Summary
The global chemical industry has for a long time suffered from being one of the most polluting industries. Now that is changing. Leading players are, for various reasons, seeking to improve sustainability across an industry that produces a vast range of products. Almost every saleable item at some point involves chemicals. Much change is being motivated by consumer demand and government regulation. Chemical manufacturers are having to adapt to the need to produce more substances but at a lower environmental cost and eradicate adverse health implications consumers may experience. Despite being what may appear to be a relatively unmoving industry, chemical makers are devoting enormous resources to making the industry more sustainable on a long-term basis.
Key Highlights
- Whereas in years gone by the development of bio-plastics was heavily limited by the near absence of a commercial market, preventing access to the economies of scale single-use plastics enjoy, that is now changing.
- Though the much vaunted electric car sector is growing rapidly, it forms part of ramping demand for advanced battery technology across a range of industries. Due to the highly polluting processes undertaken to extract rare earth elements and other difficult to obtain materials, reducing consumption per battery and extending battery life are key priorities for firms such as BASF.
- The need for sustainable means of fulfilling global chemical demand has become more acute due to extensive environmental damage inflicted on numerous cities, rivers and various habitats. Pollution from chemicals used in the manufacture of textiles in countries such as India - where vast quantities of water has been poisoned and exposure to chemicals has been cited to explain high but localized incidents of cancer in the human population - has caused extensive damage.
Scope
- Examines the development of bio-plastics
- Looks at the sustainability needs of electric car batteries
- Assesses how successful companies are in making chemicals more sustainable
- Examines how manufacturing processes are improving sustainability
Reasons to buy
- How are leading companies performing in race to develop bio-plastics?
- How are chemical makers developing more sustainable batteries?
- Are the big chemical manufacturers making more sustainable chemicals?
- Are chemicals becoming more sustainable to produce?
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Table of Contents
1. OVERVIEW
1.1. Catalyst
1.2. Summary
2. BIO-BASED PLASTIC WILL INCREASINGLY DEFINE CONSUMPTION FROM BIG CHEMICAL FIRMS
2.1. Rising demand for alternatives to single-use plastics will propel development of bio-plastics
2.2. Regulations are tightening, helping to develop bio-plastic market
2.3. Chemical companies are becoming more active in bio-plastic development
3. MAJOR CHEMICAL COMPANIES ARE RACING TO BUILD ELECTRIC CAR BATTERIES SUSTAINABLY
3.1. Advancing battery environmental sustainability is of growing importance to chemical leaders
3.2. Battery performance is improving quickly - leading chemical companies must keep pace or lose business
4. CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ARE FACING FINDING MEANS OF REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
4.1. Damage done to environment by chemical mass production is pushing leading players to focus on sustainability
4.2. Risk to human health from chemicals will drive green chemical future onward
4.3. Retailers are leading change in chemical usage in products sold to mass market
5. MANUFACTURING OF CHEMICALS IS BECOMING CLEANER BUT REMAINS A VERY DIRTY BUSINESS
5.1. Carbon dioxide gas emissions is becoming more important in chemical industry business model
5.2. Chemical industry in China is becoming greener in response to government direction
6. APPENDIX
6.1. Abbreviations and acronyms
6.2. Sources
6.3. Further reading
7. ASK THE ANALYST
8. ABOUT MARKETLINE
List of Figures
Figure 1: Whale art made of waste plastic
Figure 2: Global production of capacities of bio-based and non-biodegradable (thousands of tonnes), 2017 to 2022 forecast
Figure 3: Global production of capacities of biodegradable (thousands of tonnes), 2011 to 2018
Figure 4: Number of electric cars sold globally, 2011 to 2018
Figure 5: DowDupont
Figure 6: Global value of commodity chemicals ($bn) 2011 to 2018
Figure 7: Chemours
Figure 8: BASF sites around the world
Figure 9: Air pollution in Changzhou
