The Sirius Effect:

After all of the surprises in 2021, it probably seems unwise to guess at what 2022 will bring. Outcomes of events both important and (relatively) trivial were not what we expected. But not planning for our future is no option either. In 2015, world leaders in the United Nations set their 17 ambitious Sustainability Goals. In our daily work at Sirius, we positively influence at least 12 of them. More recently, the European Union based its Green Deal on these UN Sustainability Goals. The Green Deal is poised to take effect this year, but what does it mean, and what can we expect?

The Green Deal is a big deal. It puts the EU on a path towards an equitable, clean, sustainable future, with climate change in the forefront. It integrates social justice, economic equity, building a circular economy, and protecting the environment into a comprehensive plan for the future. For the chemical industry, the main concern is the list of 135 chemicals that are now banned, and the zero-tolerance approach for non-compliance.  Most of these are the “forever” chemicals, most notoriously the PFAS  (per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances), but some of them are also used in the industries our customers operate in.

It would be fair to view this coming change as a restriction, but at Sirius, we see opportunities.  Sirius has been promoting eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or sustainably produced chemicals for years, but there are always things we could be doing better. And this translates into opportunities. For small and medium sized companies with innovative chemicals and/or methods to sell, the Green Deal has set aside money to come up with alternatives, and/or to bring innovative methods and techniques to the mainstream. For manufacturers, it is a good moment to change over to greener methods and formulations.

Change is coming! In 2020, China began to reform its laws so that it is no longer a haven for cheap producers that turn a blind eye to pollution. This is, in part, due to the increasing pressure from international companies, but also from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment there, which has concluded that there is no economic disadvantage to going green.  China has also launched its own green development fund (NGDF), modelled after the EU’s Green Deal, where private enterprise and public funds work together. India and other countries are doing the same.

While both the EU and Asian countries head for greener pastures we should not forget that COVID continues to wreak havoc on the precise schedules and timetables that have traditionally defined the shipping industry. There is no reason to think that 2022 will be spared. At Sirius, we make a point of understanding our customers’ needs, and have always managed to stay ahead of any unexpected shipping issues. But it is another factor to consider when ordering greener products from the Far East.

The Green Deal is not perfect, but it is a big step towards a more sustainable, greener future. The changes it brings are an opportunity to make better products. 

Let Sirius help you be a part of that.

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