Chemical Industry and Sustainable Development

The business of the chemical industry is to produce and sell chemical products. Profitability is therefore an essential aim of production. However, no chemical process exists that produces only the product desired. Other substances not desired by the producer are also formed in the gas, liquid, or solid state. These are referred to as residues.

Chemical production is thus a two-edged sword. On the one hand it manufactures products, i.e., “goods” and on the other hand it produces residues, i.e., “bads”. The roman god “Janus” is here a good symbol (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Chemical production process

Another equally important aim is to reduce the environmental effects of these residues to a level that is acceptable. Therefore, protection of the environment — both as an objective in its own right and as a duty involved in any forward-looking activity — is a constituent part of the managerial policy of the German chemical industry [15]. The European chemical industry has also committed itself to a strategy of environmental protection within the program of Responsible Care.

The chemical industry endeavors to operate the production process so as to minimize the entry of residues and waste products into the environment, both quantitatively and with respect to their hazard potential, and to utilize raw materials and energy with maximum efficiency. This growing awareness of the environment follows not only from the principle that the chemical industry is responsible for its actions, but also from the changed conditions governing the introduction of new production methods and the operation of existing plants.

These include the following:
1) The demanding international and national decrees and regulations covering environmental protection

2) In chemical companies, the correct allocation of costs required for “cleaning up” a given production unit to comply with regulations (e.g., the purification of waste gas and wastewater and the disposal of waste materials from this unit)

3) Difficulties in the disposal of waste materials due to the shortage of dumping space and the secondary costs of waste disposal plants
4) Costs of raw materials and energy

5) Increased public awareness of the importance of environmental protection
6) In addition, the processes and production plants of chemical technology must meet high standards of workplace protection and operational safety.

Thus, the chemical industry as a key industry can greatly contribute to the development of the concept of sustainable development. It cannot offer a complete solution, but because of its knowledge and experience in handling substances, their processing and utilization as well as preparation and reuse it can mold important sections of this model.

This is reflected in the following contributions:
- Improvement in value creation and productivity
- Optimal management of the raw materials and energy
- Environmentally friendly technologies as process improvements — as part of environmental protection and material cycles
- Technical processes allowing, e.g., safer disposal of waste.