‘Organisations can’t solve a problem they can’t measure’: industry framework aims to improve chemical hazard monitoring

In 2023, the UN released its voluntary Global Framework on Chemicals, which aims to minimise the negative impact of chemicals on the ecological stability and general health. The initiative mandates that reliable information on the chemicals utilized in materials and items is publicly available. However, unlike existing systems to measure, track and minimize carbon releases, there are currently few ways to do the same to chemical security.

The new framework developed by the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund (SCI Fund) – an initiative supported by industries, governments and non-profit organisations – is designed to tackle that issue. Rather than relying solely on security data sheets that are often out-dated, inconsistent or incorrect, the framework advocates to using standardised chemical risk assessments that are broader in scope and conducted by an independent assessor. The SCI Fund says that this will make chemical security reports greater consistent.

Equally, the framework encourages classifying chemicals using colour-coded risk bands – produced by the non-profit ChemForward – to make comparing the risks of chemicals clearer. This could help companies identify chemicals in supply chains that have limited risk data and benchmark progress as they switch to greater benign chemicals.

‘Organisations can’t solve a issue they can’t measure,’ says SCI Fund chairperson Bill Walsh. ‘The goal is to create a shared foundation that industries can build on together,’ he adds. ‘Better measurement leads to better decisions, and better decisions help accelerate the transition to safer chemistry.’