Sustainability at ACHEMA

Since ACHEMA 2022, exhibitors have been provided exclusively with green electricity. Messe Frankfurt has also been monitoring energy consumption since 2007. By 2020, the base load on the exhibition grounds had been reduced by 30 per cent compared to 2014, which also benefits ACHEMA. Converting the hall lighting to LED, needs-based temperature regulation and centralised lighting control also contribute to a more sustainable trade fair infrastructure. As of 2015, only LED lighting has been offered via the ACHEMA exhibitor portal (‘Cool Light Initiative’).

For ACHEMA 2024, a number of printed information materials, such as hall and service plans, have been replaced. We paid attention to CO₂ compensation for required printed materials such as the ACHEMA catalogue and sent required postal mailings in a climate-neutral manner. Alternatively, the free digital offerings, such as the ACHEMA app or the website www.achema.de, have been further developed in terms of content and functionality as a central and up-to-date source of information. We also consider digital alternatives in our cooperation with service providers, partners and ACHEMA participants.

The aim is to use materials sparingly and to separate waste carefully when setting up and dismantling the trade show, during the trade show and when disposing of it afterwards. Exhibitors also support this initiative. The aim of ACHEMA is a functioning circular economy. With the help of Messe Frankfurt's recycling partner, Meinhardt Städtereinigung (a local company specialising in sorting and recycling), ACHEMA achieves a recycling rate of more than 90 percent. In order to reduce the energy and waste generated at a major event like ACHEMA, energy/electricity and waste-saving measures were developed in 2017 and 2018 in cooperation with TÜV-Süd and Messe Frankfurt and have been implemented and further developed by Messe Frankfurt every year since then. In order to reduce water consumption, the exhibition centre operator uses rainwater as flushing water for the toilet facilities on the exhibition grounds and also irrigates the green areas with rainwater. Via the ACHEMA exhibitor portal, we are working on making the range of system stands and additional equipment for system stands even more sustainable and expanding the continuous use of reusable materials. Since ACHEMA 2022, the aisle carpet laid has been Cradle to Cradle® Bronze certified and can be recycled almost 100 per cent and then reused as plastic granulate.

For the trip to Frankfurt, an event ticket was offered in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn, which guarantees CO₂-free travel with 100% green electricity on long-distance and local Deutsche Bahn services. This train ticket was available at a fixed price on the Deutsche Bahn website. ACHEMA online provides information on other travel options by public transport. To enable participants to travel to the exhibition in an environmentally friendly way, exhibitor passes and visitor tickets purchased online in advance include the use of local public transport (RMV).

Topics and experts dealing with sustainability in the process industries and beyond are a central part of the programme planning of ACHEMA and the ACHEMA Congress. In the digital programme overview, interested parties can search specifically for the topic of sustainability and filter for corresponding events and save them for their visit to the trade fair.