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A new opinion piece by India Glycols’ B.P. Singhal argues that Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) in chemicals has to cover the full journey, product design → sourcing → manufacturing → logistics → end-of-life, with the goal of cutting waste, pollution and overall footprint while also improving efficiency and brand trust.
The article outlines a practical playbook for chemical companies: shift energy use toward renewables via long-term PPAs, redesign products/packaging so they’re easier to reuse/recycle, and push “circularity” into the supplier ecosystem through training and aligned sustainability targets. A big lever is traceability, using tools like product passports, blockchain, QR codes, AI and IoT to track material inputs and share composition data with recyclers and waste managers, making circular models easier to run.
On logistics, it recommends making GHG emissions a planning variable (alongside cost and service), moving fleets toward green fuels, and even future-proofing marine shipping through low-carbon fuels like green methanol or ammonia. Waste is treated as value: reduce on-site waste, reuse where possible by blending with virgin feedstock, and convert non-hazardous non-recyclables into energy (steam/electricity) with better segregation and collection systems.
What makes it hard: high upfront capex, supply-chain complexity, internal resistance, ROI measurement challenges, and uneven regulations across regions. Bottom line: companies that move early on renewable energy + green fuels (hydrogen/green ammonia) can cut climate risk and build a durable cost/competitiveness edge.
