Plastic granulates

Postion Statements

Our public policy issues that relate to the work of chemicals businesses. We give a description of what each issue is, any legislative agenda, what we as an industry are doing about it and what we want others to do. We aim to examine the ways in which these policies can meet the needs of the UK and help chemical businesses. 

Position statements

  • circular economy 2

    CIA Green Finance Position: Taxonomy

    The UK chemical and pharmaceutical sector is a key enabler of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals set out in Agenda 2030, the objectives of the Paris Agreement and moving towards a more circular economy.

  • Oil drums and plastic container on pallets in a warehouse on metal shelving.

    Essential Uses Concept – Is this viable for wider chemicals legislation?

    With the growing scientific debate around how to best manage persistent chemicals found in the environment, the concept of essential use has been put forward as a potential regulatory tool to manage large ‘families’ of chemicals.

  • Refinery industry engineer

    Safety and security

    The chemicals industry has a duty to demonstrate that companies have the structures in place, from the boardroom to the factory floor, that ensure hazardous materials and processes necessary for the products and services we all need do not pose a threat to the workforce or surrounding communities.

  • chemical industry plant - workers in work clothes

    Workplace Health

    CIA and its member companies believe that everyone working on sites with chemicals needs to be active in health (and safety) leadership in order to help prevent incidents and ill health; this includes site operators, health and safety representatives, site management and contractors.

  • brexit

    The Chemical Industry – Brexit priorities for UK growth

    Every successful economy has a strong manufacturing base, with a chemical sector at its heart. The chemical industry is an important part of the economic social and environmental life of the UK. Our country’s exit terms from the EU are, therefore, critically important for our sector. Our support is not a political point but, with more detail to be discussed with the EU, would be in the best interests of businesses located in the UK.

  • Grouping of chemical substances 1

    UK REACH substance groups’ workability issues

    With the transitional arrangements coming to an end in autumn, companies have started considering how to best set up UK substance groups to prepare for the joint registration process ahead of the relevant UK registration deadlines.

  • Drop on leaf

    Persistent Chemicals

    An important topic of focus within the current landscape of risk and hazard identification in chemicals is that of persistency.

  • green plants in test tubes

    CIA’s 13 Key Asks for the UK Chemicals Strategy

    As the UK Chemicals Strategy continues to progress towards release of a draft consultation towards the end of 2021, the Chemical Industries Association continues to offer support in assisting with its development. 

  • Water treatment facility

    Environmental Permitting & UK’s Best Available Techniques

    The Chemical Industries Association (CIA) and the other UK Best Available Techniques (BAT) Tranche 1 impacted Trade Associations reviewed the recently published UK BAT Waste Gas Treatment outline draft. 

  • Plastic granulates

    Plastics and Microplastics

    Plastics bring immense benefits to society, from their use in medical applications, through to their use in vehicles to makethem more fuel efficient and keeping ourfood safe. However, as a result of theirwide-use they can find their way into the environment. Over the course of the past few years, concern has grown considerably towards the quantity of plastic waste andits impact on our environment including both human health and wildlife health particularly from microplastics.

  • Lab tubes

    Innovation Principle - Why now?

    The Innovation Principle enables better regulation by ensuring a balanced approach is taken in policy decision making, stimulating investment in innovation by increasing the confidence of innovators in the regulatory system. 

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    Modernising UK’s environmental permitting process

    Continued access to a diverse and innovative chemical sector at home will provide the UK with the raw materials to compete in newly arising low-carbon industries. Without skilled, equipped, and competitive chemistry assets, nascent low carbon industries will take root elsewhere.

  • Water treatment facility

    Innovation for a better environment

    The UK Government has set out a 25-year plan for England with an ambition to leave the environment in a better state for future generations. In this context and in exitingthe European Union (EU), a new statutory policy statement on environmental principles and the new environmental body is expected to be created through an Environmental Principles and Governance Bill. Innovation is not listed as one of the principles for delivering future environment policy.

  • circular junction

    Resources, Waste and the Circular Economy

    As a foundation industry, chemistry uses virgin, bio-based and secondary (recycled) raw materials to produce an array of products integral to economies. 

  • multi coloured polymer

    Chemical Recycling and Mass Balance

    The industry is considered a high emitting sector, yet it offers a plethora of opportunities to aid efforts toward decarbonisation, particularly within the acceleration of the circular economy.

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    Safeguarding chemical businesses in a changing climate

    How to prepare a Climate Change Adaptation Plan

  • hydrogen pipeline

    The Hydrogen Climate Solution

    As a country our energy supply needs to be decarbonised rapidly to help mitigate climate change. Hydrogen alongside clean electricity will be required.

  • Green hydrogen

    Energy and Climate Change

    The chemical industry’s products and technologies will provide the foundation for net zero.

  • Sewage treatment plant

    UK Best Available Techniques

    The UK has been at the forefront of environmental permitting for decades and has strongly influenced the development of EU policies based on Best Available Techniques (BAT) due to our longstanding and sophisticated approach.

  • Warning symbol for chemical hazard on chemical container

    Grouping of Chemical Substances

    How to best group similar chemical substances is not a new topic. Both regulators and industry have been doing this as a matter of course for the purpose of managing them in the most effective way and also to protect animal welfare.