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Kemira Oyj

Kemira

At Kemira, we use our chemistry to improve your everyday.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Measures to reduce microplastic pollution

13 Jan 2022

Kemira welcomes the Commission’s intention to tackle microplastics released into the environment and welcomes a new legislative proposal to reduce the impact microplastics have on the environment. Kemira supports the aim to correct the knowledge gaps, absence of market incentives and fragmentation as well as EU comprehensive approach in terms of microplastic pollution. In the call for evidence for an impact assessment, the Commission notes that the new legislation will be developed in coordination with, e.g., the revisions of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and Industrial Emissions Directive as well as the evaluation of the Sewage Sludge Directive. Kemira welcomes the aim to harmonize the legislation to address the topic. Kemira especially welcomes the Commission’s intentions to set further treatment requirements to remove contaminants of emerging concern, including microplastics, in the revision of the UWWTD. Kemira supports the Commission’s focus in the call for evidence on the most polluting sources of microplastics to reduce their presence, but notes that when targeting microplastics, relying only on control-at-source measures is unrealistic. For example, the Commission acknowledges in the call for evidence for an impact assessment that applying microfibre filters in washing machines may still lead to microplastics ending up in waste water, as there is a risk that consumers would wash the filters, releasing microplastics. Relying on control-at-source alone will not help to achieve the Water Framework Directive targets of good status for all EU water bodies in a feasible time, but end-of-pipe measures are also needed. Microplastics can, to a large extent, be removed in waste water treatment plants by using similar technologies as when removing other particles. As an example, recent research studied at Kemira shows that with chemical water treatment, microplastics can be removed from waste water very effectively. The study titled “Removal of microplastics from secondary wastewater treatment plant effluent by coagulation/flocculation with iron, aluminum and polyamine-based chemicals” (Rajala, K., Grönfors, O., Hesampour, M., Mikola, A., Water Research, 2020) examines microplastic removal by coagulation/flocculation followed by settling in a secondary wastewater treatment plant effluent matrix. The results show that the coagulants enhanced the removal of microplastics and the highest removal efficiency obtained was 99.4%, suggesting that chemical coagulation plays a key role in the removal of microplastics. Protecting the environment and human health from microplastic pollution is of utmost importance, and the issue needs to be addressed throughout the lifecycle of polluting products, including increasing the capture of microplastics at all relevant stages.
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Response to Policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics

27 Oct 2021

//Kemira asks the European Commission to include new, innovative and man-made biotechnology in their Policy Framework, and expand the focus to “renewable and recycled carbon” in order to exploit the circular potential of modern feedstock to its full extend. Furthermore, it shall acknowledge industrial composting as the preferred composting process.// Kemira appreciates the Commission’s initiative to clarify the role of biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics. We support any measure that helps to achieve The EU’s climate targets and to reduce the amount of plastics in nature. Therefore, we welcome this specific EU Policy Framework discussion. A meaningful scope of the framework, as well as a distinct definition of the terms ‘biobased’, ‘biodegradable’, compostable’ is of great importance. It will help to generate common ground for further policy developments, and, as such, plays an important role in fostering the EU innovation capabilities and technology development. - Including new, innovative and man-made biotechnology and expand the focus to “renewable and recycled carbon”- Today’s policy discussions favor mainly traditional natural polymers as the preferable feedstock for biobased products, as long as they are not chemically modified, but naturally occurring. In our opinion, this approach overlooks a broad range of modern, man-made but biobased polymer chemistries, which equally fit the definition of “biobased”. This will prevent any EU-wide technology innovation needed to successfully support Europe’s climate and circular economy ambitions. It will not only dilute main parts of the EU Green Deal but also very much weaken the competitive edge of Europe’s industry. Modern biotechnology can simulate natural polymerization processes and create a biobased material which has similar or even more advanced properties than the natural-occurring version. New innovative technology exists which helps to also improve the biodegradability of products. For example, many man-made biobased plastics are specifically designed to have improved end-of-life properties, reducing the pressure on the environment. Instead of restricting regulation, the future definitions of “biobased, biodegradable and compostable” shall enable new technology innovation and subsequently more growth opportunities for Europe. In addition, from our point of view, this approach leaves the circular potential of modern feedstock untapped. Kemira sees that including the aspect of “renewable and recycled carbon” instead of focusing on biobased only, would make the Policy Framework more complete, forward looking and encourages innovative thinking also beyond nature-based carbon sources only. Kemira believes that a successful Policy Framework implementation will help to promote the replacement of fossil-based feedstock, contributing to Europe’s climate targets. Already today, the use of biobased feedstock is reducing the carbon footprint of various chemicals successfully, which Kemira not only welcomes but also actively supports by its own product developments. - The Policy Framework on “compostability” shall favor industrial composting as the first choice - In general, we believe composting should be chosen only if suitable recycling infrastructure is not available, or the material itself is not recyclable. Kemira believes, that industrial composting, wherever it’s possible, should be the preferred option, since it’s a technically optimized and fully controlled process compared to home composting. Especially the uncontrolled release of greenhouse gases, such as methane, deriving from home composting, and the unutilized energy potential of the waste disqualifies this practice from further consideration. In addition, we are concerned that home composting can give a wrong signal to consumers what might lead to even more littering instead of less.
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Response to Bathing water quality – review of EU rules

30 Mar 2021

Kemira welcomes the Commission’s intention to review the Bathing Water Directive to better align it with the Green Deal objectives. The objective of the Bathing Water Directive is to protect human health and to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment. Even though the Directive has been well implemented in Member States, Kemira would like to draw attention to some areas that the Commission has recognised as well in the impact assessment roadmap. Kemira agrees with the Commission that the target group of the Directive needs particular attention and welcomes the alignment of the scope of the Directive accordingly. Kemira sees that bathing water quality control needs to be effective all along the year and not only during the swimming or summer season. Kemira supports the Commission’s objective of revising the classification system, especially in terms of the number of samples. Kemira would like to see an increase in the number of controls compared to what it is today. Also, Kemira’s view is that all kinds of virus control should be included in the Directive, and not only fecal bacteria, such as E.Coli and Enteroccoci. Kemira welcomes the Commission’s intention in the roadmap to ensure timely, accessible and user-friendly provision of information to the public. Kemira’s view is that it needs to be ensured that the results of the analysis and classification of the bathing water quality are available online for every citizen. In addition, to upgrade the quality for better sanitation and to enhance water reuse purposes, Kemira would like to see an aim of disinfecting wastewater from all wastewater treatment plants and not only the coastal ones. This, together with the other measures, would also contribute to further control the antibiotic resistant bacteria (ABR) distribution. These proposed measures would be effective in protecting the human health and the environment, as set out in the objective of the Directive.
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Meeting with Arto Virtanen (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and Aula Europe

13 Feb 2020 · Green deal

Meeting with Grzegorz Radziejewski (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen) and Aula Europe

16 Oct 2019 · Circular Economy Action Plan

Meeting with Sebastien Paquot (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

15 Nov 2018 · Single Use Plastics

Meeting with Risto Artjoki (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen) and Aula Europe

6 Sept 2018 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Kaius Kristian Hedberg (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska)

6 Sept 2018 · REACH