4
Placing Integrated Development
into the Business Perspective
4.1
Chemistry: High Performance Combined with a Wide
Range of Risks
Both the production and use of chemical products are associated with a wide
range of risks, and integrating safety and the protection of human health and the
environment into the business model of the chemical industry is not only sensible
(and often legally mandatory as seen in Chap. 3), but it also adds value.
Specialty chemistry is a particularly good example. Specialty chemicals are
active ingredients, materials, and fine chemicals with a high degree of originality,
quality, and value, and they require significant investments in research and development. The market leaders in specialty fields are often responsible for creating the
greatest added value in chemistry, and speed during innovation is crucial given that
patents are only valid for a set number of years, and manufacturers need to sell and
make a profit while they have exclusive rights to the products in their markets. While
successful development of a new substance can lead to incredible market success,
a single manufacturing accident or an undetected toxic effect can erase all of the
value generated.
In chemical production, substances are often used under demanding chemical
and physical conditions, and the substances themselves can be highly reactive, toxic,
corrosive, flammable or explosive. Their production, storage, and transport can take
place in processes and facilities prone to technical faults, and human errors can
lead to accidents. Even without accidents, pollution can still occur through waste
generation and emissions, and adverse side effects from product use can seriously
damage humans and ecosystems. With chemical products being more widely used
in technical applications and everyday consumer products in an ever greater variety
and quantity, the amount and complexity of potential risks are increasing and need
to be considered carefully. The perception of the public has also become more
important than ever before. Chemistry today is part of a society whose prosperity is
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. Hungerbühler et al., Chemical Products and Processes,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62422-4_4
55
Placing Integrated Development
into the Business Perspective
4.1
Chemistry: High Performance Combined with a Wide
Range of Risks
Both the production and use of chemical products are associated with a wide
range of risks, and integrating safety and the protection of human health and the
environment into the business model of the chemical industry is not only sensible
(and often legally mandatory as seen in Chap. 3), but it also adds value.
Specialty chemistry is a particularly good example. Specialty chemicals are
active ingredients, materials, and fine chemicals with a high degree of originality,
quality, and value, and they require significant investments in research and development. The market leaders in specialty fields are often responsible for creating the
greatest added value in chemistry, and speed during innovation is crucial given that
patents are only valid for a set number of years, and manufacturers need to sell and
make a profit while they have exclusive rights to the products in their markets. While
successful development of a new substance can lead to incredible market success,
a single manufacturing accident or an undetected toxic effect can erase all of the
value generated.
In chemical production, substances are often used under demanding chemical
and physical conditions, and the substances themselves can be highly reactive, toxic,
corrosive, flammable or explosive. Their production, storage, and transport can take
place in processes and facilities prone to technical faults, and human errors can
lead to accidents. Even without accidents, pollution can still occur through waste
generation and emissions, and adverse side effects from product use can seriously
damage humans and ecosystems. With chemical products being more widely used
in technical applications and everyday consumer products in an ever greater variety
and quantity, the amount and complexity of potential risks are increasing and need
to be considered carefully. The perception of the public has also become more
important than ever before. Chemistry today is part of a society whose prosperity is
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. Hungerbühler et al., Chemical Products and Processes,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62422-4_4
55