Publications

🔍🌱 ESIG's new short film sheds light on why it’s essential to look beyond marketing labels and check product details carefully to make well-informed and safe choices. 📽️ Watch now and learn more!

Enjoy reading this new edition of the ESIG SOLUTIONS Newsletter - Summer 2025 and catch up on all the latest news from the solvents industry and our association. Highlights: #PeopleBehindTheSolvents: Meet Rob Oades, wew Trainings in September, safety Resources: updated respiratory protection guidelines and a new film on static electricity, data & transparency, our short film “Eco, Bio, Green – But is it Safe?” sparks critical dialogue

Enjoy reading this Winter 2024 edition of Solutions Newsletter that will provide you with the main updates on the activities of the European Solvents Industry Group!

Enjoy reading this Summer 2024 edition of Solutions Newsletter that will provide you with the main updates on the activities of the European Solvents Industry Group!

Measuring exposure to solvent vapours is key to understand whether the controls you have in place are sufficient to protect workers’ health. Learn more about the available techniques and how to design effective measurement programmes for your workplace by accessing the 2024 updated Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) “Strategies and Techniques for Measuring Solvent Vapour Concentrations in the Work Environment”  

Enjoy reading this Winter 2023 edition of Solutions Newsletter that will provide you with the main updates on the activities of the European Solvents Industry Group!

Watch our video on Solvents’ contribution to UN SDGs: Electronic Devices

Watch our video on Solvents’ contribution to UN SDG 7: Solar Panels

Watch our video on Solvents’ contribution to UN SDG 11: Insulation

Watch our video on Solvents’ contribution to UN SDG 12: Bridge

Enjoy reading this new edition of SOLUTIONS that will provide you with the main updates on the activities of the European Solvents Industry Group!

Enjoy reading this new edition of SOLUTIONS that will provide you with the main updates on the activities of the European Solvents Industry Group!

In this summer 2022 edition of SOLUTIONS, you will find the latest news on ESIG projects: from our updated Flammability Guidelines to our engagement in the intensive measurement period dedicated to ozone episodes in summer 2022. What else? More details on the upcoming Solvents Training with the SIA and the belated celebration of ESIG’s 25th anniversary in October.

Static electricity is one of the main hazards associated with flammable solvents. Learn about the potential sources of static electricity and how to safely handle solvents in the workplace via our updated best practice guide. In June 2022, ESIG has updated the Flammability Guidelines to explain the main characteristics of solvent flammability and provide recommendations for safe handling and use.

This factsheet published in April 2020 and updated inQ1/2022 gives an overview of which solvents can be found in indoor air and explains why VOC solvents are still present in dedicated applications.

Life Cycle Inventories / Environmental Footprint Datasets, Solvents VOC Inventories, Generic Exposure Scenarios, ESIG Solvents Exposure Database, Solvents@Work, Bio-based Solvents, Cefic News, SIA News

Topics: Topics: ESIG Stakeholder days, ESIG's 25th Anniversary, Key applications page, Product Stewardship at ESIG, Solvents VOC emissions, ESIG Solvents Award, Cefic News, SIA News

This factsheet published in April 2020 gives an overview of which solvents can be found in indoor air and explains why VOC solvents are still present in dedicated applications. A technical paper published at the same time shows the industry's commitment to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and improving indoor air quality.

This updated technical paper from 2020 shows the industry's commitment to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and improving indoor air quality.

This Factsheet gives an overview of what solvents are, which solvents are in ESIG’s portfolio, for which applications they are used and how they are regulated in the EU.

This Factsheet explains the role of the European Solvents Industry Group (ESIG).

The Solvents@Work campaign is part of our continuous effort to encourage responsible and safe handling of solvents. This document gives you an overview of all the tools (videos, posters, guidelines etc.) that we have developed to help downstream users comply with the highest level of health, safety and environmental standards.

ESIG published an article in the June 2019 edition of the European Coatings Journal on its Ge­neric Exposure Scenarios (GES), which are THE solvents industry standard in Europe today to ensure REACH compliance through the supply chain.

This film enables users to identify health and environmental hazards and to implement best practices to ensure the safe handling of solvents. It is a joint production with the UK Solvents Industry Association (SIA).

Solvents are an invaluable solution for industries that range from pharmaceuticals and microelectronics to domestic cleaning, personal care and printing. Find out the variety of ways solvents are present in and enhance our everyday lives.

Watch this video to learn about solvents and the industry’s impact in Europe. See how ESIG encourages best practice and supports innovation.

Discover how ESIG has engaged since its formation in 1996 in furthering the scientific and technical understanding on solvents and air quality contributing to reduce solvents' VOC emissions.

In this video we will explain how to calculate an OEL based on the RCP. To learn more on what the RCP is and how this has evolved, watch our first video.

To protect workers' health, ESIG has just published two videos explaining how to calculate occupational exposure limits of hydrocarbon solvents thanks to the Reciprocal Calculation Procedure.

This paper determines what airborne protection is needed to transfer volatile solvents in a workplace. The proposed measures enable to reduce the average emissions by over 90%.

This Factsheet explains how solvents make it possible to process, apply, clean or separate materials.

Designed to support hauliers, drivers and site operators, this short film encourages best practices in the transport of solvents and bulk transfer between vehicles and storage vessels.

This fact sheet shows how the solvents industry has implemented measures to address concerns about environmental performance and has worked with industry partners, scientists and legislators to further explore the need and the means to improve air quality in a cost-effective manner.

This fact sheet  shows what part the solvents industry plays in reducing ozone peaks and how it has substantially reduced its emissions to contribute to air quality in Europe.

For many products to perform effectively, solvents are simply essential. Everyday, we benefit from the diverse range of available solvents and their unique properties. Read this brochure to learn more about solvents.

Determining the vapour pressures for solvents with low volatility can be difficult and time-consuming. This 2002 paper by Erik Olsen explains how to use a simple calculation tool to determine whether solvents are VOCs under the definition of the EU Solvent Emissions (NEC) Directive.

ESIG in collaboration with the UK Solvents Industry Association (SIA) and the European Safety Federation (ESF) has updated the « Solvents and the safe use of gloves » film (available in six languages). This video shows how to select the appropriate gloves for a particular solvent, and how to use gloves for maximum protection.

Using Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) to handle solvent products presents unique hazards. This short video contains valuable guidance on IBC selection, and best practice for storage and handling as well as information about relevant legislation.

This fact sheet shows the amount of Carbon included in some of the most commonly used solvents. The list is divided between family (Alcohols, Esters, etc.), solvent, CAS number and Carbon content (%m).

Identify potential sources of static electricity in the workplace and implement measures to avoid static discharge. Useful for all handlers of solvent-based materials.

Gloves are key to safely using solvents at work. Learn about best practice from experts you and your team can rely on.

Ensure everyone at your workplace knows the do’s and don’ts for safely using solvents.

Get 10 safety tips for using gloves that are simple and easy for anyone to understand.

This paper from July 2017 provides an update on the application of the reciprocal calculation procedure (RCP) method to calculate occupational exposure levels for hydrocarbon solvents taking into account recent toxicological information and changes in regulatory requirements.

The objective of this position paper is to share some of the key lessons learnt from the EU air quality legislation. This May 2017 paper shows the industry's commitment to improve air quality.

This May 2011 scientific paper explores how generic exposure scenarios have been developed, applied and interpreted under REACH.