« BackNews:

Chemical Footprint Projects Calls For ‘Transparency’ On Policies


While your tank gauging system is in place to keep an eye on levels in your chemical storage facility, what kind of chemicals your business uses is a different story. However, a new task force called the Chemical Footprint Project wants more businesses to open up about their chemical use and their approach to restricted chemicals too according to Chemical Watch.

 

Many mainstream companies have signed up to the Chemical Footprint Project, which has a main aim of helping businesses measure their progress changing to safer, more sustainable chemicals.

 

In the last report, 24 companies with a joint worth of $670 billion took part, representing many different sectors. This report found that while companies were doing well in chemical inventory and storage, they weren’t being transparent enough on their handling of environmentally dangerous chemicals, saying: "companies are actually doing more than they make known to the public.”

 

The report found that 92 per cent of companies had policies on chemicals of high concern - those 2,000 chemicals outlined by the CFP - however, only half have disclosed them.

 

So why is this? Well according to the CFP, it’s down to successes being better incentivised than letting the world know where you are in the process. This is something they’re hoping to change moving forward with industry-wide demands on investors knowing where big businesses are in the process.

 

Of the 24 companies which took part, only five allowed their results to be published on the Chemical Footprint Project website. The scores are on 20 questions out of 100 each time. Personal care company Beautycounter scored highest with 92 points.