GPS Implementation at Rhodia
How does Rhodia put GPS into practice and what does it mean for a company?
- Rhodia is actively involved in, and strongly supports, the development and global implementation of GPS. Rhodia is GPS champion for UIC (Union des Industries Chimiques) to help it with implementation within French industry. Some members of Responsible Care Department work in a dedicated GPS Task Force created by CEFIC to help European companies.
- For chemical companies in Europe like Rhodia the implementation of GPS, REACH and the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling (GHS) will proceed hand in hand. For Rhodia the implementation of GPS as a part of Product Stewardship is an important step towards improving the level of health and environmental protection and a contribution to Sustainable Development.
What are the benefits of GPS for European companies?
- From the chemical industry point of view GPS clearly helps to reduce the existing differences in the safety of chemical substances management between developing, emerging and industrialized countries and to achieve a common global standard in product safety assessment. Existing national regulations like REACH fit well into the overall global objective of GPS and information and assessments obtained under these regulatory requirements can be fully leveraged for GPS implementation.
Benefits of GPS implementation:
- Level playing field in terms of global conditions of competition (through harmonization of global product safety standards and chemical management systems),
- Open access to relevant product safety information for co-producers, governments and the public through Product Safety Summaries available on Rhodia’s website,
- Better acceptance of substances and chemical products, improving the knowledge about hazard and exposure potential and effective risk management practices,
- Influence upcoming regulations actively and positively, by achieving a balance between regulation and voluntary industry commitments,
- Global harmonization of chemicals management systems will eventually help reduce distortions in international competition and trade restrictions,
- Harmonization of global standard would increase not only the safety of products but also the benefits for the consumer,
- GPS fulfils the requirements of a modern chemical management system.