Introduction

Sustainability is conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources, allowing continuity of a product and/or use of an environment.

There is a very strong link between fire protection methods and sustainability in that, by preventing a fire from starting, spreading and damaging an environment itself, we contribute considerably to sustainability. Fires are polluting by the emission of combustible gases and carbon deposits and they are destructive in requiring the use of emergency resources and the reconstruction of destroyed elements. The use of fire retardants contributes significantly to fire prevention.

A high level of importance is given to environmental impacts of the manufacture, distribution and use of fire retardant substances and our industry’s growing commitment to VECAP^TM.

The Voluntary Emissions Control Action Programme (VECAP^TM), a hallmark of the work done under Responsible Care® (our global industry’s unique voluntary initiative) is an innovative and excellence-driven way of managing chemicals.

It has received recognition from external stakeholders as a successful, sustainable approach to safe handling of chemicals.

It demonstrates the proactive involvement of companies committed to acting in the best interests of society and in the environment in reducing emissions of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) by :

• Increasing understanding of chemicals management in the value chain beyond existing legislation
• Promoting and facilitating open and constructive dialogue with all interested parties, such as industry, regulators and other stakeholders
• Raising awareness among all those involved in the process, from the shop floor to the boardroom
• Implementing best practices identified through the progressive development of the programme.

VECAP History

Since its inception in 2004 by member companies of EFRA, VECAP has grown significantly (About Vecap).

An increasingly large number of companies have signed up to the code of good practice and are taking all necessary steps to reduce levels of potential emissions. They have also adopted the initiative to address waste management via concrete measures that go beyond compliance with legislation.

During the early years of the programme, there was an exclusive focus on emissions to air and water, mainly following a request from EU regulators to the producers of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) to monitor and report progress in this area of handling of chemicals.

However, the 2008 annual report highlighted an emerging issue of potential emissions to land from residues in packaging waste, this is now properly managed for Deca-BDE and HBCD through the implementation of best available techniques.

During this survey year, an improved method to estimate potential air emissions was developed. Initial surveys assumed that all users operated with a ventilation system equipped with a filter. During the course of the 2010 survey, it came to the light that this was not always the case. The decision was therefore made to include a new section in the circulated questionnaires for members in addressing this issue, as well as to recalculate figures from previous years.

The new methodology allowed the VECAP team to generate comparable data for the last three survey years and to continue to tackle further sources of emissions in a consistent manner.

VECAP Process

Source: http://www.vecap.info/europe/how-does-vecap-work/

Driven by the principle of continuous improvement and by adapting the methodology to better address new issues that arise, the programme focuses on producers and downstream users, principally of BFRs.

It is accomplished via company visits, training and a distribution of a wide range of documents that have been developed and available in many languages :

• Codes of Good Practice
• Specific BAT documents
• Process flow charts
• Dedicated website etc

VECAP Certification

In 2009, a certification scheme was launched based on ISO 9001/14001 principles.

The scheme was developed in association with Bureau Veritas, with environmental audits carried out by independent auditors.
Since the programme’s inception, independent certification has been the final step in the continuous improvement process. This process is designed to be easy to follow.

The certification scheme for SMEs (small and medium sized companies) applies only to the process and use of best practices, while for larger companiesit can be extended to their management system, in line with other standards like ISO 14001 or Responsible Care® management systems.

VECAP - Vision for the Future

It has received recognition from external stakeholders as a successful, sustainable approach to safe handling of chemicals.

It demonstrates the proactive involvement of companies committed to acting in the best interests of society and in the environment in reducing emissions of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) by :