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Chemistry benefits your life
The leading role played by the chemical industry in scientific progress is a silent one but it cannot be denied. Areas as important as hygiene, health, food, home comfort and transport have experienced significant progress as a consequence of the development and use of chemical products.
Throughout history, mankind has constantly fought to survive and improve its quality of life. The day to day process of development is so important that it affects the evolution of longevity. Life expectancy in the early centuries of our era was only 25 years and at the end of the nineteenth century, in many places, it was barely above 35.
Without chemistry, today’s life expectancy would not exceed 40 years. It is products which have been created as a result of this science that help to cure diseases, to increase harvest production and to make drinking water available.
Today around 6.5 billion people live on earth with a greater quality of life and life expectancy than those enjoyed by previous generations. In Spain, the current life expectancy is about 80 years. This has been made possible thanks to the widespread availability of vaccines, antibiotics and many other chemical products.
Effective solutions
Chemistry’s contributions cover aspects as relevant as pharmacological research, the creation of materials and the design of devices as small as a molecule. The chemical sector offers effective solutions for increasing comfort and reducing energy consumption in homes and buildings. For every tonne of CO2 generated in producing insulating materials 200 tonnes of emissions are saved.
In the case of transport, the use of lightweight polymers rather than traditional materials in car manufacturing has made it possible to reduce the fuel consumption per kilometre travelled, and consequently, the emissions. Likewise, incorporating chemical additives in new petrol types has improved their efficiency. In fact, mainly due to chemical products, a modern car gives off a tenth of the pollutants that it released in 1950.
The use of additives, such as preservatives, enables us to keep foods. A single synthetic fibres manufacturing plant supplies the same raw material as 12 million sheep. Circuits, chips, be they silicon or gallium arsenide, liquid crystals and batteries are chemical in origin. Without them it would not be possible to make a computer. Magnetic media, DVDs and CD-ROMs, are manufactured using plastics such as polycarbonate, and the inside of monitors is covered with light-sensitive products. The casing, keyboard, cables and mouse are also made from polymers. This is true of all sorts of other products.
In favour of a cleaner environment
Chemistry has allowed mankind to enjoy greater well-being. In the near future, by collaborating with other disciplines, such as the Environmental Sciences, it will make progress in favour of a cleaner environment. In pursuit of this objective, the Spanish chemical industry currently makes up 18% of the resources that Spanish companies assign to environmental protection. The sector is leading this area with a total investment figure of almost 400 million euros. They are working on designing better catalysts and new chemical energy storage systems which will enable us to have vehicles that only emit water vapour, for example.
The Spanish chemical industry generates 10% of the Gross Domestic Product and over 500,000 jobs. The chemical sector is the second biggest exporter in the country, and the top investor in RDI and environmental protection, according to the Spanish Chemical Industry Business Federation (FEIQUE).
Since 1993, the sector has managed the Responsible Care Programme, the objective of which is to continually improve environmental protection, safety and health protection in chemical companies in line with sustainable development principles.
The international Responsible Care Programme operates in 52 countries all over the world. The chemical industry is the only one to have a worldwide programme of these characteristics.
Since the programme was launched, the pollutant emissions inherent to manufacturing processes and combustion have reduced by 56%. The main reason for this improvement lies in the use of increasingly clean technologies. Greenhouse effect gases have dropped by 18% since 1999.
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