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Chemical solutions newsletter May 23
22 May 2023
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Welcome to our chemical solutions newsletter
In this newsletter: Life cycle assessment | Croda case study | Chemical product infographic | Regulatory compliance | PFAS Deep Dive | Persistence Assessment Tool (PAT) Training | ERSC post-crash care | ESG in the chemical sector | Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets | ADR Incident Reporting Requirements | Telephone emergency response | ESOS and net zero | Meet the expert | Hotline highlights
Ricardo have been supporting the chemical sector for more than 50 years. We have deep expertise in all aspects of the chemical supply chain and are ideally positioned to support organisations with complex requirements within the chemical sector. Whether you are seeking to keep your employees, and those handling, using and moving your products safe, understand and respond to emerging policy and regulations, measure and manage your products impacts, or decarbonise your operations, we can help.
Watch this short video where Craig Thomson, Head of Chemical Solutions, explains how our combined approach to the chemical sector helps organisations prepare for a safe and sustainable future.
As always, please share this newsletter to any colleagues who would be interested and subscribe if you're not already.
EXPERT INSIGHT
Life cycle assessment
Danny Ditroia, Chemical Sustainability Manager
One of the most common areas our customers are currently exploring is life cycle assessments (LCA), which enables them to take an in-depth look at the impacts of their operations, products and services along their respective value chains.
An LCA can provide valuable insights to help identify risks and opportunities and can be used as an effective R&D tool to shape the future direction of your product portfolio.
Social LCA is also gaining in popularity and focuses on the human impacts of a product’s lifecycle. It is a key part of the EU’s Safe and Sustainable by Design concept. Our experts are skilled at combining social LCA methodology with environmental LCA for a more holistic picture of the impact your products have on the world. Our recent blog Why social life cycle assessment (SLCA) has become an essential tool for forward-looking organisations explores the necessity of addressing your social credentials.
Ricardo’s experts can support your organisation with a wide variety of other LCA services including, product LCAs, 3rd party LCA verification, and custom LCA tools with tailored training packages designed to develop your own in-house LCA capabilities. Read more about some of our LCA work below. Ricardo’s LCA services →
CASE STUDY
Demonstrating avoided emissions with life cycle assessment
Ricardo has been working with Croda plc to empower them to better understand and take action on the environmental impact of its products using a bespoke life cycle assessment (LCA) tool developed by Ricardo.
FEATURED RESOURCE
Chemical product sustainability infographic
Check out our latest infographic on how Ricardo supports safe, sustainable and compliant chemical products throughout their lifecycle. View the infographic →
EXPERT INSIGHT
Regulatory compliance
Caroline Raine, Chemical Regulatory Director
For the last few months, the world of regulatory affairs has seen a lot of changes. Most notably, the release of 'universal restriction of PFAS' by ECHA in the EU. Realising this focus on PFAS as well as other environment led global policy initiatives, our environmental chemistry and toxicology team released the Persistence Assessment Tool (PAT). It is the world's first software based, free-to-use tool developed to improve the assessment of chemical persistence in the environment.
New CLP hazard classes for endocrine disruptors and those with environmental impacts have been introduced. Where these classifications apply, you will need to update your safety data sheets (SDS), Labels, REACH dossiers, and poison centre notifications (for human endocrines disruptors. With the poison centre notification deadline for industrial use products of 1 January 2024, this is an opportune time to be looking at your poison centre compliance. It is worth noting here that the Annex VIII to CLP is due to be revoked from the GB law end of 2023.
Looking at Europe, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) began their EU-wide enforcement project (REF-11) to check compliance of SDSs against Annex ll of REACH Regulation and also announced new recommendations on how to improve REACH registration dossiers.
I strongly believe that is important for anyone working with chemicals to understand the nature of these changes and keep on top of them. Our horizon scanning tool can help you keep abreast of all these changes and take important actions in a timely manner to maintain access to your key markets. You can access a sample report for our tool or book a demo with us. We also send regular updates to highlight any regulatory changes that may affect our customers, you can view our April update here and sign up to here to receive these directly in the future.
DEEP DIVE
PFAS
The chemical industry needs to transition towards safer, more sustainable chemistry and away from hazardous substances such as PFAS. Explore our deep dive for more information on what PFAS are, including an explainer video and a downloadable overview of the universal restriction proposal.
TRAINING COURSE
Persistence Assessment Tool (PAT) Training
21 June, 12:00 BST
This session will provide those interested in biodegradation testing and persistence assessment frameworks an in-depth look at the use of our PAT tool.
25 May, 15:00 BST
This online event will highlight the importance of post-crash care in road safety and explore best practices and research from across Europe.
FEATURED BLOG
In this blog, Ricardo’s Head of ESG, Jennifer Creek, discusses the key trends in current and emerging ESG reporting and what that looks like for the chemical industry. Read Jennifer's blog →
OTHER NEWS AND BLOGS
Mandatory biodiversity net gain targets in England: a tool to identify opportunity areas
Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets due to come into effect in England later this year, relating to planning and development, present additional challenges for all businesses and councils already grappling with sustainable development requirements. Read more →
Road (ADR) Incident Reporting Requirements
It is a legal requirement under the Agreement concerning the ADR regulation to report certain serious types of incidents involving dangerous goods to the Competent Authority. Here we outline some scenarios that would require reporting to the DfT (or other Competent Authority) and are designed to demonstrate the breadth of dangerous goods incidents that must be reported. Read more →
Why you should be including telephone emergency response in your sustainability reporting?
This blog explores how telephone emergency response best practice is an actionable step towards implementing an organisation’s sustainability framework. Read more →
If net zero is the destination, then ESOS can be a starting point
Carbon management expert looks at the changes for the current phase of the Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme (ESOS) and explains why the upcoming deadline is not just a matter of compliance but how organisations can use it to help embrace the wider sustainability picture. Read more →
Chris Hughes
Chris, an environmental scientist, is the head of our Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology team, with over a decade of experience in regulatory compliance. Chris specialises in the environmental hazard and risk assessment of chemicals, and global regulations such as REACH and GHS, providing support to a range of private and public sector clients. He led the PAT project and is also the research lead for the CEFIC-LRI ECO52 project and is also the author of multiple scientific publications related to environmental chemistry.
HOTLINE HIGHLIGHTS
Tales from our 24/7 chemical emergency helpline
Lunch bell →
Fentanyl discovery →
Chemical spill clean-up →
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Related insights
New CLP classifications for endocrine disruptors and other harmful chemicals now published
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