The Netherlands is establishing a new expertise centre to support companies in developing safe and sustainable chemical substances and products. The centre is a collaboration between RIVM ↗, TNO ↗, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the VNCI ↗ (the Royal Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry). Its aim is to ensure that health, environmental and sustainability considerations are integrated from the earliest stages of designing substances and products. In doing so, the centre seeks to help prevent future societal challenges associated with problematic substances, such as PFAS. 

Prevention is key

As Erik Tielemans from RIVM explains:

For many substances and products, risks to health and the environment are only considered at a later stage. The knowledge centre aims for this to happen already in the design phase. This approach is called Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD). By making choices for safe and sustainable solutions from the start, problems can be prevented later on. This is really an essential approach in prevention.

The centre brings together expertise and experience from government, research organisations and industry. It supports businesses across the entire chain, from producer to end user. Companies can turn to the centre for information, advice and innovation support. In addition, the centre also will facilitate collaboration between different stakeholders and make knowledge and resources more accessible. 

PARC and the broader EU context

The work carried out within PARC on SSbD provides valuable input to the activities of the Dutch expertise centre. For example, the PARC SSbD toolbox ↗ offers access to tiered assessment tools covering both safety and sustainability aspects. In addition, the PARC SSbD Knowledge Sharing Portal provides access to a wide range of educational and training materials. 

Furthermore, PARC’ experience in problem scoping, stakeholder engagement and the development of case studies provides practical insights that can support the implementation of SSbD approaches within the Dutch expertise centre.

The centre is expected to become part of a broader European network of similar initiatives. Through this network, countries will be able to share knowledge, experiences and good practices. As the chemical sector operates across borders, such cooperation is essential for advancing the implementation of SSbD across Europe. Within the Netherlands, the expertise centre will also help identify and prioritise key topics where further action and support are needed.