CEFIC Sector Group Pools Expertise on the Safety of Chloroformates

Safety is and remains a central element of the chemical industry. Companies have a responsibility to ensure that employees, customers and processors can produce, handle and store chemicals safely. Nowhere is this more true than in chloroformate chemistry.

Chloroformates are used as intermediates in the manufacture of various fine chemicals and reagents in plastics production. These highly toxic chemicals react with water and form colorless, pungent-smelling vapors at room temperature. Their safe handling and use is therefore of crucial importance. For this reason, the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) established the Chloroformates Sector Group (CFSG) in 2019. It is responsible for promoting public understanding and employee safety when handling chloroformates.

On its website, the group publishes guidelines on safe handling, transportation and storage so that the entire value chain can benefit from the combined knowledge of member companies BASF, Framochem and Saltigo.

When asked about the reason for this collaboration, the group’s current chair, Ilona Nemeth, Process and Development Manager at Framochem, explained: “When it comes to safety, we are not in competition with each other. The group is essential as it brings together the collective expertise of companies from across Europe that produce these chemicals.” 

Martin Stuermann, Head of HSEQ at Saltigo, added: “Our customers actively use the documentation created by this group to make the use of our chemicals even safer.”

This group is planning further guidance documents and intends to share the advice even more widely. Andreas Brockmeyer, Senior Manager Technical Product Stewardship at BASF, noted that “there is a real need for global collaboration on the safety of chloroformates, and we hope to bring even more stakeholders to the CFSG table so that everyone can learn from each other”. 

Anyone interested in CFSG documents or in participating in future activities of the group, such as group meetings, can contact the group at their email address chloroformates@cefic.be.