The members of the European Fertilizer Manufacturers' Association (EFMA) continuously strive to improve the Health, Safety and Environmental aspects associated with the production, storage, distribution and use of fertilizers. In September 2003 EFMA has launched a Product Stewardship program for the following reasons:

• Taking responsibility for the product through the value chain from raw materials to end use.
• Meeting the public demands for openness and communication.
• Sharing experiences and knowledge.
• Providing a good structure for setting up Product Stewardship on company level.

The members of EFMA subscribe and have embedded the Responsible Care philosophy in their organizations and have initiated several activities on Company level as well jointly in EFMA that go beyond what is just necessary to fulfill legal requirements.

Product Stewardship is defined as "the management of the safety, health and environmental aspects of a product throughout its lifecycle in an ethically responsible way". It is Responsible Care as applied to products. In our application of Product Stewardship we cover the total value chain, but also address additional issues such as Best Practices that are not necessarily just dealing with the product characteristics.

For the fertilizer industry, 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.
EFMA's Product Stewardship program provides:

The scope is limited to the EU legislation and does not cover any specific National Requirements (see disclaimer).

EFMA's Product Stewardship program covers mineral fertilizers their raw materials and intermediate products.

EFMA's Product Stewardship is not only a guidance for members setting up their own Product Stewardship program but sets standards to which EFMA members have committed themselves. Much emphasis will go to the implementation of the guidance documents which are developed in EFMA or will be developed in near future.

Commitment to EFMA's core values

EFMA members are committed to fully respect, actively promote, continuously improve, and act in accordance with EFMA's core values in all activities. These core values are part of the identity of the European fertilizer industry and a requirement for membership of EFMA (see chapter 5.1.1.)

Commitment to EFMA's Product Stewardship program and standards

EFMA members are committed to implement the Product Stewardship Program and to comply with the EFMA Industry standards. Compliance with these standards by EFMA members will be validated (see chapter 5.1.2.).

Commitment to EFMA's members and their customers

EFMA, as part of this Product Stewardship program, will secure dissemination of relevant information to its members and their customers (see chapter 6.4)

Commitment to the public and the regulatory authorities

EFMA and its members will communicate openly with the public and the regulatory authorities (see chapter 6.7).

EFMA's Product Stewardship program provides guidance for the basic elements of an effective Product Stewardship Program. The elements are:

For each of these elements EFMA's Product Stewardship program will give a set of subject-specific guidance's :

Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks are intended to guide the user to relevant parts in the program and to the reference documents. Some of the links will bring you to web sites containing relevant information. EFMA can not be held responsible should one of the links divert the user of this program to documents or internet-sites which were not intended for this program. In addition EFMA can not be held responsible for the information given on the linked web sites not owned by EFMA.

Information
The information given in this program is the latest available information on the date indicated below. EFMA will up-date this program on a regular basis but anyway when relevant new documents and or legislation become available.
The information and guidance is given in good faith. The European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association (EFMA), its member companies and their staff accept no liability for any incident, loss, damage or any other consequences arising from the use, misuse, practical application of or reliance on the information given.

Information given in this program is related to EU legislation. Members should always check their National legislation.