“Sustainable chemistry begins by assuring our own footprint is light, but it only reaches its full potential when it delivers solutions to the problems faced by society.” — David Kepler, II, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Dow Chemical Company.
Description
Sustainable chemistry is our “cradle-to-cradle” concept that drives us to use resources more efficiently, to minimize our footprint, provide value to our customers and stakeholders, deliver solutions for customer needs and enhance the quality of life of current and future generations.
We are on the threshold of a step-change movement in the way chemistry transforms future economic, environmental and social sustainability. At Dow, we believe that Sustainable Chemistry goes well beyond mitigating the unintended consequences of chemistry. We see it as a breakthrough approach to innovative problem-solving and providing sustainable solutions to critical global challenges.
With our deep expertise and dedicated scientific and technology team, Dow is uniquely positioned to realize the full potential of sustainable chemistry, which includes:
- A lifecycle view of our products, processes, and product uses,
- Using resources extremely efficiently to minimize our footprint
- Improving the quality of the environment,
- Providing positive value and return for all our stakeholders, and
- Enhancing the quality of life of current and future generations.
Dow is dedicated to listening and understanding broad stakeholder views as we envision how sustainable chemistry is applied. Collaboration is the critical catalyst needed to successfully address and solve the world's most pressing challenges.
Dow’s Position
As one of the largest chemical companies in the world, we are uniquely positioned to address the global challenges that live at the nexus of greatest need and most significant business opportunity. Our 2015 Sustainability Goals serve as the yardstick in measuring our progress. Specifically, the Sustainable Chemistry goal integrates the innovative application of science and technology with societal needs and challenges to identify, commercialize and deliver solutions.
In the area of resource management we will strive for improvements in greenhouse gas emissions, fresh water use, recycled materials as feedstocks, waste reduction, and renewable raw materials. The company challenges any activities which emit persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBTs) that are listed in the Stockholm Convention. Finally, Dow will promote businesses whose products fill social needs for drinking water, affordable housing, food production, personal and public health, safety and economic development, particularly in developing countries.
Chemistry is fundamental to our lives, delivering over 95% of all products in society. Chemistry advances have revolutionized the way we live and how long we live. Dow will use sustainable chemistry to address rising stakeholder expectations and to educate our employees about societal trends to ensure that we are making the right choices today that will deliver future innovations, improvements and profits for the long term sustainability of Dow and our world.
Dow’s Actions
- Dow has announced plans to produce polyethylene from sugar cane, an annually renewable resource, emitting 85% less CO2 over the life cycle
- Neil Hawkins, Dow's Vice President, Sustainability, was appointed to the Science Advisory Panel, for the State of California's Green Chemistry Initiative, by Maureen Gorsen, director of California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control. He was also asked by James Gulliford, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, to join a senior executive panel on an assessment and management program for existing chemicals in the U.S. The panel will address the Agency's participation in the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) agreement for North American cooperation on chemical assessment and management.
- Dow’s integrated R&D and production site at Terneuzen in the Netherlands was named the winner of the European Responsible Care® Award for the innovative industrial re-use of municipal waste water. The Award was presented at Cefic's Annual General Assembly in Budapest.
- Dow and BASF developed a new process for propylene oxide, a feedstock for a variety of products used in insulation, furniture, personal care products and brake fluids, which uses less water, less energy, and generates no co-products.
- DOWFROST™ Inhibited Propylene Glycol-based Heat Transfer Fluid is being used in Wal-Mart’s experimental Supercenter store in Aurora, Colorado in a refrigeration system for meat, dairy, produce and other medium temperature-chilled foods. Secondary loop refrigeration systems have been proven to reduce energy consumption from traditional systems by up to 24 percent.
- The University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley) announced the establishment of a new Sustainable Products and Solutions (SPS) Program, based at the Center for Responsible Business at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and in partnership with UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry. The Dow Chemical Company Foundation has pledged the seed money for the five years needed to initiate the program. Tony Kingsbury is a loaned executive from Dow in the Center for Sustainable Products and Innovations for the Haas School of Business.
- In 2008, Dow will begin piping methane gas, a renewable energy resource, from a local landfill to its Dalton, Georgia latex manufacturing plant. Using LOMAX™ Technology, Dow expects to use approximately 240 billion BTU per year of landfill gas (that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere) instead of natural gas, to generate steam for the production of latex carpet backing.
Dow's Timeline
