Chemical legislations effect on innovation and companies´ drive for phasing out hazardous substances

Purpose and goal:

The project aims to investigate how chemical legislation and other policy instruments lead to the phasing out and reduced use of hazardous substances and what affects/drives compliance with such rules for different types of companies in the manufacturing industry. Expected outcome goals are to identify any problems and obstacles that different companies feel that chemical legislation can pose, and to understand how chemical legislation affects innovation in companies.

Expected results and effects:

The results are expected to be used when future changes within the chemicals legislation take place. Today, it is complex and very costly for companies to comply with the legal requirements. Legislation that is easier to understand and adopt makes it easier for companies to live up to the requirements and this could further contribute to the accelerated phasing out of hazardous substances without hindering, for example, the innovation needed for the green transition.

Approach and implementation:

The project will partly consist of a literature study where we will look at possible problems with the legislation and compare how it differs for example between different EU countries. Thereafter we will conduct interviews with various companies in the manufacturing industry that have to comply with chemicals legislation to identify how they work with the phasing out of hazardous substances, what drives the work and what they consider to be problematic. The result will be compiled in a report.