Product stewardship focuses on identifying and evaluating the possible hazards and risks that may stem from a product throughout all stages of its lifecycle – from research and development through manufacturing, storage, transport, retail and usage to recycling or disposal.
The risk potential is assessed in relation to employees, neighbours, customers and the environment. The aim is then to avoid or reduce these risks as far as possible.
The Linde product stewardship programme includes:
New product introduction
Ensures that before new products with a predefined risk level go to market all applicable safety, health, environment and quality legislation and Linde standards are met and safety, health, environment and quality product lifecycle risks are minimised as far as possible.
Sensitive chemicals management
Ensures prevention of illegal or illicit use of sensitive chemicals (manufacturing of narcotic drugs, chemical and nuclear weapons).
Customer screening
Helps to establish a partnership with the customer in order to ensure that the customer has sufficient safety and security procedures in place in regard to the product and makes sure that all risks are minimised as far as possible in regard to the customer’s process.