Sustainability – from dirty word to industry imperative

Decarbonisation

Source: © Lucinda Rogers @ Heart Agency

Efforts to reduce the environmental impact of chemical processes have shaped the evolution of the entire sector

In the past 20 years, the importance of sustainability in the chemical industry has risen dramatically. Back in 2004, there was far less recognition of where raw materials come from, the resources consumed and discharged as products are made and used, and what happens to products at end-of-life. But nowadays, a significant focus on sustainability is almost essential to operating in the chemicals sector.