The Chinese flame retardant industry plans to promote VECAP

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China’s flame retardant industry plans to promote VECAP June 25, 2012, 08:28 China Chemical Industry News On June 15, the Chinese Flame Retardant Society held a seminar in Beijing, where it provided detailed information on the Voluntary Action Plan for Emission Control (VECAP) to manufacturers and users in the flame retardant industry. It called on these manufacturers to actively participate in the implementation and promotion of VECAP, to take proactive measures, and to work together with downstream users in order to improve the management and monitoring of flame retardants, reduce their release into the environment, and assume greater social responsibilities. 　　Zhou Zhengmao, Secretary-General of the Chinese Flammability Retardants Society, explained that VECAP is an environmental management program designed to reduce pollution emissions throughout the entire flammability retardant supply chain. Over the years since its implementation, it has achieved significant reductions in emissions in Europe and North America. The Chinese Society of Flame Retardants plans to work together with the Bromine Science and Environment Forum (BSEF) to introduce VECAP into China’s flame retardant industry. This effort aims to encourage and guide Chinese flame retardant manufacturers as well as their downstream users to actively reduce the environmental release of flame retardants during production and use, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the industry and the enhancement of its competitiveness. Zhou Zhengmao also revealed that the Chinese Flammability Retardant Society is in talks with relevant enterprises, and will arrange for officials and experts from the Ministry of Environmental Protection to visit these enterprises, with a plan to introduce specific implementation plans in the near future. 　　According to Danielle Goosens, head of the Product Management Group at the European Flammability Retardants Association, the success of VECAP lies in its approach to business, which is driven by innovation and excellence; it handles and disposes of chemicals in accordance with ISO 14001 principles, and by managing chemical releases at all stages of the supply chain, it effectively reduces potential releases. She said that she strongly supports and appreciates the efforts made by China’s flame retardant industry to reduce potential emissions of flame retardants, as this helps these companies to fulfill their social responsibilities and build a positive public image. The European Flammability Retardants Association will send experts to China to provide necessary technical guidance to enterprises. 　　Officials from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also stated that VECAP plays a positive role in helping China fulfill its obligations under the Stockholm Convention, improve the natural environment, enhance levels of clean production, and reduce emissions. They strongly support and encourage voluntary emission reduction efforts by the flame retardant industry, and hope that more industries and enterprises will join such efforts in order to control the release of chemical pollutants at the source, thereby improving the social image of the chemical industry as well as its competitiveness. 　　VECAP was initiated by BSEF as a voluntary action plan aimed at reducing pollution, protecting the environment, and cutting costs; it was officially launched in May 2004. Initially, the participants were mainly companies from the textile and plastics industries in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with a focus on the flame retardants decabromodiphenyl ether, hexabromocyclododecane, and tetrabromobisphenol A. 　　Over the past 6 years since its implementation, VECAP has continued to expand its influence, now covering Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. All the major production sites for brominated flame retardants owned by BSEF members have been certified under VECAP, and the range of substances covered has also expanded to include other flame retardants and chemicals. The companies involved include not only internationally renowned large enterprises such as Yabao, Covestro, and ICIC Group, but also small and medium-sized processing firms. 　　The VECAP 2011 survey report showed that between 2008 and 2011, there was a significant decline in the potential releases of flame retardants in Europe; specifically, the emissions of decaBDE in soil decreased from 575 grams per ton in 2008 to 31 grams per ton in 2011. In 2011, 94% of the three types of flame retardants sold by the three major flame retardant manufacturers—Yabao, Covestro, and Eika Group—as well as by other companies members of European flame retardant associations, were certified under VECAP. 　　North America began implementing the VECAP program in 2006; by 2010, 69% of the total flame retardant sales by companies member of the North American Free Trade Agreement were covered under this program, and three manufacturing facilities located in North America obtained VECAP certification.