Environment

EVOCHEM S.A. has a strategic view emanating from a sincere interest towards the environment, and its policy is based on a continuous effort to use all possible resources towards a dynamic and honest approach for the protection of the environment. This continuous effort aims not only towards satisfying the EU regulations but also investigating and researching other ways of effecting improvements on processes and raw materials.

EVOCHEM S.A. encourages customers to use more eco friendly products, to use products at the required quantities by design thus eliminating waste and over consumption. Optimization of consumption leads to smaller quantities of products and therefore of raw materials, packaging and also less energy for their production. Further our sales policy includes a product range mix that is best suited to the client, contrary to practices that result in large quantities of products that become obsolete and end in waste dump grounds with the consequent environmental hazards.

EVOCHEM S.A. invests in research based not only on qualitative targets but mainly on minimizing raw materials that are up to modern standards for the protection and improvement of the environment. In addition to usual and raw material practices for the production of chemicals, the company has also initiated a program designed to eliminate or substitute synthesized chemicals – raw materials, with such produced by more environmentally friendly processes and naturally occurring raw materials such oils, plant extracts, water based raw materials and other.

EVOCHEM S.A. instigates a strict packaging recycling scheme, and has converted all its non-diesel fleet of vehicles into auto gas LPG fuel which provides a significant improvement in emissions.

CLP

The CLP Regulation ensures that the hazards presented by chemicals are clearly communicated to workers and consumers in the European Union through classification and labeling of chemicals.

Before placing chemicals on the market, the industry must establish the potential risks to human health and the environment of such substances and mixtures, classifying them in line with the identified hazards. The hazardous chemicals also have to be labeled according to a standardized system so that workers and consumers know about their effects before they handle them.

Thanks to this process, the hazards of chemicals are communicated through standard statements and pictograms on labels and safety data sheets.

CLP stands for Classification, Labeling and Packaging. The CLP Regulation entered into force in January 2009, and the method of classifying and labeling chemicals it introduced is based on the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System (GHS).

EVOCHEM S.A. has fully complied with the regulation from the beginning of the limitation attaining immediately the compliance.

The conscious consumer for the benefit of his/her health and for the environment in which he/she leaves, should always check the health and safety information with the new pictograms on the packaging before buying a chemical product, as well as consulting the Material Safety Data Sheet prior to application.

New pictograms

BPR

The Biocide Products Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) 528/2012) concerns the placing on the market and use of biocide products, which are used to protect humans, animals, materials or articles against harmful organisms like pests or bacteria, by the action of the active substances contained in the biocide product. This regulation aims to improve the functioning of the biocide products market in the EU, while ensuring a high level of protection for humans and the environment.

All biocide products require an authorization before they can be placed on the market, and the active substances contained in that biocide product must be previously approved.The BPR aims to harmonize the market at European Union level. For this purpose a dedicated IT platform, the Register for Biocide Products (R4BP) is used.

EVOCHEM S.A. has obtained the necessary licenses for the wood preservative products where biocides are used. The new wood preservative products will be marketed from April 2017.

Low Voc

The term VOC (=Volatile Organic Compounds) relates to the substances (mainly solvents) that are released during application and drying of paints and other chemicals.

The substances released have adverse effects in public health and the environment. They contribute to the increase of the Ozone in the Troposphere and the decrease of Ozone in the Stratosphere, with all the consequent negative effects on the greenhouse effect, and they are also very hazardous for the public health, causing breathing problems, allergies, asthma and various types of cancer and reproductive abnormalities.

A large part of such releases are also due to natural environmental processes, but only the human developed emissions can be controlled.

The EU authorities decided the reduction of human related emissions and issued the 2004/42/EU Directive in which limits are set in the VOC’s contained in paints, varnishes and other chemicals deemed necessary.

There are also limits for the water based products which contain small amounts of VOC’s but are used in very large quantities, i.e. masonry acrylic and emulsion paints.

The various products were divided into categories and for each category the quantity limit on solvents was set on the basis of (gr/lt) grams of solvent per liter of end product. The amount takes into consideration the extra solvent that is required according to the manufacturer for diluting the product for end use.

All products within the limits of its category are deemed to be a LOW VOC compliant product.

From the beginning of 2010 phase (2) applied with more strict limits with lower solvent content than the 2007 limits, together with the obligation of mentioning on the packaging of the maximum VOC limit for the particular ready to use product, the sub category of the product and the limit for VOC’s for this sub category.

EVOCHEM S.A. has fully complied with the regulation from the beginning of the limitation attaining immediately the 2010 compliance.

The conscientious consumer, for the benefit of his/her health and for the environment in which he/she leaves, should always ask for the proper health, safety and regulatory information legally required, with special mention to the VOC product identity and compliance.

Reach

Today the vast majority of products sold around the world are based on chemicals. Since 1930 world production of chemicals has increased from 1 million tons to more than 400 million tons annually.

Extensive use and the increased production of chemical substances can create hazards for public health and the environment. The instances of allergies, asthma, certain types of cancer and reproductive abnormalities are increasing. Chemical substances are deemed partly responsible for this trend. Some of these substances possess endocrine-degrading characteristics which mean that they can imitate or disturb the hormones. Other substances can travel large distances. Chemicals can also accumulate in maternal milk. Two studies performed by the European Trade Unions Association show that 1/3 of all known occupational hazard diseases in Europe are linked to exposure to chemical substances.

The problem is that little is known for the majority of chemicals used: for 99% we do not have enough information on their interaction with public health and how they should be handled for safety.

In the European Union chemical substances were first recorded in 1981. Since then European law distinguishes between:

chemicals introduced before 1981 (when 100.106 substances were recorded), which were named ‘’the existing substances’’ and
the chemicals which were introduced to the market after 1981 (approximately 4.000 till today)

The European Union decided to form its own policy related to collecting the necessary information and to succeed in safe use of chemicals, which resulted in the creation of the REACH Regulation.

REACH is the acronym of the words: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, of Chemicals.

The REACH regulation places the responsibility of safety of chemicals on the producers and is focused on collecting all necessary information not available yet. It aims on achieving a high degree of protection for human health and the environment through collecting and offering of information for chemical substances and mostly those related to safety, to all and mostly to the consumer. In addition it aims to improve the competitive advantage of the European chemical industry, as it requires and safeguards that all products imported outside the EU meet the same standards.

The imposition of the new legislation will provide definite improvement to public health and the environment, to society and business. The REACH regulation aims to create an environment with high levels of safety from the hazards that can be caused from chemicals to human health and the environment through collecting and distributing information on chemicals and mostly safety related. The regulation places a vision of an everlasting and competitive European chemical industry which will be able to develop and rejuvenate itself and subsequently produce chemicals of high standards. This will result in increased consumer confidence; diminish hazards for people exposed to chemicals either as consumers or as workers with constant exposure. The REACH regulation will also help to comply with the Johannesburg 2002 Convention Everlasting Development, which states that ‘’by 2020 chemicals will be produced and used in a way that will have a minimum hazardous effect on public health and the environment’’.

EVOCHEM S.A. has complied with all procedures stated by the REACH regulation aiming to further develop its deep sensitivity to public health and environmental issues, as it has always done in a professional and responsible manner. Our policy and belief is that chemicals should be used with caution and rationally respecting the environment and public health and this policy has been greatly helped by the overall sensitivity and control that the REACH regulation imposes. It will also drive most of the chemical industry to compete on more transparent and just terms.

Industrial waste

During the production process, byproducts occur, which in their original form cannot be utilized. These byproducts are characterized by the term “industrial waste”.

There are three main types of industrial waste.

SOLID WASTE: This category includes empty packing (empty barrels, cartons, plastic wrap etc), as well as solid remains which occur during the process of final products and have the same consistency.
LIQUID WASTE: This category includes solid residues dissolved in a liquid medium (water or organic solvent).
GASEOUS WASTE: This category includes fine grain and very low weight solids which can be transported through air and also vapors of liquids which exhibit high volatility (organic solvents, acids, etc)

Nowadays, there are many techniques, so that these byproducts may be processed in order to re enter the production process. There are specialized and licensed companies that recycle and dispose of any kind of waste material for chemical and other industries, but also many industries tend to recycle their wastes by themselves.

EVOCHEM S.A. has shown increased sensitivity to this issue for several years and has made considerable effort to ensure that all waste is recycled or disposed of by licensed recycling companies.

Solid waste packaging is separated according to their nature (metals, plastics, paper) and given for recycling.

Solid remains from packaging procedure are collected, controlled and exploited accordingly.

Soiled water is collected in tanks where after cleaning, filtering and disinfecting, is being reused.

Soiled solvents are collected in a settling tank where after a short period and a filtering process can be reused.