The construction and handling of chemical risk information in a paint supply chain

Other conference contribution, 2011

Due to environmental and health concerns, the composition of paint has changed during the last 20 years, going from organic solvent-based to mainly water-based paints. Following this development, the number of chemical substances used for paint production has increased dramatically. The large number of substances emphasizes the importance of information about potential risks connected to the chemicals for all actors involved in the supply chain of paints. Requirements for handling and construction of chemical risk information that affects both chemical producers and paint producers are included in REACH, the European chemical legislation that came into force 2007. Knowledge about how chemical information in the supply chain is formulated and distributed and how the information is perceived is important, since better information and information handling can support chemicals management and facilitate minimizing the chemical exposure of humans and environment. Knowledge of supply chain information processes can also inform companies and governments policy-making when striving to reduce chemical risks. The aim of this study has been to investigate how chemical risk information is constructed and communicated up- and down-stream in a paint supply chain in order to give a generalized picture of the information flows. Several actors in the supply chain have been covered, such as chemical producers, paint producers, paint distributors and users, and also waste handlers. Which chemical properties and information that is requested from different actors in the supply chain has been investigated as well as how the implementation of REACH has affected the handling, construction and content of chemical risk information. Another important aspect that has been analyzed is whether the information differs depending on the intended use of the paint, i.e. private or industrial.