In 2023, the European Union produced a total of 218 million tonnes of industrial chemicals (both hazardous and non-hazardous) and consumed 227 million tonnes, marking a 13% decrease in production and a 14% drop in consumption compared to 2022.
According to Eurostat, the EU produced 167 million tonnes of chemicals hazardous to health in 2023, an 11% decline from 2022. Production of environmentally hazardous chemicals decreased by 4%, reaching 68 million tonnes.
The consumption of hazardous chemicals also fell in 2023. A total of 167 million tonnes of chemicals hazardous to health were used, a 14% reduction compared to 2022. Consumption of environmentally hazardous chemicals dropped by 12%, totaling 57 million tonnes.
Looking back, both the production and consumption of hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals rose between 2004 and 2007, before declining during the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. Following a recovery in 2010, chemical production and consumption remained stable until 2020 but have been declining over the past three years.