12th Helsinki Chemicals Forum

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The event was postponed due to concerns over COVID-19; it was originally scheduled to take place in June 2020

Think tank dedicated to inclusive, transparent and independent debate on the key issues of safe chemicals management

Opportunity for all professionals to exchange on fundamental questions of safe chemicals handling, not necessarily leading to immediate action or implementation but creating a better holistic understanding of chemicals management and its consequences. A multi-stakeholder think tank for businesses, regulators, NGOs and others with a space to think about the bigger picture and go home with a clearer understanding of how to position their organisations.

Helsinki Chemicals Forum is an independent forum aimed at promoting chemicals safety management globally. Every year HCF is gathering about 200 professionals from 40 countries to share the latest findings and join the discussions around the conference topics.

Messukeskus Helsinki will host the conference simultaneously with ChemBio Finland, the trade fair for the chemistry and biotechnology professionals in the Nordic Countries and Baltic regions, and with PulPaper, the leading international event in chemistry, process industry and wood processing industries. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) also plans its own annual Conference in the same week.

The event consists of five panel discussions and keynote speeches:

• green chemical policy
  How can the future chemicals policy in the EU create the necessary framework to achieve carbon neutrality, promote the circular economy and contribute to the ambitions for zero pollution? What will be the role of the EU chemicals policy under “the Green Deal”, and how do other world regions achieve these objectives simultaneously?
  The European Commission will moderate this panel.
• safer substitution
  Although there is increasing awareness of the need for safer and sustainable substitution, a panel of stakeholders including regulators, and representatives of industry and civil society will discuss what could help to increase the pace towards the implementation of safer alternatives under the lead of the OECD. The shift towards safer substitution could be incentivized more effectively by various means, such as the support of research and development, regulatory and financial incentives, and increasing education and awareness of needs.
• United Nations agreement for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), a policy framework to promote chemical safety around the world.
  This panel will feature a discussion of targets and indicators, to encourage countries to improve their chemicals legislation and implementation. This topic also gives an opportunity to reflect on custodians and timeframes, as opposed to the current state of affairs where there are no time-bounded indicators.
  UNEP will animate this panel.
• transparency and risk communication
  The traceability of chemicals of concern is an important element in creating market trust while complying with existing legal requirements. NGOs argue that traceability of all chemicals in materials, products, and waste should become mandatory by 2030, which would be a difficult task. The panel discusses the current best practices for tracking chemicals to inform decisions relating to risk management measures, prevention of exposure and instructions for safe and sustainable recycling. Risk communication and transparency are topics that matter not only to regulators but are also an intrinsic part of supply chain communication, all the way to end consumers.
  ECHA will moderate this panel.
• textiles
  The panel will look at the progress on chemicals management within one specific industrial sector. In the textile and apparel industry, there have been formidable challenges and exciting progress with innovative initiatives to achieve real improvements in the way textiles are manufactured, distributed, sold, used and managed at the end of their lifespan. This panel will bring together stakeholders across the supply chain to debate what has been achieved and the persistent barriers and useful incentives for further progress.
  A Chemical Watch journalist will moderate this panel.

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