Responsible Care
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| Performance Reporting |
| Accurate reporting of performance is at the heart of Responsible Care. In Europe, Cefic collects data on the industry’s health, safety and environmental performance and reports to our stakeholders every year. |
The process enables our associations and companies to share best practice and so improve their performance. Currently Cefic collects data on 16 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In 2008, 21 European associations have reported their national data for 2007 into the new KPI data reporting system set up by Cefic and the ICCA: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom. Some countries are not represented in one or the other matched samples shown below which require annual figures since 2003.
Health and safety at work
The data displayed in this Responsible Care survey cover more than 780.000 employees of the European chemical industry.
Fatalities
We are very sorry to report that 8 employees lost their lives at work in 2007. Every fatality is regarded as one too many. All cases are investigated and actions taken to avoid similar occurrences from happening again. The fatality rate in 2007 based on the number of cases per 100,000 employees is 1.02 (data from 19 countries). This is a remarkable improvement in comparison to the base year 2003 (17 fatalities, rate 2.02) and also compared to 2006 (15 fatalities, rate 1.87). 14 countries have also reported safety information on contractors. Sadly, eight contractors died while working for the chemical industry in 2007 (six fatalities in 2006).
Above chart in PDF
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate
The lost time injury frequency rate (LTIR) continues to show year-on-year improvement and in 2007 was 5.73, the lowest on record. The LTIR is reported as the number of accidents resulting in one day or more out of work per million worked hours. The European LTIR is based on national LTIRs from 20 countries.
Above chart in PDF
Environment
Many chemical companies have already succeeded in significantly reducing emissions from their operations. Further substantial reductions may be difficult to achieve. It is also possible for the amount of emissions to change due to higher production volume in 2007.
Emissions to air
Emissions of Greenhouse gases (GHG)
Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and the hydrogen fluorocarbons are the three
major gases with global warming potential (GWP) listed in the Kyoto Protocol
that are emitted by the chemical industry in Europe. Carbon dioxide with a GWP
of 1 is released primarily from the burning of fossil fuels as energy sources.
Also taken into account are the carbon dioxide emissions associated with
purchased electricity consumption. Only 16 national associations reported their
total CO2 emissions for 2007 into the Responsible Care reporting system (total:
162.8 million tons). Eleven organizations reported their Nitrous Oxide emissions
(24.6 million tons in CO2 equivalents) and seven provided data on HFCs (0.8
million tons in CO2 equivalents). These match samples are not representative for
the GHG emissions of the European chemical industry.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide contributes to atmospheric acidification, the main
contributors being combustion plants and refineries. For 2007, our matched
sample of 19 countries shows a significant reduction of 8.8% since the year
before and 22.5% since 2003, the baseline year.
Above chart in PDF
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
NOx gases contribute to atmospheric acidification and have the potential to
contribute to photochemical ozone creation. Our matched sample of 19 countries
shows for 2007 a reduction of 12% since 2006 and 20.5% since 2003.
Above chart in PDF
Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs)
NMVOCs reflect the potential for photochemical ozone creation that is implicated
in respiratory problems and ecological damage to plants. The matched sample (20
countries) for 2007 is lower by 8.9% since 2006 lower than 36.9% since 2003.
Above chart in PDF
Emissions to water
Nitrogen and phosphorus
Release of these two elements into water has the potential to result in
eutrophication. Chemicals are a major source of these emissions. In our matched
samples of 19 and 20 countries, respectively, 2007 nitrogen emissions to water
are down by 19.5% since 2003. Phosphorus emissions decreased dramatically by
more than 32% since 2006 and 59.5% since 2003.
Above chart in PDF
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
COD is the potential of chemical emissions to water to remove dissolved
oxygen that would otherwise support fish and other aquatic life. In our matched
sample from 20 countries the 2007 emissions show a reduction of about 27.8%
compared to 2003.
Above chart in PDF
Wastes
Hazardous and non-hazardous wastes
The total tonnages of hazardous and non-hazardous
wastes reported by 19 countries have increased since 2003: The disposal of
hazardous wastes in 2007 has increased by 8.6% since 2003; the non-hazardous
wastes have slightly decreased by 2.5% since 2003. Both indicators show a
downward trend since 2004.
Above chart in PDF
Chemical Transport Incidents
Road and rail
In our European sample of 14 countries the 2007
incident rate of chemicals transported by road has been 1.27 per 1 million
tonnes transported compared to 1.13 in 2003. The sample of 13 countries of the
2007 incident rate of rail transport has been 0.42 per 1 million tonnes
transported compared to 0.49 in 2003. The number of rail incidents has been
increasing since 2005.
Above chart in PDF
Use of ressources
Use of water
Data collected from 17 countries since 2003 shows water use to be slightly
lower than in previous years. 2007 shows a decrease of around 6.7% since 2003,
however the trend has been stagnating in the past 3 years.
Use of energy
Cefic also collects data on the use of energy in the processes of the European
chemical industry. Only ten national associations have reported consistent data
for 2003-2007 on this relatively new indicator. Their total use of energy in
2007 were 49,3 million tons of oil equivalents (TOE). This match sample is not
representative for the total use of energy of the European chemical industry.
KPIs are reviewed regularly. More background information can be found in Cefic’s Responsible Care Reporting Guidelines and Cefic’s Responsible Care Management Framework and Guidance on Use .
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