Chemistry and Green Chemistry
In Veneto Region, the Chemical Industry played a relevant role, since the beginning of the 20th century; in 1937-1940 the number of employees of the Region was over 4,3%, much higher than the national average.
The production was distributed throughout the Region, but in the first half of century, the building of the Chemical and Petrochemical Complex of Marghera, the new industrial port of Venice, boosted the production.
On the beginning of the '60, the Chemical and Petrochemical Complex of Marghera reached the maximum number of emplyees, over 15000 for over 40 local units.
After the second half of the 70', the market of the Chemical Industry gradually changed, the basic production began to decline and to convert into production with higher added value.
Now, the companies in the Region are more than 580, employing around 15000 employees; the companies are located in the following braches:
- 28% basic chemicals
- 25% cosmetics and cleaning products
- 21% paints, varnishes, enamel, printing inks and mastics (adhesives)
- 5% in the pharmaceutical
- 3% refinery of oil and cocke production
- 2% pesticides and chemical products for agriculture
- 1% man-made fibers
- 24% other products
In 2012, the value of the imports are approximately 4.2 billion of euros, exports are around 2.5 billion, while the negative value of the Balance of Trade was almost 1.7 billion euros; the value of the chimical production is absorbed by internal market.
The Chemical and Petrochemical Complex of Marghera - Port of Venice currently consists in more than 1200 employees and 14 local units.
The process to steer the conversion of the Chemical Complex was not simple and quite long; in 1998 an Agreement for the Chemistry was signed by the Government, local Public Administrations, trade associations and workers' unions and in 2007, the the same signed the "Protocol for sharing of the strategic guidelines for the conversion and development of Marghera".
The guidelines pointed out the need the sustainable conversion of the chemistry, giving the kick start to plot business ideas for green chemistry and biofuels.
From the outcome of the Protocol, in 2012, a new Agreement for the Remediation was signed, in wich many lots are expected to be tranferred to Public Domain and reallocated to Companies that have investments projects within the guidelines of the Protocol itself.
Meanwhile, many innovation facilities were settled, among which Nanofab, the laboratories for nanotechnologies, the Hydrogen Park, that led to the construction of the first hydrogen power plant in the world, and the Science and Technology park.
Currently, the real opportunity of a Green Chemistry Complex is facing, after the expression of interest of two major Corportion, ENI Group and Mossi & Ghisolfi Group, to allocate substantial investments for the production of second generation biofuels.