing the challenges. The emphasis is on political decisiveness, economic incentives and changing consumer behaviour,” suggests a sustainability manager. It is still a challenge to make the use of non-fossil or 'green' fuels cost effective. Green fuels are currently mostly being used for the production of specific chemicals. Sustainability gains will be achieved in the coming period, specifically when it comes to the production and use of products.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/148807/chemistry-acquires-a-taste-for-sustainability.html