Driven by ESG and CSRD requirements, MRO teams are facing growing scrutiny over the use of hazardous substances. Fastener specialist Fabory highlights how industrial buyers are increasingly reassessing maintenance chemical exposure and exploring moving towards safer alternatives.
Across European manufacturing, MRO teams are under increasing pressure to reduce exposure to hazardous substances and demonstrate alignment with environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations.
Credit: Fabory
Fabory - Managing the Chemical Shift
At the centre of this change is a broader reassessment of chemical risk. Under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), organisations must report more transparently on environmental impact and workforce wellbeing.
This includes managing hazardous substances, substituting high-risk chemicals where viable alternatives exist and demonstrating ongoing reduction. Companies are also required to assess Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and CMR substances covering carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic properties.
Fabory reports that this is, in practice, now prompting a wider review of maintenance chemicals. Adhesives remain a known exposure risk, alongside industrial solvents, brake cleaners, polyurethane foams and pressurised aerosol products.
Many aggressive chemical formulations used for cleaning and maintenance can create health risks beyond the point of use; solvents and cleaners may cause respiratory irritation, while long-term exposure can contribute to chronic respiratory issues. Brake cleaners, degreasers and foams can release VOCs and isocyanates, and even with PPE, airborne vapours can affect nearby workers, impacting wellbeing, absenteeism and overall productivity.
In more severe cases, long-term health effects can lead to restricted duties or workforce attrition, creating skills gaps in critical MRO functions. Organisations may also face increased scrutiny during health and safety audits, alongside potential compliance breaches under occupational exposure limits.
According to Fabory, these factors highlight the importance of distinguishing between product composition and application. A product may be more sustainable in formulation but still require careful handling depending on how it is used. This increases the need for technical understanding over reliance on labelling.
Under CSRD and ESG frameworks, organisations are increasingly expected not only to comply but to actively substitute hazardous materials where technically feasible. Where safer alternatives exist, they should be assessed and implemented as part of continuous improvement.
This requirement is influencing procurement in MRO environments, with growing interest in safer, lower-emission, non-hazardous formulations and delivery systems such as those pioneered by Veidec.
Designed to reduce reliance on pressurised propellants and high-risk chemical components, Veidec’s
Greenline and Silverline formulations avoid substances such as isocyanates and reduce hazardous chemical profiles commonly associated with traditional maintenance products. In some cases, alternative delivery systems reduce propellant-driven aerosolisation, lowering exposure risk and environmental impact at the point of use.
These solutions are being increasingly adopted by Fabory clients across steel manufacturing, fabrication, construction, lubrication and industrial cleaning, where performance must be balanced with tighter ESG and safety requirements. But the transition away from established chemistries is not always straightforward.
Ultimately, the chemical shift in maintenance environments is not just about replacing one product with another, but about how organisations assess chemical risk, select materials and document compliance across the full maintenance lifecycle.
The focus is moving towards system-wide risk reduction, greater transparency and more informed chemical management across operations. Rather than viewing ESG and CSRD requirements purely as an obligation, they can also be seen as an opportunity to make maintenance processes structurally safer and more future-proof.
This means looking beyond product labels alone and taking a more critical view of the full usage cycle - from application and exposure to the working environment in which products are used - to support safer, more informed decision-making.
Fabory, alongside Veidec, advises customers with specification support, application assessment, efficiency improvements and chemical guidance to help organisations be better positioned to meet both compliance and operational objectives in the years ahead.