Safety is vital when reusing chemical packaging
Importers of chemicals are responsible for ensuring safe warehousing and that shipments to customers have the right classifications, packaging, markings and documentation. For example, chemicals that react dangerously when they come into contact with each other must be kept separate in packaging, warehousing and transportation.
Easily degradable packaging materials cannot be used for transporting chemicals. The packaging must withstand moving, lifting and conveying. Algol Chemicals is further enhancing its environmental responsibility by experimenting with reusing chemical packaging in Finland.
Algol Chemicals delivers chemicals to our customers in UN type-approved packaging. The condition of packaging that is to be reused is inspected regularly, and at the end of their life they are washed before being recycled or disposed of. All of our plastic containers are eventually sent for recycling.
The end users of the chemicals also have a big responsibility for ensuring the success of the recycling process when handling reused chemical packaging. In order to ensure the safety of recipient of recycled containers, it is important that no additional markings are made on the packaging and that the labels are not removed or covered by other labelling, such as address labels.
It is vital to know which chemical is stored in each container. In order to ensure the quality and safety of the products, no additional substances should ever be added to the containers, not even water. The equipment used to empty the containers must also be clean. The mixing of different substances can cause unexpected reactions in further use.
Experiences with reusing chemical packaging are being collected by Algol Chemicals at its locations throughout Finland. The lessons learned may then be utilised in other countries in the future as and where possible. Algol Chemicals also offers training for the safe handling of chemicals.
