1.1. Contact organisation

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

1.2. Contact organisation unit

E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

1.3. Contact name

Confidential because of GDPR

1.4. Contact person function

Confidential because of GDPR

1.5. Contact mail address

Joseph Bech Building​​​​​​​
5, rue Alphonse Weicker
L-2721 Luxembourg

1.6. Contact email address

Confidential because of GDPR

1.7. Contact phone number

Confidential because of GDPR

1.8. Contact fax number

Confidential because of GDPR

2.1. Metadata last certified

26 March 2023

2.2. Metadata last posted

30 April 2025

2.3. Metadata last update

30 April 2025

The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 12 on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under 'Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature'.

SDG 12 calls for a comprehensive set of actions from businesses, policy-makers, researchers and consumers to adapt to sustainable practices. It envisions sustainable production and consumption based on advanced technological capacity, resource efficiency and reduced global waste.

The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) framework aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment through better identification and management of hazardous chemicals. The framework will be updated, supported by the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, which aims to improve the protection of the environment and our health from risks posed by chemicals and to support innovation for safe and sustainable chemicals.

4.1. Data description

This indicator measures the consumption of toxic chemicals, expressed in million tonnes. The consumption of chemicals is calculated as the sum of the production volumes (PRODCOM) and the net import volumes of the chemicals (COMEXT) according to the equation: Consumption = production + imports – exports.
The data on hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals show the total consumption of all chemicals. The two sub-categories of hazardous chemicals – hazardous to human health and hazardous to the environment – overlap by definition and as a result their sum is not equal to the total consumption of hazardous chemicals.

4.2. Unit of measure

Million tonnes:

1. Hazardous and non-hazardous - total;
2. Hazardous total;
3. Hazardous to health;
4. Hazardous to environment.

4.3. Reference Period

Calendar year.

4.4. Accuracy - overall

The indicator is produced according to the quality standards of European Statistics.

4.5. Source data

4.5.1. Source data - Organisation

ESS (PRODCOM; COMEXT).

4.5.2. Source data - Comment

Data sources: Statistics on the production of manufactured goods (PRODCOM) and Statistics on international trade in goods (COMEXT)(ENV_CHMHAZ).

Data provider: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

5.1. Frequency of dissemination

5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade

Every year

5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment

Indicator is updated annually.

5.2. Timeliness

5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade

T+1 year

5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment

New data points are disseminated within one year after the reference year.

6.1. Reference area

6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade

Only EU aggregate

6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment

Data are presented only as EU aggregate; no individual EU Member States data are available.

6.2. Comparability - geographical

6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade

Not Applicable

6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment

Not applicable, only EU aggregate.

6.3. Coverage - Time

6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade

> 10 years

6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment

Presented time series starts in 2004.

6.4. Comparability - over time

6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade

> 4 data points

6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment

Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.

7.1. Dissemination format - Publications

Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).

7.2. Dissemination format - online database

See the table  sdg_12_10.

7.3. Dissemination format - other

Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs (Overview).

Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.

SE Article - Chemicals production and consumption statistics
Methodological report "Compilation of chemical indicators"