Chemical topics
Here you can find the summary information on important elements of chemicals management in companies. The presented information is intended for companies in the Baltic States. Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian versions of the texts take into consideration national peculiarities, if any, although the main presented requirements stem from EU legislation.
The main analysed elements of chemicals management are outlined in the figure below:
Purchasing of chemicals
Input materials, including chemicals, should be carefully selected, with a prior assessment of their hazards and necessary safety measures, as they may affect product quality and technological suitability.
Classification, labelling, safety data sheets
All risk management work needs information on the used chemicals. Producers and importers are obliged to transfer knowledge on hazardous chemicals by classifying and labelling them and providing them with safety data sheets. Users of chemicals have a right to obtain hazard information from suppliers and a duty to use it when choosing and handling chemicals.
Inventory
An inventory is a convenient way of managing knowledge on chemicals in enterprises and supporting tasks, including compliance checking and reporting.
Substitution
Replacing the most hazardous chemicals in a company by less hazardous alternatives may result in cost savings, better market access of products and less damage to workers and the environment.
Storage
Improper storage of hazardous chemicals causes risk to human health, environment and property, therefore also storage of chemicals deserves increased attention.
Resource efficiency
Chemicals management may benefit from resource efficiency measures, as these not only enhance cost savings, but reduce risks due to reduced amounts of used chemicals, of emissions, and of waste.
Disposal
The presence of chemicals in waste can be one reason why it is classified as hazardous. The requirements for the storage and disposal of hazardous waste are stricter than for non-hazardous waste. The recycling of materials or substances could be one way to use them in the production process.
Communication with authorities
Companies have legal requirements to communicate with authorities on their chemicals use under various legislation.
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