Fertilizers Europe Product Stewardship Programme

Fertilizers Europe (FE), formerly known as the European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association (EFMA), has launched a Product Stewardship Programme (Product Stewardship) with the aim of demonstrating that, when best practice operations are used for the development, manufacturing, storage, transport and use of fertilisers, these products will not represent any health, safety or environmental risks during their entire lifecycle. The FE term “product stewardship” has mostly the same meaning as “responsible care” and, at the same time, covers several aspects of “sustainable development”. This term takes the entire product lifecycle into consideration, from development to application. Major European fertiliser manufacturers have joined the Product Stewardship Programme to counteract the public hostility developed – mostly as a result of recent industrial disasters and environmental problems – to the manufacture and use of fertilisers. As the programme is compulsory for member companies, Nitrogénművek Zrt. has also joined, in its capacity of FE member, the Product Stewardship Programme.

The reasons for the launch of the Product Stewardship Programme are as follows:

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

Member companies have endorsed and embedded the philosophy of responsible care in their organisations and introduced various activities at company level, given that FE may set out requirements that are stricter than the applicable legislative provisions.

The FE members are constantly seeking to improve the health, safety and environmental aspects related to the manufacture, storage, distribution and use of fertilisers.

For assessing the programme status, the FE wishes to examine whether the member companies use compliant practices, procedures and methods during the entire lifecycle of fertilisers. This examination is performed at Nitrogénművek Zrt. every 3 years in the form of audits ending with a certification process (FE certificate).