Production of industrial chemicals in the European Union (EU) increased in 2018 compared with the previous 3 years, but it is still at lower levels than in 2004, Eurostat data showed.

The total production of industrial chemicals peaked at 330 million tonnes in 2007 (a 6.1 % increase since 2004), prior to the financial and economic crisis. Production then fell sharply between 2007 and 2009, reaching a low of 270 million tonnes (a total decline of about 18 %), before rebounding to 300 million tonnes in 2010. Between 2010 and 2015, total production of chemicals followed a downwards trend before increasing again in recent years. In 2018, total production stood at 301 million tonnes, 3.1% lower than in 2004, according to Novinite.

The production of chemicals hazardous to the environment and chemicals hazardous to health followed a similar trend. However, the upturn in the production of chemicals hazardous to the environment was somewhat greater (at 11.0%) between 2015 and 2017, compared with the increase (6.0%) in production of chemicals hazardous to health and the increase (6.1%) in production of total hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals over the same period.

Overall, the total production of industrial chemicals in the EU – including chemicals that are hazardous to the environment and those that are hazardous to health – is at lower levels in 2018 than in 2004.