Sustainable development launch at Hydro Polymers Limited

(May 9, 2001) Norsk Hydro's Petrochemicals division has launched a major sustainable development programme for PVC using the methodology of The Natural Step.

PIONEERING PROJECT: The launch of Norsk Hydro's sustainable development programme for PVC took place at Hydro Polymers Limited in Newton Aycliffe. Left to right: Dr. Jason Leadbitter, Hydro Polymers, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt and Magnus Huss, The Natural Step (TNS), David Summerbell, Hydro Polymers, John Speirs, Norsk Hydro UK, and Anders Hermansson, president of the Petrochemicals division of Norsk Hydro.

The launch took place at Hydro Polymers Limited, Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham, the first of the Division's companies to begin the process, and follows the major study of PVC carried out by TNS in the UK during 2000 ('PVC - An Evaluation using the Natural Step Framework').

Present at the launch was Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, founder of The Natural Step(TNS) process and recipient of the prestigious international environmental award the Blue Planet Prize, who addressed Hydro Polymers' senior management on the issues and principles of sustainability.

"This is a pioneering project for the plastics industry, and I am delighted to have been able to contribute to this major Norsk Hydro initiative," said Dr. Robèrt. We look for organizations that want to become such role models, and we coach them strategically so that their business programs for social and ecological responsibility will pay off economically too. Hydro Polymers is the first major plastics company to adopt The Natural Step process and it is clear from their work to date with TNS in the UK, that they have already made significant progress towards future sustainability."

David Summerbell, managing director of Hydro Polymers Limited commented, "We have become especially focused within the PVC industry on the importance of sustainability, and TNS offers us clear guidelines for the future. The challenges we have been set are really tough but are no different to those which will confront all materials in the future. This is a long term project, during which we will be breaking down each challenge into a series of steps in line with the TNS framework. We believe this is the only way forward for companies that are really serious about taking environmental management to the next level."

The Natural Step process was pioneered in Sweden in 1989 by Dr. Robèrt, a cancer research scientist. Driven by his concerns for the future of human society, he began to develop the Natural Step framework - a fundamental overview of ecological and social principles which underly sustainability. The purpose of The Natural Step is to develop and share a common framework comprised of easily understood, scientifically-based principles that can serve as a compass to guide society toward a just and sustainable future.

In the UK, TNS is licensed by Forum for The Future and the inspiration for the PVC evaluation study came from Jonathon Porritt, chair of the PVC Co-ordination Group comprising leading high street retailers, PVC manufacturers and the Environment Agency. The study presents five key challenges which the industry should commit to in order to become fully sustainable. These are:

• The industry should commit itself long-term to becoming carbon neutral.
  
• The industry should commit itself long-term to closed-loop system of PVC waste management.
  
• The industry should commit to ensuring that releases of persistent organic compounds from the whole life-cycle don't result in systematic increases in concentration in nature.
  
• The industry should review the use of all additives consistent with attaining full sustainability, and especially commit to phasing out long term substances that can accumulate in nature or where there is reasonable doubt regarding toxic effects.
  
• The industry should commit to the raising of awareness about sustainable development across the industry, and the inclusion of all participants in its achievement.

For further details of Hydro Polymers' sustainable development initiatives, contact Jason Leadbitter, environmental affairs manager, or Vanessa Humphrey, public relations manager on +44 1325 300555. e-mail: jason.leadbitter@hydro.com - vanessa.humphrey@hydro.com