Chemical Industry Shines Brightly under Environment Agency’s Spotlight

The Chemical Industries Association (CIA) is encouraged to see that all of its member companies have scored well, if not better than last year, in the Environment Agency’s “Spotlight” report on Business’ Environmental Performance, published today.

Using the environmental protection (OPRA) methodology the Environment Agency assessed how well industry manages its regulated sites in terms of waste production, releases to air and discharges to water. In 2004, the chemical industry produced almost 15 per cent less hazardous waste than in 2003 and its recovery rate for wastes increased to 20 per cent. Chemicals released in to the air and water are decreasing, and the industry caused less than one per cent of all serious incidents across all regulated industrial sectors.

“This latest report strongly underlines the chemical companies’ commitment to improving environmental management standards. The industry is delivering some great results and our voluntary Responsible Care programme has helped to achieve this. But we cannot be at all complacent: there is still a huge amount of work to be done to further improve environmental standards in the sector,” says John Gardner, CIA’s Director of Communications.

In particular, CIA is appealing to all of its member companies to adhere to its Sustainable Development Goals. The Goals encourage businesses to create less waste and pollution and use all resources more efficiently. The sector believes that adhering to such practices will make the industry more competitive, more attractive to investment capital and less exposed to costly and damaging reputation risks attributable to Safety, Health or Environmental incidents and unethical business practices.

Gardner continues: “We are working closely with our member companies on Sustainable Development practices and urge them to commit to the CIA Goals by the end of 2005. I firmly believe that sustainable development is the best route to better meeting the expectations of the Environment Agency and those of society at large”.