Safety & Environment

The safety of workers and communities, and the protection of the environment, are the highest priorities of the Australian chemistry industry.

Our members are focussed on ensuring that their products are being made and used responsibly – not only in their own workplaces, but through their value chains, and across the communities in which they operate.

The innovative products and technologies created by the industry also play a vital role in making the world safer and preserving our natural environment. From energy saving materials to life-saving healthcare, chemistry delivers improvements for all Australians.

The industry is proud of its long history of leadership in this space. These efforts are fundamental to the industry’s social licence to operate, as outlined in our Strategic Industry Roadmap.

Our signature Responsible Care® program, which is part of the global initiative, demonstrates the Australian industry’s commitment to health and safety, continuous improvement and responsible business practices. It also provides a platform to increase community involvement and awareness of the industry.

The industry’s excellent safety record is evident in our Health and Safety Performance Report demonstrating year-on-year continuous improvement for over 12 years. And we have a strong system of product stewardship including Australia’s kerbside recycling programs, the Australian Packaging Covenant and the Global Marine Litter Solutions Program.

These programs are underpinned by state and federal regulation, which help to ensure the industry meets the standards and expectations of Governments and communities.

Protecting the environment and making the world safer

	Packaging: Lightweight plastic packaging means products are lighter and safer for manual handling and transport, also saving energy from factory to home. Tamper-proof plastic packaging of food and pharmaceuticals keeps consumers safe.
	Healthcare: Chemotherapy and other drugs can be delivered more accurately on plastic patches and dissolving discs. Antimicrobial plastics reduce the risk of infection to patients, by repelling or killing bacteria.
	Saving energy: Building insulation saves up to 40 times the energy used to create it; plastic house wrap that creates a weather resistant barrier, protects the interior and saves up to 360 times the energy used to produce it.
	Energy storage and generation: Solar power technology uses silicon-based chemistry, with further advances in flexible solar cells using innovative polymer technology.
	Cutting CO2 emissions: Conservation tillage using chemistry means that fields don’t need to be ploughed, stopping the carbon from becoming oxidised and reducing CO2 emissions.
	Protecting people: Chemistry used to create body armour keeps military and police personnel safer, while plastics used in helmets, mouthguards and padding reduce injury risks for professional and recreational sports players.