Revised Safety & Quality Assessment System for Distributors of Chlorinated Solvents

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Thanks to an updated Safety & Quality Assessment questionnaire, the European Chlorinated Solvent Association ECSA aims to enhance the overall safety and quality level in the chlorinated solvents distribution chain. This action is part of the sustainability programme ECSA has been carrying out for several years.

The Safety & Quality Assessment System SQAS has been designed by the European Chemical Industry Council Cefic. The system analyses the quality, safety, security and environmental performance of Logistics Service Providers and Chemical Distributors. This is done in a uniform manner by single standardized assessments carried out by independent assessors using standard questionnaires.

ECSA has now gone through a strategic and operational review of the SQAS questionnaire that is applicable for the distributors of the chlorinated solvents perchloroethylene (PER), trichloroethylene (TRI) and dichloromethane (DCM). The chemical distributers' part of SQAS is also well-known as European Single Assessment Document (ESAD). Based on ECSA's sustainability objectives, all ECSA member companies are actively supporting SQAS for chemicals distributors. The aim is to ensure the safe transport, storage and distribution of their products along the supply chain.

The recently launched SQAS 2011 programme has been titled "SQAS: Driving excellence in safe and sustainable chemical logistics". The use of the revised questionnaires leads to a state-of-the-art and user-friendly data base on chlorinated solvents distributors. All revised questionnaires and further details are available on the SQAS web-site www.sqas.org.

A SQAS assessment does not lead to a certificate but offers a detailed factual report which allows each chemical company to evaluate and adapt its quality and Safety standards if required.

Further information:
ECSA - European Chlorinated Solvent Association, Dr. Wolfgang Marquardt
Tel: +32 2 676 72 28, E-mail: ECSA@cefic.be , Website : www.eurochlor.org/ecsa

Footnote to Editors:
About ECSA (European Chlorinated Solvent Association):

ECSA represents the interests of the producers of chlorinated solvents in the EU that are organized under Euro Chlor. Euro Chlor is the Brussels based business association representing chlor-alkali producers in the EU and EFTA regions, employing 39,000 people at nearly 70 manufacturing sites.

Almost 2,000,000 jobs in Europe are related to chlorine and its co-product caustic soda. These two key chemical building blocks underpin 55% of the European chemical industry turnover.

More than 90% of the European drinking water is made safe with chlorine and about 85 % of all medicines are synthesized using chlorine chemistry. Euro Chlor is an affiliate of Cefic - the European Chemical Industry Council.