in the Finnish chemical industry - Kemia-lehti

Bio-related technicalcommittees within theresponsibility of Kemesta• CEN/TC 233 Biotechnology• CEN/TC 335 Solid biofuels• CEN/TC 383 Sustainably producedbiomass for energyapplications (withFinnish PetroleumFederation)• CEN/TC 411 Bio-based products• ISO/TC 238 Solid biofuels• ISO/TC 248 Project committee—Sustainablity criteriafor bioenergy (withFinnish PetroleumFederation)• ISO/TC 255 Biogas• ISO/TC 266 Biomimetics• ISO/TC 276 BiotechnologyOther standardisationareas of Kemesta• Transportable gas cylinders• Assessment of workplace air• Paints, varnishes, pigments,dyestuffs, extenders• Pulp, paper, and board• Adhesives• Furniture• Explosives and fireworks• Plastics• Fertilisers and soil conditioners• Surface active agents• Photocatalysis• Cosmetics• Health risk assessment of chemicals• ChemistryOld partnersFor decades the forest industries havebeen an essential basis for the Finnisheconomy and welfare. Today’s refinedproducts made from wood havegone through a high-tech productionprocess to meet the requirements ofdemanding end-users.In the production processes,dozens of different bulk chemicals,performance chemicals, and finechemicals are needed. This meansthat the chemical industry is anLife withoutstandardswould bechaosThe benefits of standardsand standardisation have beenrecognised by several studies indifferent countries. An outcome isthat standards increase the GDPby about 0.8 to one per cent.In everyday life the application ofstandards is not often noticed, but itwould be an impossible situation if goodsand things did not fit together and werenot interchangeable.This is noticeable by anyone travellingto the USA or Great Britain if they neglectto pack an adapter for the electricityoutlet. It would also be very cumbersomeif the office papers were not of the correctsize for the filing folder.The areas represented by Kemesta aresuch that a lot of testing is needed bothwhen controlling raw materials, phasesof production processes, and propertiesof end products. When testing is alwaysdone using the same standardisedmethod, the results are comparable witheach other. In cases of product complaintsimportant raw material supplier to theforest industries.On the other hand, the same is truethe other way round: a remarkablenumber of chemicals are producedfrom wood and the by-products offorest industry processes, such asvarious acrylates, alcohols, esters,and carbonates. Such chemicalsare used as raw materials for anenormous number of products usedin all walks of life.it is important to have a proven andgenerally recognised method for testingthe product in question.Market surveillance is an area wherestandards are of essential importance.An example is the European chemicalsregulation, Reach, based on whichsubstances are prohibited or theconcentration of which is limited inarticles. The concentration limits aregiven in the legislation, but controllingthe products in the market—includingimported ones—would not be possiblewithout standardised testing methods.Harmonised standardsIn Europe, a number of standardsare developed on request of the EUCommission, which gives CEN mandatesto develop harmonised standards onspecified topics.The work is usually done in English,but the titles of harmonised standardshave to be translated into nationallanguages. The standardisation of biobasedproducts, for instance, is done onthe basis of two EU mandates.There is a reason for using standards asa tool in legislation. Requirements can bepresented in legislation. Specifications,classifications, and testing methodsare, however, more easily presented instandards, thereby keeping the legislativetexts shorter. Standards are also regularlyrenewed.58 KEMIA 5/2013