"And while the law of competition may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department."
- Andrew Carnegie

"Business is a combination of war and sport."
- Andre Maurois

"Failure doesn't mean you are a failure it just means you haven't succeeded yet."
- Robert H. Schuller

"Always remember that the future comes one day at a time."
- Dean Acheson

"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery."
- Harold Wilson

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."
- Maya Angelou

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled."
- Richard P. Feynman

"Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination."
- John Dewey

"No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong."
- Albert Einstein
 

Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall?

While the chemicals found in some fruits and vegetables remain hidden during the summer, the cooler temperatures of fall halt the production of green, allowing the colors to take the stage. Scientists have focused on just how leaves get ready for the annual fall show. While the molecules responsible for the familiar oranges and yellows are understood, the vibrant reds produced are still intriguing.

Green-tinted chlorophyll , which enables the leaves to capture sunlight and produce energy, is sensitive to the cold. Leaves stop producing chlorophyll in response to the typical chilly weather and decreased daylight of fall. An early frost will turn off this production even quicker. Carotenoids – the orange and yellow pigments that already exist in the leaves- shine through the leaves’ washed out green.

Less is known about the red hues that appear in the northern forests. The red color comes from anthocyanins. Unlike carotenoids, these are only produced in the fall. These red pigments behave like a sunscreen for the tree, blocking out harmful radiation and protecting the leaf from excess light. In addition, they serve as antifreeze, protecting the cells from freezing easily and are also beneficial as antioxidants. Stress in the environment such as freezing temperatures, UV radiation, drought and fungus cause trees to produce them as a response.

Why would a tree put its energy towards making anthocyanins, just when the leaf is about to fall off? There has been speculation that it could be something that simply helps the tree deal with stress. It may help the leaf stay on the tree a little longer, providing a means for it to absorb some of the good things before falling off. Those resources could then be used by the tree in the next growing season. Scientists hope that studying anthocyanins will enlighten them more about the degree to which some trees are stressed. Such information could provide a better idea of environmental issues sooner.
 

SourceFinder Makes Exhibition Experience More Productive and Beneficial

Chemical Information Services is proud to announce the release of SourceFinder. This collaboration between Chemspec and Chemical Information Services offers exhibitors and attendees a vast array of valuable tools, aimed at making their exhibition experience more worthwhile and beneficial. The unique information resource enables show participants to find the vital information they need before, during and after a show, utilizing powerful features found in Chemical Information Services’ network of database products. Attendees may perform company, product, structure and CAS number searches as well as locate the latest industry news and organize vital show information. SourceFinder is a unique internet resource that provides a selection of functions to assist exhibitors in putting their best foot forward during the show, enabling them to showcase their high-value information and documentation to attendees.

SourceFinder will be available at the following exhibitions in 2010:

• Chemspec India - Mumbai, April 15th and 16th
• Chemspec Europe - Berlin, June 9th and 10th
• Chemspec Latin America - Mexico City, September 16th and 17th
• Chemspec Middle East - Dubai, November 25th and 26th

Crucell Receives Funding for Influenza Antibody

Dutch biopharma company, Crucell, N.V. has received a funding contract in the amount of $40.7 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)/National Institutes of Health (NIH). The contract is aimed at advancing the development of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of seasonal and pandemic influenza, particularly the H1N1 influenza virus (swine flu) and the Avian H5N1 virus (bird flu). The contract may also provide an additional awarded amount of $28.4 million, at NIH’s discretion.

With recent reports of A/H1N1 oseltamivir resistance occurring, this contract will provide Crucell and its partners with the funding to pursue a new approach for the treatment of the disease. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is the current first-line therapeutic against H1N1 viruses. However, the newly discovered antibodies have been shown to be active against the seasonal and pandemic H1N1 (swine flu) and Avian H5N1 (bird flu) viruses, which are currently circulating in Asia.

The development of unique human monoclonal antibodies that have shown to protect against seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses, has confirmed the validity of Crucell’s innovative antibody approach.
 

Entegrion Awarded Navy Contracts

Entegrion, the life sciences company, has been awarded two contracts by the U.S. Navy to implement its proprietary technologies to improve the safety and availability of blood-derived products for treating combat injuries. Blood component therapy has proven essential in responding to traumatic injury.

Use of blood components are moving toward earlier and more aggressive clinical practice, however, availability of these therapies are limited due to shelf-life and storage requirements. Entegrion’s technologies are producing blood-derived products that do not require refrigeration, have fewer pathogens, and can be stored for longer periods.

The advanced development of Stasix®, a dehydrated platelet-derived hemostatic agent, is being funded by the first contract. Stasix® allows for reconstitution and transfusion to control non-compressible internal bleeding.

An additional $2 million contract will fund the advanced development of Resusix®, dehydrated, pathogen-reduced, fresh human plasma. Resusix® is used for infusion in trauma patients; expanding blood volume, correcting abnormal coagulation function, and supporting hemostasis.

The U.S. Navy’s funding marks the fourth major contract Entegrion has received over the last six years.
 

Monsanto EVP and CFO to Retire

Leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products, Monsanto Company announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Terry Crews will retire from the company effective Nov. 30, 2009. Executive Vice President of Strategy and Operations, Carl Casale has been named as Crews’ successor effective Sept. 1, 2009. Crews will serve as Special Assistant to the CEO through Nov. 30, 2009.


 

Researcher Receives Grace Award

Ranjit Kumar has been recognized by W.R. Grace & Co. with the 2008 Grace Award for Technical Excellence. The R&D Fellow received the award for his work to develop novel fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts that reduce the impact of metals during the processing of crude oil. Petroleum refineries use catalysts to “crack” the large hydrocarbon molecules in distilled crude oil in order to produce transportation fuels, such as gasoline and diesel. The refining industry’s focus in recent years has been on processing larger amounts of heavy crude oil in FCC units. Heavy crude presents a special challenge; it typically contains high levels of contaminant metals like vanadium. This lowers the effectiveness of catalysts and generates more light gases and residue, at the expense of valuable products like gasoline. Ranjit’s accomplishment involves the identification of a process for incorporating vanadium trapping capability into FCC catalysts. This technology is currently used in about half of the FCC catalysts manufactured at Grace, with significant impact on the industry in general. Ranjit joined Grace in 1984 and is currently an R&D Fellow for Grace Davison Refining Technologies.

NOVA Chemicals CFO to Retire

NOVA Chemicals recently announced that Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Larry A. MacDonald will retire effective December 31, 2009. MacDonald has been with the company for more than 30 years. During his tenure, he held various leadership positions and was a member of NOVA’s Executive Leadership Team. Through the end of the year, MacDonald will continue to focus on the company’s refinancing plans and the transition of business activities under their new IPIC ownership.

Pacific Biosciences Raises Additional Funds

Menlo Park, Calif.-based Pacific Biosciences, Inc. recently reported raising an additional $68 million in financing. Financing for the DNA sequencing technology company comes from a combination of both new and previous investors, including U.K.-based Wellcome Trust, St. Louis, Mo.-based Monsanto and Palo Alto, Calif.-based Sutter Hill Ventures. Pacific Biosciences future plans include the launch of the commercial version of its SMRT Sequencing System in the second half of next year. Founded in 2004, the company received an Advanced Sequencing Technology Award grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute to develop the $1,000 genome.

Calcium Carbide Production Stopped at China Plant

A subsidiary of China National Chemical Corporation has stopped production of calcium carbide because of low profits. Hunan Xiangwei Company Ltd’s 65,000 tonne/year plant had been in operation more than 30 years. The company, located in Xupu County, Hunan Province, closed on August 9. It had been purchasing calcium carbide rather than producing because the price gap had reached CNY600/tonne. A better production structure can now be chosen for the company that produces vinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and PVA fiber.

Oxea Acquires Esters Plant

Oxea announced that it had completed its acquisition of the Amsterdam Esters Plant in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on August 1, 2009. Acquiring the esters plant from ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V. will strengthen the global chemical company’s position in specialty chemicals, as well as broadening its application basis and provide an extension of its value chain.

While additional expertise will be brought in to the existing operations of the plant, the company assures it will keep all employees in Amsterdam. New base materials will also be brought in for ester productions, making Oxea more independent and improving its flexibility.

Esters are organic compounds used in the production of lubricants, flavorings, cosmetics, coatings, and pharmaceutical products. Oxea also supplies solvents, polyols, and oxo-derivatives used in these areas, as well as for fragrances, plastics, and printing inks.
 

Trevira to Cut Workforce by 300

As part of Trevira’s restructuring effort to sell the insolvent textile fiber and polyester producer to investors, it is expecting to cut 17% of its workforce – about 300 jobs. Most of the job cuts would take place in production and administration.

The Germany-based company filed for insolvency in June and hopes to sell its Germany and Poland operations to investors. In addition, a buyout by management is being negotiated for Trevira’s operations in Denmark and Belgium.

Trevira is part of Reliance Industries, an Indian petrochemicals company which bought Trevira in 2004. Previously, it was part of Hoechst, the German pharmaceuticals and chemicals company, which formed Aventis after a merger with French company Rhone-Poulenc.

Hovione Sales Increase for Fiscal Year

Hovione recently announced a growth in consolidated sales of 21% for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, amounting to $125.5 million. In 2008, the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturer negotiated the acquisition of a Pfizer manufacturing facility, located in Cork, Ireland.

This facility offers a state-of-the-art spray drying building, as well as a world-class production capacity, providing an increased capacity to meet its clients growing production requirements. Additionally, Hovione will have the ability to manage the growing opportunities for outsourcing in Large Pharma.

Furthermore, Hovione invested heavily in production links and particle design technologies in both Hovione Portugal and Hisyn, China.

Hovione marks 50 years of experience in API development and compliant manufacture in 2009, with four FDA inspected sites in U.S.A., Portugal, China, and Ireland.
 

Oltchim Cutting Workforce by One-Third

As part of its restructuring plan, Oltchim will reduce its workforce to 2,593 employees by the end of 2009. The Romanian chemical company expects to offset some of the job losses by outsourcing. The decision to cut one third of Oltchim’s labor force was voted through by the company’s shareholders.

Oltchim had been planning to buy the petrochemical unit of Romania’s Petrom Group, Arpechim, which served as Oltchim’s main feedstock supplier. However, its closure last November left Oltchim searching for alternate sources of feedstock and operating at one third of its potential.

The acquisition of Arpechim was to be funded by loans backed by Romanian state guarantees, however, Oltchim’s German minority shareholder, Petro Carbo Chem (PCC), is issuing a complaint to the European Commission Directorate General for Competition challenging the provision of the guarantees.
 

Cognis Develops New Emulsifier Compound for Baked Goods

Cognis Nutrition & Health recently launched a safe, easy, all-in-one solution to meet the needs of cake gel manufacturers. The global supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients has launched its Lamemul GP 84-6 - a new, high-performance emulsifier compound. The single product is used in place of the multitude of different emulsifiers used previously, thereby simplifying the production process, making it easier, safer, more reliable and guaranteeing consistently outstanding quality. The end result is high-quality baked products with a long shelf-life, making life easier for both manufacturers and consumers.
 

Clariant Launches Web Presence for Defoamers

Clariant recently launched a comprehensive web presence for its newly acquired defoamers business. Through web pages found at www.defoamers.us , customers and prospects can become better acquainted with Clariant’s know-how and family of technologies for more than 100 different foam-control products, silicone fluids and emulsions in end-use markets. Visitors to the Defoamers web pages can download product bulletins, request product samples, ask questions, make general inquiries and send email directly to contacts for the business.

Clariant acquired the XL Performance Chemicals from FibroChem LLC and its affiliates in May. The business opportunity offered more than a $2billion global market which is growing annually at a rate of 4-to-5 percent. Manufacturing will continue to be centered in the U.S. at a facility in Greenville, S.C. operated under a toll agreement, with the potential for Clariant to transfer manufacturing to its own strategically located plants elsewhere in the world as market penetration and growth increases.

Cytec Launches One New Product and Increases Production in Another

Global specialty chemicals and materials company, Cytec Industries, Inc., has launched its DUROXYN® VEF 2406 barrier primer and DUROXYN® EF 2107 liquid coating resins. The tannin blocking emulsion for architectural wood coatings presents a new technology minus the need for expensive reactive pigments. They provide a platform for fast drying coatings with excellent recoat properties. The coatings are below 100 g/L VOC and still match or exceed performance properties of conventional solvent-borne tannin blocking primers.

The company also announced the startup of new capacity for its BECKOPOXTM water-borne epoxy hardeners and dispersions at their Langley, South Carolina facility. A domestic supply of these products will now be offered to Cytec’s North American customers.

Diabetes Drug Approved in U.S.

Januvia, Germany’s best-selling treatment for adult diabetes will be competing with a new pill AstraZeneca has developed in partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb.

AstraZeneca received approval from the FDA in America for Onglyza, making it the first new pill launched by AstraZeneca in the U.S. since 2003 when it began selling Crestor, its anti-cholesterol treatment. Onglyza treats Type II diabetes, a condition an estimated 24 million people suffer from (approximately 10% of the U.S. population). Expected to achieve $1 billion in annual sales, the once-a-day pill’s approval is especially significant in America because it is the largest healthcare market in the world.

Dapagliflozin, a second diabetes treatment, is also being tested by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Par Pharmaceutical & Aveva Drug Gain Final Approval to Market Generic Drug

Aveva Drug Delivery Systems, licensing partner for Par Pharmaceuticals, has received final FDA approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for a clonidine transdermal system. Clonidine TDS is a generic version of Boehringer Ingelheim's Catapres TTS® and is the first generic seven-day patch indicated in the treatment of hypertension. According to IMS Health data, annual sales in the U.S. for Catapres TTS® were approximately $297M. Par expects to ship clonidine TDS to the trade in the near future. Terms of the agreement provide Par with the exclusive rights to market, sell and distribute Aveva's clonidine TDS in the U.S. Aveva will manufacture the product and the companies will share profits from the sales of the product.

FDA Approves Another Cholesterol Drug in U.S.

The FDA has approved another cholesterol drug in the U.S. Kowa Pharmaceuticals America reacquired the rights to sell the generic drug pitavastatin under the brand name Livalo. Novartis gave up the rights to pitavastatin in 2005 when it made the decision to focus on conditions such as metabolic disorders and hypertension. The change cost the pharmaceutical company $266m.

While most statins carry a risk when taken with other drugs such as the blood thinner, warfarin, Livalo is metabolized differently. Therefore, patients do not experience the same interactions that can be a concern while taking multiple medications.

Launch of the drug in the U.S. is planned for early 2010.

Dermik Laboratories Offers Skin Care Option

Dermik Laboratories announced the availability of the BenzaClin carekit (clindamycin 1%-benzoyl peroxide 5% gel), prescribed for patients with acne. The Sanofi-Aventis U.S. business offers this unique option to those who want to add a moisturizing agent to their skin care therapy regimen. Acne affects nearly 80% of people between the ages of 12 and 24.

BenzaClin features the 50g BenzaClin PUMP with 20 ampoules of the topical hyaluronic acid cosmetic product, Viscontour Serum. It offers a convenient way of moisturizing, acting as a natural moisture reservoir for the skin.
BenzaClin offers physicians another choice of what to provide patients seeking moisture care, while still treating their acne. Both are now available in one easy to write prescription.

Patients can choose the unique and convenient BenzaClin 50g PUMP or the BenzaClin 25g jar. It has been shown to reduce acne in as little as two weeks, combining the acne-fighting substances of clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide.

China Green Agriculture Launches New Fertilizer Products

China Green Agriculture, Inc. a leading producer and distributor of humic acid ("HA") based liquid compound fertilizer through its wholly owned subsidiary, Shaanxi TechTeam Jinong Humic Acid Product Co., Ltd., launched three new liquid based fertilizer products in the quarter ended June 30, 2009.

The first product, Dao Sheng is a product specifically developed to strengthen the immune system for transplanted rice seedlings, protecting them from various diseases while increasing output. The next product, Jin Wang Ting can be applied to crops in three different growing stages, improving root system development, strengthening vegetative parts, and stimulating the flowering stage. The third product, Xian Jian hinders bacterial growth in the soil which leads to root degradation, improving the survival rate of transplant and grafted seedlings for melon while increasing both sugar and vitamin content in melon.

China Green Agriculture currently offers 134 different humic acid based liquid compound fertilizers. Distribution is handled by the company’s 530 individual distributors covering 27 provinces in China and is certified by the Chinese government as "Green Food Production Materials".
 

Romania's Petrom May Close Subsidiary

Doljchim Craiova, the chemical fertilizer and methanol subsidiary of Romania’s Petrom, may be forced to close at least temporarily, possibly permanently. Majority-owned by Austria’s OMV, Petrom has searched for a partner to manage its plants, but is now considering other options, including selling its petrochemical unit, Arpechim, to Romanian company Oltchim.

Doljchim Craiova is the sole producer of chemical fertilizers in southwest Romania. It has been producing urea, ammonia, ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid for more than 40 years.
However, its overall sales of chemical fertilizers fell 37% the first half of 2009, to 173,000 tonnes compared to the same period last year. A 230,000 tonne/year methanol plant is also part of Doljchim Craiova.

Monsanto R&D Projects on Verge of Breakthrough

Monsanto, a U.S. agricultural firm, is approaching an unprecedented technology explosion that will double yields in their three core crops. Several projects that will improve corn, cotton, and soybean yields are in the research and development pipeline promising to deliver the types of products growers are seeking.

There are seven new seed and biotechnology projects aimed at generating $3 billion in incremental gross income for Monsanto. As part of their partnership with Germany’s BASF, the drought-tolerant corn family; the nitrogen-utilization corn family; and the broad-acre, higher-yielding corn and soybean families are included in the projects.

Monsanto is projecting an expansion of its seeds and traits business at a 20% compound annual growth rate from 2007 to 2012. The company is committed to double its 2007 gross project by 2012, reaching $7.3 to $7.5 billion.

Novozymes Adjusts Enzymes Expansion

Because of weakened demand from the U.S. ethanol industry, Novozymes has adjusted planned enzymes expansion for bioethanol production. However, operating profit margins of 19-20% through year’s end will be continued due to positive currency rates and a slower rate of cost increases. Profits grew by 7% year to year, pushing the firm’s operating profit margin to 19.3%, equal to Danish kroner (DKK) 802m – or $153 million – in the first half of 2009.

Sales of enzymes for fuel ethanol production grew by 3% in the first half of the year, but later fell by 3%. The Danish enzyme product attributes lowered enzyme-dosing requirements to lower utilization rates at ethanol plants, resulting in longer fermentation times.

A sales growth of 5% is projected for ethanol enzymes in local currencies for the remainder of the year.
 

Dow Coating Materials Joins Forces with Getty Conservation Institute and Tate

Dow Coating Materials (DCM), a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, has partnered with Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) and Tate as part of ongoing research to develop more effective methods for cleaning works of art created with acrylic paint. Dow is a global leader in the manufacture of the base latexes for acrylic house-paints, as well as many raw materials used in house-paints, cleaning products, fine art acrylic paints, and conservation materials The company is sharing its expertise in designing and evaluating cleaning systems with scientists seeking to preserve important works of art made with acrylic paints from the last 50 years.

Findings from this collaborative effort are expected to have far-reaching effects. Since the 1960’s, acrylic media for works of art have accounted for approximately 50 percent of artist paint sales, with acrylic emulsion products being the most commonly used priming medium for modern canvases. The initial research results from this effort were presented in May 2009 during the General Session of the American Institute for Conservation’s 37th Annual Conference.

Since early 2008, GCI scientists have been working with Dow research chemist Melinda Keefe and Dr. Bronwyn Ormsby of Tate in London to develop cleaning formulations for the removal of dirt from artists’ acrylic emulsion paint films. Dow’s unique High Throughput Research (HTR) will be used to identify potential cleaning solutions that will effectively remove surface dirt without altering or damaging the paint layers beneath. HTR utilizes computer modeling and robotics that dramatically reduce the time required to explore and implement new solutions.


PPG Introduces Single-Source Coating System

PPG Industries recently introduced its VIVATI™ vacuum metalized coating system for consumer products. This highly chromatic, high-performance coating delivers new aesthetics, increases production yields and speeds up product launches. Vacuum metalized coatings are used to place a thin metal layer on plastic substrates, and they decorate many hand-held devices in bright, shiny colors. Such coatings are also used in toys, personal computers, automotive trim, sporting goods, decorative fixtures and many other products. Manufacturers typically purchase three coating layers – primer, base coat and clear coat – from multiple suppliers. The VIVATI™ coatings offer the first integrated system from a single supplier. As a single-source coating system, VIVATI™ coatings enable manufacturers to better control and manage the vacuum metalizing process. The primer, base and clear coats all come from one supplier, working together for performance and application. The end result is a larger operating window with fewer mistakes and higher production output. Manufacturers realize increased yields and expedited launches of new products and colors as a result.
 

PolyMirae Offers New PP for Use in Food Contact Applications

A new polypropylene (PP) resin suitable for food containers has been developed by South Korea-based PolyMirae Company Ltd., a joint venture of LyondellBasell and Daelim.

Clyrell RC5056 is suitable for food contact applications such as baby bottles and containers, which is especially significant with the level of alarm over such containers made with Bisphenol-A. The new PP resin possesses such characteristics as high gloss, high chemical inertness durability, resistance to high temperatures, and transparency. The polypropylene resin can withstand various processing methods including injection molding, injection blow molding, and injection stretch blow molding. In addition, the resin is recyclable and meets the food contact cooking requirements established by the FDA.

Compared with a haze value of 18 in the other standard PP random copolymers, Clyrell RC5056’s easy processing provides an attractive cost/performance ratio and a very low haze value of 9. Additionally, it offers a potential cycle time reduction of 10%.

Unemployment Rises in German Plastics and Rubber Sectors

According to the Statistisches Bundesamt in Wiesbaden, the plastics and rubber sector is suffering due to the economic downturn. Germany’s manufacturers recorded the highest reduction in hours worked in June – an 11.5% decline. In addition, a 4.2% decline in employed workers was recorded compared with June 2008 – down to 305,000. June marked the sharpest year-on-year decline in the monthly manufacturing employment data since December 2002.

Simona, the German thermoplastics firm, is considering closing one production site due to continued losses. Germany’s unemployment is expected to rise sharply as government-supported short-time work programs expire. Chemicals and plastics manufacturers have been using these programs to cope with the economic downturn.

In contrast, Altana, Germany’s specialty chemicals producer, has been ending short-time work because order levels have improved. Under short-time work, employers reduce wages in line with reduced hours. Workers are partly compensated for the loss in wages by payments from government unemployment insurance. A number of German chemical producers have used the programs recently, as means of coping with the economic downturn.

Symrise Analyzes Social Media to Develop New Products

To meet its own high standards regarding consumer insights, Symrise recently began working with web-based methods of qualitative research. The global supplier of fragrances and flavorings utilized social media to gain insight about citrus drinks and the preferences and perceptions consumers have regarding them. Using the consumers’ needs and perceptions obtained in the preliminary findings, the company wants to develop ideas and visions for future citrus products.

While the company has successfully created a global umbrella brand with its NATURALLY CITRUS!® product, Symrise wanted to find out what the next step should be. The company turned to netnography, an ethnography-inspired process of observation used on the Web, to carry out this study. Netnography takes advantage of the fact that users in online communities exchange their thoughts directly, openly and without regard for hierarchies, and new topics spread quickly online. Consumer statements from various electronic media - Internet communities, forums, blogs and review pages- were thoroughly assessed over a long period of time. The study yielded new perspectives for the company that will gradually be implemented into new beverage concepts.

New methods and forms of consumer research are currently being added to Symrise’s Market & Consumer Research department. The citrus study was the first of its kind conducted by the company with the new tool.
 

Chemicals Industry Focuses on Safe Chemical Management

During the recent Second Session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM-2) the global chemical industry reviewed progress towards its safe global chemicals management initiative, the United Nations Environment Program’s Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). Leading global chemical companies, the United Nations and other stakeholders recently met to discuss the industry’s plan to meet this goal by the year 2020.

Efforts have been co-chaired for the past 18 months by Dow and BASF within the International Council of Chemistry Associations (ICCA) to implement chemicals management initiatives, including the industry’s Responsible Care Global Charter and Global Product Strategy. Such initiatives are voluntary with the goal of strengthening stewardship within the industry and its customers.