| Q1 |
What is Product Stewardship
for Fertilizers? |
| A1 |
Product Stewardship is ensuring
that fertilizers and their raw materials, additives and intermediate
products are processed and manufactured, handled, stored, distributed
and used in a safe way with regard to health, occupational and public
safety, environment, and security. This includes supplying plant
nutrients which satisfy society's requirements to safe food production
and animal feed. |
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| Q2 |
For whom is the EFMA Product Stewardship
Program intended? |
| A2 |
The EFMA Product Stewardship Program
is primarily intended for EFMA member companies. However, the program
addresses the whole Product Life Chain meaning suppliers, contractors,
distributors and customers are involved. They should equally be
involved. |
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| Q3 |
Is Product Stewardship new? |
| A3 |
No, Product Stewardship is not
new. Several chemical companies do have a Product Stewardship in
place. A good example of a Product Stewardship Program is that of
the Chemical Industry Association in the UK, a program called PS
GO. |
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| Q4 |
Why this sudden need for EFMA
to have such a Product Stewardship Program in place? |
| A4 |
After 4 major accidents in the
Fertilizer Industry in the years 2001 and 2002 this has been enough.
The Industry cannot afford more. EFMA members should have a program
in place and comply with this program. EFMA has always been good
in producing leaflets and guidance documents but the emphasis should
go to the implementation. The Product Stewardship program puts all
EFMA's activities in a framework. EFMA members should comply with
this Product Stewardship Program. |
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| Q5 |
How can one check complicance
of EFMA members to the Product Stewardship Program? |
| A5 |
EFMA together with an independent third party (DNV)
has developed a compliance system consisting of:
1) an audit questionnaire. The questionnaire is
designed to assist EFMA members in identifying gaps and possible
improvements to be made in their current Product Stewardship activity.
A weighting is introduced to facilitate a simple progress reporting
and for establishing improvement targets. The questionnaire can
either be used for a self assessment or as a basis for an independent
third party auditing.
2) inspection checklists developed by an independent
third party (DNV). DNV and EFMA have made Inspection Check Lists
to validate that day-to day operations are in conformance with EFMA's
Product Stewardship Program.
The member companies implementation of EFMA's
PS program will be audited on a regular basis by an independent
third party.The results of the audit will be assessed by the Steering
Committee (SC) of EFMA. Members not satisfying the requirements
of the SC will have to develop an improvement program.
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| Q6 |
Do most of the Companies not
already have ISO and IMAS certification and will there not be a duplication? |
| A6 |
Some duplication is unavoidable
and several questions will therefor be readily answerable. This
duplication is , however, considered necessary in order to catch
all product related issues. In addition the checklists cover topics
of importance to our Industry not necessarely covered by ISO and
IMAS. |
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| Q7 |
Does the inspection checklist
cover all day-to-day operations? |
| A7 |
No, the inspection checklist does not cover all
day-to day operations since that is a lot. EFMA has selected 3 main
areas of greatest concern at the moment:
1) Inspection of storages.
2) Inspection of Transportation.
3) Inspection of contractor management at manufacturing site.
4) Implementation of EFMA Guidances
5) Security.
This list can be changed or extended covering a
larger part of the life cycle next year. |
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| Q8 |
Who is going to perform the
inspections? |
| A8 |
The inspection will be performed
as part of the audit by an independent third party in collaboration
with inspectors of the company involved. |
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| Q9 |
What will happen with the audit
results? |
| A9 |
The result of the audit will be
reviewed by the Steering Committee of EFMA. |
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