Implementing new chemicals legislation
The EU regulation REACH entered into force in 2007. It stands for “Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals” and requires all companies manufacturing or importing chemical substances into the European Union to provide evidence of their safety in use. In 2008, we pre-registered all the relevant substances, thereby meeting the preconditions for final registration within the different transition deadlines. In addition, we made all the necessary preparations to implement the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The EU regulation, which is based on a UN agreement, entered into force on January 20, 2009. The new elements of the GHS hazard communication such as hazard pictograms and signal words will replace the previous hazard symbols and phrases. We expect this to lead to a further improvement in occupational health and safety as well as environment protection aspects when handling our products.
Environmental management system 14001: Under one roof
Based on our responsibility for the environment, we decided to seek certification of all our production sites in accordance with the international environmental management system ISO 14001. According to this standard, environmental performance is permanently recorded and optimized in a continuous improvement process. Merck is building for the first time on a group certificate, which applies to all locations and replaces the former individual certificates. In 2008, the German sites in Darmstadt, Gernsheim, Mainz, Hohenbrunn and Frankfurt, as well as Tres Cantos in Spain were certified. All other production sites are to follow in 2010.
Protecting people and the environment
We further improved and refined our environmental, safety and quality management processes in 2008. Spending on environmental protection, health and safety totaled € 131 million. This amount includes investments, operating costs and provisions that have been used. In 2008, direct CO2 emissions by Merck totaled 164,000 metric tons. This corresponds to a slight increase of 1%. Last year we established the basis to report CO2 emissions this year in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. This often used reporting standard includes not only direct CO2 emissions from the use of natural gas, oil and other energy sources, but also indirect emissions, such as the proportionate CO2 quantities from the use of electricity.