|
Product Safety
We work closely with our customers to safely manage our products and refine applications that use hazardous chemicals to minimize or eliminate potential health or environmental impacts. And we have developed our own Banned Chemical list that reflects regulations such as the European Directive 2002/95/EC, “Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances” (RoHS), and the Montreal Protocol.
|
Air Products has global policies and standards for:
- Eliminating chemicals that are being regulated out of use
- Establishing criteria for hazard characterization of our products, including toxicological testing requirements
- Integrating EH&S requirements when developing new products and applications
|
REACH
We continue to proactively address the requirements of the EU’s Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) legislation. During 2008, we successfully preregistered nearly 500 substances as planned—primarily from our Electronics and Performance Materials portfolios—and will register several high-volume substances prior to the first registration deadline (December 2010). Our current efforts are focused on collaborating with other companies to identify existing substance data, uses and potential exposures, and risk management systems. We continue to work closely with our suppliers and customers, providing a dedicated Web site and actively tracking updates, including those to Annex XIV , expected to be published during 2009.
High Production Volume (HPV) Chemicals
In 1998, the U.S. EPA challenged domestic industry to voluntarily provide basic toxicity information on HPV chemicals produced in or imported into the U.S. in quantities of one million pounds or more per year. To date, Air Products has sponsored approximately 20 HPV chemicals under this challenge and is fulfilling its HPV commitments. Most recently, we sponsored two additional products under a voluntary, industry-led Extended HPV program.
Global Product Strategy (GPS)
Over the last year, work continued on the International Council of Chemical Associations’ (ICC A) GPS. This program, which is aligned with the United Nations Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management and ACC ’s Responsible Care initiative, is consistent with our product risk review process through which we prioritize, evaluate and address the potential risks of our products. We have published several product stewardship summaries on our Web site, providing an overview of these products and how they are used, along with important health, safety and environmental information. |
|
