ISO-CHEMIE RECEIVES ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION

The internationally recognised environmental management system is based on voluntary actions by a company to protect the environment, which together contributes to a continuous improvement process. ISO-Chemie defined a set of measurable environmental objectives, such as waste disposal measures, further reduction of its power consumption and reducing COemissions. Other important goals include minimising use of resources by processing environmentally friendly and recyclable materials that are not harmful to health, plus using water, electricity and raw materials sparingly. Accordingly, the company's internal environmental policy is aimed at achieving these ambitious goals, whilst complying with various legal obligations. The environmental management system is subject to regular external checks to ensure that it is adhered to and continuously improved.

The ISO-Chemie product range contains, for example, only CFC-free and climate-neutral foams that conform to the latest environmental regulations. This is part of the reason why many of ISO-Chemie's sealing products were rated as "very low emission" with the GEV mark EMICODE® EC1 PLUS. This rating is the Premium class as defined by the Gemeinschaft Emissionskontrollierte Verlegewerkstoffe, Klebstoffe und Bauprodukte e.V. (Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation, Adhesives and Building Materials) – GEV – assures against indoor air pollution for a high level health protection and environmental compatibility.

ISO-Chemie has also drawn up environmental product declarations (EPDs) for products made from polyethylene, polypropylene and polyurethane foams used in its range of sealing solutions. These declarations disclose a comprehensive balance sheet of all the environmental effects associated with the manufacturing of these products. The environmental product declaration also details the input of energy and other resources, and the extent to which the products contribute to the greenhouse effect, acid rain, over fertilisation, destruction of the ozone layer and smog creation. For a long time, this was the only EPD in the industry for sealing strips, with ISO-Chemie being the first company to take on the challenge. In addition to providing quantified environmental information from the life cycle of the PU and PE sealing tapes, it also gave an indication that these sealing tapes are extremely energy efficient and, when used, have a positive effect on power consumption and thus the environmental balance of buildings.

The positive life cycle assessments demonstrated in the various environmental certifications are intended to be used as the basis for further CO reductions. For example, ISO-Chemie has already greatly reduced its carbon footprint by installing a photovoltaic array on the roof of the company building. With this system the company produces on average 1/5 of its own power consumption every year, in this way making its own contribution to achieving the climate goals resolved in the Kyoto Protocol and at the subsequent Bali and Copenhagen Summits.

For the ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified companies, the company's environmental policy is primarily intended not simply to specify values, but also to live these values and the responsibility for a sustainable future – accurately reflecting our company's claim: "ISO WORLD use the blue technology".