ECTA, the European Chemical Transport Association i.a.s.b.l., and Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council, are signing today an agreement to launch the Responsible Care initiative in the European chemical land transport sector.
By starting today the ECTA “Responsible Care” scheme for land transports of chemicals a strong contribution is made to Sustainable Development. “We are impressed by the engagement of the chemical transport companies in improving their performance and wish ECTA a successful start”, says Alain Perroy, Director General of Cefic at Cefic’s annual Responsible Care conference in Manchester.
This extension of Responsible Care in the value chain of the chemical industry is a major breakthrough and will be the first cross border regional Responsible Care programme worldwide.
“We care for the chemicals we transport”, says Antonio Montero, President of the ECTA Board and CEO of Pañalon, ECTA member transport company. “Joining our customers’ “Responsible Care” initiative gives both ECTA and the transport companies active in the chemical supply chain recognition for their efforts to continuously improve the safety management of chemical transports”.
In 2009, ECTA will celebrate 10 years of formal existence. The idea of structuring the chemical land logistics service providers into an association on European level which would represent the sector vis à vis authorities and other associations like Cefic, saw the light in 1998, during an EPCA logistics meeting held in Barcelona.
Purpose of ECTA is to develop and improve the health, safety and environmental aspects as well as the quality of the chemical logistics in Europe in close partnership with Cefic. ECTA published with Cefic several Best Practices Guidelines in chemical land logistics. ECTA also provides very strong support to SQAS (Safety Quality Assessement Scheme), the external assessment of safety management of transport and tank cleaning companies on behalf of the chemical industry.
The International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) published in 2006 the Responsible Care Global Charter which paved the way to extending the chemical industry’s ”Responsible Care” scheme to partner associations such as ECTA which is representing the European logistic service providers in the supply chain.
“Responsible Care” is the global chemical industry’s unique voluntary initiative to continuously improve its health, safety and environmental (=HSE) performance and to communicate with stakeholders. The start of the ECTA Responsible Care scheme is a very important milestone.
In line with the international charter objectives of ICCA, ECTA will now develop and co-ordinate its Responsible Care programme for European chemical land transport and will assure the communication of performance parameters by the sector to its stakeholders. The cross border nature of the transport activities is reflected in the structure of the ECTA Responsible Care programme which will be the first cross border regional Responsible Care programme worldwide.
Responsible Care is a protected trademark and the use of the trademark is restricted to companies and associations that meet the requirements of their specific Responsible Care programmes. In Europe, the Responsible Care trademark is owned by Cefic.
In the future, transport companies who plan to join the voluntary scheme for Responsible Care for chemical transports will commit to a transport specific Responsible Care charter implemented under ECTA Governance structures. The top management of these transport companies will take on the commitment to continuously improve their HSE management and performance and to contribute performance data to ECTA who will consolidate these for the sector.
ECTA plans to celebrate its ten year of existence with a meeting in Barcelona on February 12th and 13th 2009 at which the ECTA Responsible Care scheme for the transport sector will be the main topic.
