Business Lecture on Hazardous Chemicals Substitution and Elimination

An event organized by Greenpeace East Asia in partnership with ChemSecand Business for Social Responsibility

Background

Introduction
Consumers and policy makers are increasingly concerned with the environmental and health impacts of hazardous chemical substances. This has led to the tightening of regulations all over the world and has also driven consumers to turn to safer products. All such moves put pressure on companies to actively seek solutions that allow them to make products with less or no hazardous chemicals. Against this background, the “Business Lecture on Hazardous Chemicals Substitution and Elimination” tries to reach out to corporations in China that are equally concerned with this issue and want to take efforts to avoid the use and release of the most hazardous and risky chemicals.

The event will introduce companies to ChemSec’s SIN List (Substitute It Now!) initiative, which provides progressive-thinking companies with a roadmap to guide their chemical-use practices. By scientifically screening for chemicals that meet the EU criteria for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) , the initiative aims to fast-track the most hazardous substances for substitution and to facilitate toxic use reduction by businesses and other relevant actors.

The event will also feature practical guidelines developed by Greenpeace to help companies reduce the use and release of hazardous chemicals. Sony Ericsson will also introduce its own experience with hazardous chemical substitution and share with the audience their challenges and visions in this area.
 

Course Content

Objective
 To help companies in China better understand hazardous chemicals and associated regulatory and business risks
 To provide companies with practical guidance and examples on how to avoid the most hazardous chemicals and reduce their overall hazardous chemicals footprint

Tentative Agenda
1. SIN List version 2.0 - Insight into the scientific and political complexities surroundinghazardous chemicals and tips on how to avoid pitfalls while attempting to make products and processes safer (45 min, Mr. NardonoNimpuno, ChemSec)
2. Toxics Use Reduction – Principles, Guidelines and Best Practices (30 min, Ms. Miao Zhang, Greenpeace East Asia)
3. Hazardous Substance Elimination from a Company’s Perspective: Why we do it and how we do it(45 min, Mr. JohanHolmqvist, Corporate Sustainability Office, Sony Ericsson)
4. Questions and Discussions (60 minutes)