Chemical Industry Journal 19

ISSUE19

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| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

www.chemicalindustryjournal.co.uk

| foreword |

Welcome Helen Compson Editor

Editor Helen Compson helen.compson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

Design Distinctive Publishing, 3rd Floor, Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle, NE1 6UF Tel: 0191 580 5990 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Advertising Distinctive Publishing, 3rd Floor, Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle, NE1 6UF Tel: 0191 5805990 David Perratt Business Development Manager email: david.perratt@distinctivegroup.co.uk Tel: 0191 5805471

this industry is nothing if not resilient and adaptable Yes, times are tough. The global, interconnected nature of the chemicals industry makes it all the more sensitive to political tensions, trade barriers, increasingly stringent green regulations and volatility in price and exchange rates.

Director Julian Lightwing said the new facility would help meet growing customer demand, while providing the opportunity to “change the production concept from the ground up – we are laying the foundations for the future”.

Wherever it happens in the network, the ripple effect can feel like a tidal wave, and we haven’t even talked about the exigencies of Brexit or Covid yet!

The ultimate aim is to bring in a far more efficient means of producing chemicals than we have now.

But this industry is nothing if not resilient and adaptable. Hand sanitiser? Who would have predicted that would be the saving grace for so many companies?

And as this issue demonstrates, there are many more examples of businesses continuing with strength and innovation.

Lianhetech Europe has just unveiled plans for a multi-million pound extension to its plant on Teesside, a move that will more than double output there.

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Distinctive Publishing or BioScience Today cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and BioScience Today.

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Imperial College London and BASF, meanwhile, are working together on a new approach to production generally by perfecting the art of flow chemistry.

Imperial’s Prof. Mimi Hii said: “The transition from batch to flow chemistry is similar to the transition from piece-by-piece manufacturing to industrial production on a conveyor belt - flow chemistry will produce higher-quality products at scale.”

Within these pages, there are many more stories about savvy companies and trade organisations with one eye firmly on the future.

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Global chemical and ingredient distributor prides itself on local service

features

24 14 Is the future more plastic?

Seal Sands plant doubling output to meet demand

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contents

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www.chemicalindustryjournal.co.uk

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welcome

4-5

Contents

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Industry Contributors

7-10

News

12-13

CBA

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issue 19

Business Alliance warns of huge no-deal Brexit damage

14-17

environmental health and safety Is the future more plastic? Plastic is indispensable to us, especially for protecting our health, which is why globally we have been facing huge challenges to reduce plastic waste while maintaining our existing lifestyles.

18-21

reach

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big interview Nick Powell, President of EMEA & APAC in the rebranded Univar Solutions talks to us.

36-38

innovation Imperial College London and chemical company BASF are working in partnership to develop flow chemistry, an innovative approach to chemical production.

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circular economy More than 80 per cent of chemicals and materials companies say they are gravitating to a circular economy and, key to that, green chemistry. However, as data analyst Elsevier discovered, most are only at the start of their journey.

Moving towards a greener, cleaner economy

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The UK’s Bioeconomy Strategy, published two years ago, covers the period up to 2030. Designed to remove our reliance on finite fossil resources, it encourages the use of bioscience and biotechnology to create new solutions in the food, energy, health and, yes, chemical industries.

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solvents industry association

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| contributors biodigestables | |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY | CHEMICAL JOURNAL INDUSTRY SUMMER JOURNAL 2018 |

Peter Newport

Carolyn Nicholls

Chief Executive of the Chemical Business Association (CBA)

Operations Director of RAS Ltd

CBA is a not-for-profit business organisation representing the independent chemical supply chain in the UK. Its member companies distribute, pack, and blend over four million tonnes of chemicals each year with a market value of almost three billion euros.

A director of RAS Limited, Carolyn leads a team of risk and hazard management consultants and has been instrumental in creating the company’s assessment methodologies. Carolyn has experience of working with a large number of UK COMAH sites to develop safety reports and provide support in all aspects of risk management.

Peter is a key industry advocate to governmental and regulatory authorities in the UK and Europe. He is also a board member and current Treasurer of the European Association for Chemical Distributors (Fecc) and a board member of the International Chemical Trade Association (ICTA).

Andrew Norman

Dr Fengwei (David) Xie

General Secretary, Solvents Industry Association

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow at the International Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing (IINM), WMG, University of Warwick.

Following a successful commercial career in chemical distribution and chemical manufacturing, Andrew has been responsible for the management of the Solvents Industry Association (SIA) since 2013, covering everything from delivery of training courses to production of safety films, liaison with regulators and marketing and promotion.

His research focuses on “green”/bio-polymers for sustainability, environmental protection, people’s better life and health. He works on developing “green” processes and “green” materials for greater resource efficiency and reduction in wastes and carbon footprints.

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CHANCELLOR NEEDS TO PRODUCE INDUSTRY FOCUSED AUTUMN STATEMENT The Chemical Industries Association, which represents chemical and pharmaceutical businesses in the UK, cautiously welcomed the Chancellor’s Summer Statement.

While chief executive Steve Elliott looked favourably upon the job and apprenticeship creation, retention and green recovery elements, he said he hoped to see a more industry-focused approach in the Autumn budget and spending review.

“We support the Government’s measures to kick start the economy,” he said.

“As a sector, we place strong emphasis on ensuring young people enter and remain in the workplace through training and apprenticeships.

“The sector depends on the best scientists and engineers and it’s for this reason we operate a large number of apprenticeships and training programmes, so are grateful for the support in this crucial area.”

The chemical industry had been contributing directly towards the fight against COVID-19, he pointed out - repurposing ethanol for hand sanitiser production and supplying key ingredients to ensure effective disinfectants or critical raw materials for medications.

The past four months had once again demonstrated just how critical the industry was to the economy and society as a whole.

He said: “What we now need is an Autumn spending review and budget that clearly focuses on the UK’s manufacturing rebound, with an emphasis on stimulating demand and supporting energy intensive industries as they transition to low carbon.

“The chemical industry continues to support halfa-million jobs, many of which are high skilled and well paid based in some of the most economically challenging parts of the UK. “We are the solution to any levelling up challenges and we want to create an investment climate that delivers environmental, social and economic growth throughout the UK.”

“What we now need is an Autumn spending review and budget that clearly focuses on the UK’s manufacturing rebound, with an emphasis on stimulating demand and supporting energy intensive industries as they transition to low carbon.”

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JOHNSON MATTHEY ANNOUNCES COMMISSIONING OF LARGEST METHANOL PLANT IN WORLD The biggest methanol production plant on the planet has opened, with Johnson Matthey catalyst and process technology at its heart.

The company has announced the successful commissioning of Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group’s 6600 mtpd methanol plant at their 600 kta coal to olefins complex near Yinchuan, in Ningxia Province, China.

The new methanol plant, which quickly hit full rates following start-up, has the largest output of any such plant in the world.

Led by specialists on hand from JM’s Beijing team and, due to Covid, remote support provided from the UK, the commissioning was a milestone in the two-year collaboration between the two companies.

It represented JM’s seventh operating licence with a plant capacity greater than 5500 mtpd in China, and the first JM methanol project to use Chinese fabricated radial steam raising converters and compressors throughout.

The JM designed methanol production plant takes syngas as a feed and combines advanced JM catalysts to produce stabilised methanol as a product, which is used to produce olefins in a downstream unit.

The contract for the new plant was awarded to JM by Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group in 2017 and included a licence for the 2200 kta methanol synthesis flowsheet, associated engineering, technical review, commissioning assistance and catalyst.

It is the second JM methanol design licensed by Ningxia Baofeng Energy following the Baofeng methanol synthesis unit commissioned in 2014.

Mr. Liu Yuanguan, President of Baofeng Energy, said: “This project has incorporated processing technologies from the most advanced international and domestic coal to chemical units.

“The unit is the largest methanol plant for a single train with comprehensive advantages of high synthesis and energy efficiency and low OPEX and emissions, benefiting both our society and providing long term value.”

JM’s managing director John Gordon said: “We congratulate Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group on the successful start-up of this new ground-breaking methanol plant and are honoured to have been a part of this shared effort.

“Commissioning the unit during these unprecedented times speaks to the resilience and dedication of our teams. This a further testament to Johnson Matthey’s commitment and leadership in delivery of efficient large-scale methanol manufacturing.”

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We provide individual and tailor-made vacuum solutions to our customers.

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| news |

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Air Products and Haldor Topsoe sign global Alliance Agreement Air Products, a global leader in industrial gases and megaproject development, and Haldor Topsoe, the world leader in high-performance catalysts and proprietary technology for the chemical and refining industries, announced the signing of a global Alliance Agreement. The two companies will collaborate, using their extensive market network outreach for developing potential projects and the combination of their expertise on large-scale ammonia, methanol and/or dimethyl ether plants to be developed and built globally.

The Alliance Agreement provides Air Products access to Topsoe’s technology license(s) and the supply of certain engineering design, equipment, high-performance catalysts and technical services for ammonia, methanol and/or dimethyl ether plants to be built, owned and operated by Air Products. The collaboration allows for the integration of Topsoe’s technology into many Air Products’ technologies including gasification of various feedstocks, and synthesis gas processes.

“The global agreement with Haldor Topsoe is very important to Air Products as we continue to expand our scope of supply to customers in developing large-scale projects around the world. We have built a reputation for successfully executing megaprojects. Having this Alliance and access to Haldor Topsoe’s technology-leading capabilities will serve to strengthen both our offerings and customer confidence in the reliability and quality of project development and performance,” said Dr. Samir J. Serhan, executive vice president at Air Products. “We are extremely satisfied to enter this Alliance. Air Products is an industry

“The global agreement with Haldor Topsoe is very important to Air Products as we continue to expand our scope of supply to customers in developing large-scale projects around the world. We have built a reputation for successfully executing megaprojects.”

leader, and we share their commitment to providing customers around the world with excellent, innovative, and more sustainable solutions. This alliance forms the foundation for integrated large-scale projects that will benefit from the close collaboration and combined strengths of our two companies,” said Amy Hebert, Deputy CEO and Executive Vice President at Haldor Topsoe.

Topsoe’s technology enables companies in the chemical and refining industries to get the most out of their processes and products, using the least possible energy and resources. On the forefront of developing sustainable technologies, HTAS solutions enhance food production for the world’s growing population and help protect the environment. Half of all the ammonia used to make artificial fertilizer is produced using Topsoe catalysts.

Topsoe’s technology will be incorporated into Air Products’ recently announced world-scale coal-to-methanol production facility in Bengalon, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. In addition, Topsoe technology will also be part of the previously announced world-scale Gulf Coast Ammonia production plant in Texas. Air Products will supply hydrogen and nitrogen for the ammonia production in part from its largest-ever steam methane reformer.

Air Products’ involvement in these world-scale projects will capitalize on the alliance and deliver substantial sustainability benefits. These kinds of projects can serve as carriers of renewable hydrogen molecules as the world’s interest hydrogen for mobility and energy transition continues to grow.

For more information on Air Products sustainability efforts visit airproducts.com/sustainability

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knoell academy

KNOWLEDGE. SIMPLY EXPLAINED.

Join our web-Seminar

UK REACH: An initial overview 24 September 2020

by Dr Iain A. MacKinnon

Seminars In-house trainings Web-Seminars & e-Learning

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| cba |

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BUSINESS ALLIANCE WARNS OF HUGE NO-DEAL BREXIT DAMAGE The Chemicals Business Association was one of dozens of trade associations and chief executives to sign a letter to the Prime Minister warning of the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.

Representing a collective workforce of 20,000 people, the 100 or so signatories decried the tardiness of negotiations with the EU and reiterated fears a deal wouldn’t be done by the December 31 deadline.

The best possible trading arrangements with the EU were needed, specifically when it came to upholding the common high standards in the areas of state aid, employment, environment, climate change and tax.

The letter was sent to Boris Johnson on the day, June 30, the opportunity to extend the transition period expired.

Critically, the businesses represented, most of whom are on the front line of trading with the EU, call for continued alignment with EU regulatory bodies, thereby allowing the free flow of products in the fields of pharmaceutical, medical and chemical supplies.

CBA chief executive Peter Newport said: “The UK chemical industry is now more worried about the effects of a no-deal or a bad-deal Brexit than the effects of the pandemic. ‘’Having said that, a smooth flow of chemical industry products is critical for the economy to recover post Covid.

They are the foundation of most industries.

“A good EU trade deal with close alignment on chemical regulation and standards is the only way to avoid chemical supply chain disruption and the resultant negative impact on the economies of both the UK and the EU .”

Highlighting the Government’s own conclusion that a no-deal exit would reduce GDP by 8% within 15 years, the signatories called for a reset in the tone and transparency of the negotiations during the six months remaining.

They are also calling for assurance of an equivalence agreement with the EU for financial services that is broader than the traditional arrangements and provides greater certainty.

Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK, said: “This call for needing a close relationship and deal with the EU comes at a critical moment of a transition extension being ruled out and business focused on recovering from Covid.

“This is not a call to reopen old divisions about remaining or leaving. What we now need is a common sense approach to our relationship with the EU. “The Government must now deliver for us all, and on their promise to get a good deal, not a bad deal and definitely not a no deal.”

“A good EU trade deal with close alignment on chemical regulation and standards is the only way to avoid chemical supply chain disruption and the resultant negative impact on the economies of both the UK and the EU .”

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| environmental health and safety |

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Is the future more plastic?

Plastic is indispensable to us, especially for protecting our health, which is why globally we have been facing huge challenges to reduce plastic waste while maintaining our existing lifestyles. Now, while we are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, plastics use is increasing again. But, while the pandemic is just temporary, plastic pollution will be long lasting, says Dr Fengwei (David) Xie from WMG, University of Warwick.

Since 2018 when China started the ban on plastic waste imports, developed countries have been in a movement to reduce plastic wastes. Goals have been set to eliminating single-use plastic items such as bags, straws and cutlery.

Besides, there has been discussion regarding the reduction of plastic wastes from laboratories and hospitals. However, under the influence of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic starting in early 2020, we may now need to rethink the question: Is the future more plastic?

PROTECTING HEALTH OR THE ENVIRONMENT For our current battle to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we see a dramatically increasing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) which comprises various plastic and rubber items. Most typically, gloves are essential for health care workers. While latex gloves are biodegradable because its material is extracted from rubber trees, nitrile and vinyl gloves that are made from synthetic polymers are not biodegradable. In this sense, if only latex gloves are used by health workers, fighting the

disease is unlikely to cause much environmental pollution.

However, there are many other health-related items that are made of synthetic polymers and thus are not so environmentally friendly. For example, the most important material to make surgical masks is a melt-blown polymer, most commonly polypropylene (PP), which can effectively shield microbes and droplets. For the same reason, nonwoven PP is also widely used to make protective clothing for medical staff. Moreover, there are many other fresh, clean plastic items widely used in medical applications for creating a sterile environment, such as pill casings, disposal syringes, catheter, and blood bags. These items are also made of synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and PP, which are not biodegradable.

Therefore, it would be not surprising to see that the COVID-19 pandemic is generating tons of medical waste.

Not only in the medical sector has the pandemic caused increasing amounts of plastic waste. To stop of the spread of the coronavirus, social distancing rules have been introduced and we have to practice better hygiene than

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usual. Disposable polyethylene (PE) gloves are more commonly used by people going outside for shopping or other purposes where they need to avoid touching surfaces. PE is the same polymer used for plastic shopping bags worldwide, which has already caused tremendous environmental issues. During the lockdown, many people are also ordering more food deliveries and takeaways, which means increasing amounts of disposable meal boxes are being used, which are commonly made of PP or polystyrene (PS). Thus, the fear over the coronavirus has actually pushed people to use more plastic than usual. Some governments such as England, California, and South Australia have recently called off the ban on single-use plastic to reduce the coronavirus risk. This has led to surging amounts of plastic waste, although a recent study suggests that the coronavirus might actually persist longer on plastics than on other materials.

Dr Fengwei (David) Xie Dr Fengwei (David) Xie is currently a Marie SkłodowskaCurie Individual Fellow at the International Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing (IINM), WMG, University of Warwick. His research focuses on “green”/bio-polymers for sustainability, environmental protection, people’s better life and health. He works on developing “green” processes and “green” materials for greater resource efficiency and reduction in wastes and carbon footprints.

MORE PLASTIC OR MORE SUSTAINABLE Up to this point, we have only achieved a plastic recycling rate of less than 10%. The current pandemic might pose safety issues to waste recycling workers. The recent lockdown has hampered our ability to process recyclable waste properly. The recent precipitous drop in oil prices means virgin plastics could be cheaper and might further harm the viability of plastic recycling. With higher amounts of plastic used and reduced recycling capability in this trend, unfortunately, we are likely to see more plastic waste or more plastic pollution.

Admittedly, plastic is indispensable to us, especially for protecting our health. This is why we have been facing huge challenges to reduce plastic waste while maintaining our existing lifestyle. While this COVID-19 pandemic is just temporary, plastic pollution could be long lasting, and if we do not take urgent and proper actions now, it will negatively impact our health, wildlife, and the natural environment in the long term. But, can we protect our health while still minimising the negative impact of plastic on our environment?

While reducing or even avoiding the use of unnecessary plastic could definitely help to reduce plastic waste, using disposable plastic items in many cases remains an important option particularly for hygiene and convenience purposes. However, using disposables does not necessarily mean more pollution. Boomerang Alliance’s Plastic Free Places program has provided a guide to cafes and restaurants of how to avoid single-use plastics and what compostable packaging alternatives are available.

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Disposables can be made from biomass resources or of biodegradable or compostable plastics. “Biodegradable” plastics can decompose into harmless, small molecules with the action of living organisms in the natural environment (such as in soil). For “compostable” plastics to break down into simpler chemical compounds, composting facilities with controlled conditions (e.g., added nutrients and certain temperature) is required. Polylactide (PLA) is a compostable bioplastic made from the sugars from fermented starch (e.g., corn and cassava), sugarcane or sugar beet. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biodegradable polymer produced by microorganisms (bacteria) from organic matters like sugar or lipids. There are many biomass resources such as cellulose, chitin/chitosan, starch, lignin, and alginate, which can be used to make biodegradable materials, too. Of course, proper labelling and guidance are still needed for the appropriate disposal of biodegradables and compostables, which is the same thing for plastic recycling.

Other than developing biodegradable or compostable plastics, there is so much more that we need to do.

Battling plastic waste is much more complex than fighting COVID-19 and it needs governments, NGO’s, industry, researchers, and the public to work together to form synergistic approaches. The future does not have to be more plastic. We can achieve both sustainability and healthier life, but only by continuing to take proactive steps and behave more responsibly for the sake of the environment and ourselves.

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TRANSPORT INCIDENTS DOWN – CBA ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION REPORT CBA’s latest report on the safety, health, security and environmental performance of its distributor member companies for 2019 shows a decline in the number of transport incidents, no change in the number of on-site accidents, and a slight increase in the industry’s Lost Time Accident Rate. In 2019, no convictions were recorded against CBA member companies.

In 2019, CBA members companies completed more than 1.25 million separate journeys to distribute over four million tonnes of chemicals.

CBA’s annual report is based on Indices of Performance compiled as part of its industry-wide Responsible Care programme. These reports have been published annually since 1993. The 2019 report is based on returns from 93 companies employing 5,738 people.

Peter Newport, CBA’s Chief Executive and Chair of CBA’s Responsible Care Committee, said, “The chemical supply chain continues to demonstrate the safety of its distribution process. Just three transport incidents occurred in 2019 with member companies completing 1.25 million journeys to deliver their products, more than 3,000 separate journeys every day.”

“Applying CBA’s stricter reporting criteria, 30 on-site accidents occurred of which one third resulted from a manual handling process, or a slip, trip or fall. Whilst this is at a similar level to the last three years, it is still higher than we would like,” he added.

REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS CBA publishes data for accidents resulting in incapacities of more than three days. This is a higher standard than required by RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). Maintaining this higher standard preserves the integrity of the annual time series CBA has established since 1993.

Using this stricter criterion, in 2019, CBA member companies reported 30 accidents resulting in incapacities of more than three days – exactly the same as the previous year (2018 – 30). Under the official RIDDOR seven-day criterion, 25 accidents would be reportable (2018 – 19).

In 2019, accidents resulting from a manual handling process or a slip, trip or fall accounted for 33% of the total. Seven accidents resulted from an exposure to a harmful substance (2018 – 5). No fatalities were reported in 2019.

LOST TIME ACCIDENTS Applying the stricter three-day absence criterion, the Lost Time Accident (LTA) rate rose slightly to 0.28 (2018 – 0.27).

The LTA rate is the ratio of reportable accidents to 100,000

man-hours – the assumed number of hours worked by one person during their lifetime. The LTA rate for just those accidents statutorily reportable under the RIDDOR reporting requirements also rose to 0.23 (2018 – 0.17).

TRANSPORT INCIDENTS Incidents involving transport are a key measure of the industry’s performance. CBA’s data goes beyond the thresholds set by the Department for Transport and for RIDDOR-reportable incidents. They include any transport incident requiring the attendance of the emergency services.

Such incidents can include minor traffic accidents, mechanical breakdown or a simple puncture repair. CBA reports all such incidents regardless of fault in relation to their cause.

After applying these stricter criteria, the number of transport incidents continues at a historically low level – a notable achievement by the industry and one that shows the long-term impact of CBA’s Responsible Care programme.

In 2019, CBA member companies made over one and a quarter million separate journeys to distribute over four million tonnes of chemicals. Just three transport incidents were reported (2018 – 5). This equates to 0.7 transport incidents for every million tonnes of product distributed

by CBA members in 2019 – a decrease on the previous year (2018 – 1.2).

WASTE CBA members reported 9,000 tonnes of Special/Hazardous Waste in 2019 resulting from their own activities. Of this total, 22% (1,959 tonnes) was recycled, recovered or disposed of with energy recovery.

CBA members generated 7,197 tonnes of non-hazardous waste in 2019. Of this total, 49% (2,805 tonnes) was recycled, recovered or disposed of with energy recovery.

ENFORCEMENT No convictions were recorded against CBA members in 2019 (2018 – 2).

No Prohibition Notices were issued against CBA members by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), but one HSE Improvement Notice was issued in respect to the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH) and one notice was issued by the Environment Agency regarding the Environmental Permitting Regulations.

Of the thirteen transport Prohibition Notices in 2019, four were in respect of infringements of a minor nature that did not delay the vehicles’ journeys and could be rectified later; nine required the infringement to be rectified immediately.

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| environmental health and safety |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

ON-SITE ACCIDENTS DOWN; MINOR INCREASE IN TRAFFIC INCIDENTS The Logistics Index, CBA’s latest annual report on the performance of its road haulage, warehouse, and tank farm companies, shows its members recorded six transport incidents whilst making nearly one and a quarter million journeys to deliver more than three million tonnes of chemicals.

The CBA Logistics Index, now in its fourteenth year, is based on 19 returns from haulage, warehousing, and tank farm companies that together employ 2,466 people.

Measuring the health, safety, security, and environmental performance of its logistics members, offers a series of annual performance indicators comparable to those covering CBA’s distributor members that have been published since 1993 and provides an end-to-end snapshot of the UK chemical supply chain.

Peter Newport, CBA Chief Executive and Chair of its Responsible Care Committee, said, “It’s pleasing to note a further reduction in the number of on-site accidents, but it is worrying that more than half the total were manual handling accidents or the result of a slip, trip or fall. Though six transport incidents were recorded in 2019, a minor yearon-year rise, none involved the release of chemicals.”

REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS CBA publishes data for accidents resulting in incapacities of more than three days. This is a higher standard than required by RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). Maintaining this higher standard preserves the integrity of the time series CBA has established over the last 14 years. Historically, RIDDOR required incapacities over three days to be reported. In 2012, the Health and Safety Executive changed this threshold to incapacities of more than seven days duration.

Using this criterion, in 2019, CBA logistics companies reported 23 accidents (2018 – 25). Of these, 16 resulted in incapacities of more than seven days and were reportable under the current RIDDOR criterion (2018 – 17).

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In 2019, more than half of accidents (52%) resulted from a manual handling process, slip, trip or fall. No accidents involved an exposure to a harmful substance (2018 – 0) and there were no notifiable diseases or fatalities reported in 2019.

LOST TIME ACCIDENTS In 2019, the Lost Time Accident (LTA) rate, applying the stricter three-day absence criterion, increased to 0.49 (2018 – 0.44). This year-on-year comparison is misleading – see Note to Editors (1).

TRANSPORT INCIDENTS In 2019, CBA logistics companies made nearly one and a quarter million journeys to distribute over three million tonnes of chemicals. There were 1.92 incidents for every million tonnes distributed in 2019 (2018 – 0.96).

In 2019, six transport incidents were reported (2018 – 4), all of which were road traffic incidents that did not lead to a chemical release.

CBA’s data goes beyond the thresholds set by the Department for Transport and RIDDOR legislation and include all transport incidents requiring the attendance of the emergency services – including minor traffic accidents, mechanical breakdowns or a puncture repair. CBA reports all such incidents regardless of fault.

ENFORCEMENT CBA Logistics Services companies reported a total of 15 enforcement actions during 2019 covering both their individual sites and transport (2018 - 16).

Individual Sites - No convictions or HSE Prohibition Notices were recorded against CBA Logistics companies in 2019, although one company received an HSE Improvement Notice.

Transport - Fourteen transport Prohibition Notices were received in 2019. Two were in respect of infringements of a minor nature that did not delay the vehicle’s journey and could be rectified later; twelve required the infringement to be rectified immediately.

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Dr. Iain MacKinnon

A Decade within REACH Dr. Knoell Consult Ltd, the UK-based affiliate of the knoell group of companies, celebrated its tenth anniversary in December 2019. In this article Dr. Iain MacKinnon, Managing Director and co-founder (with the late Dr. H.-E. Knoell) of the company, reflects on the changes seen over the past decade and some of the key challenges that knoell and its clients face as we enter a time of uncertainty for chemicals regulations in the United Kingdom.

“Hans (Knoell) and I setup the company in 2009. I had just left industry after a 20 year career which started in the lab and finished with REACH. Pre-registration of our substances felt like a great achievement but was only the end of the beginning! We foresaw that there would be a need to better support our clients with the next steps in the UK as much as in knoell’s home market, Germany. We weren’t wrong! Over the past decade, staff at Dr. Knoell Consult Ltd together with colleagues from knoell Germany and other affiliates in Spain, France, Netherlands and Portugal, have led and participated in countless REACH consortium meetings, written tens of thousands of end-point summaries and conducted thousands of exposure assessments for hundreds of substances. The biggest challenge faced by our clients over this time is the regulators’ thirst for ever more detailed information, probably in part due to increasing public awareness and resultant pressure on authorities.

“Thus, the publication of the Read-Across Assessment Framework (RAAF) was a massive step forward. Until then, registrants … and consultants like knoell … had been trying to justify read-across in order to reduce animal testing but faced multiple rejections of dossiers. It was a little like playing a card game but only the dealer new all the rules … then the RAAF was published and the rules became clear to all!

“In terms of Project Management, the period running from pre-registration to the May 2018 deadline was (with hindsight) straightforward. There were only three deadlines: in 2010, 2013 and 2018. Data requirements at each tonnage band were more or less the same for each substance. How exactly the end-points were filled was the main challenge and where knoell scientists earned their keep. Then testing proposal decisions (for studies at Annex IX and X) started to come in and registrants were faced with 30-day commenting periods popping up and then closing, followed by a myriad of different deadlines for submitting

updated dossiers. Lab slots had to be negotiated to meet these deadlines. Each dossier update taken individually was probably relatively simple but for a bundle of substances with these different timelines, the demand on resource at registering companies, regulatory consultants, and testing labs became huge.

“One new challenge facing the “regulatory community” is the recent announcements by ECHA that all dossiers will be reviewed over the next few years. Arguably a rolling programme of dossier revision should have been happening anyway but without a clear requirement to do this and faced with dossier updates caused by testing proposals, compliance checks, or substance evaluation, there was little appetite. However, the update programme supported

by Cefic in response to ECHA’s review is likely to require exceptional portfolio or programme management to stay on top of every dossier - virtually every end-point - as well as experienced chemists, toxicologists, and environmental scientists to see it through.

“One big unknown at the moment is “Will there/won’t there be UK REACH come January 2021?”. The legislation is published (albeit it may be subject to change) and, thankfully, it is a near clone of REACH: same data requirements at same tonnage band in same (IUCLID) format. However, there are some aspects which are still a cause for concern such as data sharing and compensation as well as very tight timelines (2 years to submit a registration). At knoell we are fortunate to have had many years of experience acting as Only Representative (according to REACH) for non-EEA companies. We are confident that we can combine this know-how with our understanding of the UK legislation to support companies, based in the UK, EU-27 or further afield, who will have registration obligations under UK REACH. This could easily keep us busy for the next ten years!” www.knoell.com

18

Global Regulatory Compliance of Chemicals

Understanding the Locals

In-country registration: solutions fit for purpose Different country, different rules. Benefit from knoell‘s outstanding in-country registration concept where we combine scientific expertise with true understanding of the local authorities, culture and markets. Always an eye on the most recent regulatory developments, we are perfectly set-up to support you even in times of uncertainty, most particularly now for the United Kingdom.

Our strength is to be where it matters.

Contact us knoell-uk@knoell.com ď‚ť www.knoell.com

| reach |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

TURKEY IS GETTING CLOSER TO HARMONISATION OF CHEMICALS REGULATIONS WITH THE EU KKDIK PRE-REGISTRATION DEADLINE; 31 DECEMBER 2020 The clock is ticking for all chemical manufacturers in Turkey and global companies with putting chemicals on the Turkish market. By the end of 2020, all substances must have been pre-registered according to the Turkish REACHlike regulation, KKDIK. The exemptions from the obligation to (pre-)register must be reviewed carefully and it is not hard for companies to make this decision as the same criteria then REACH for exemptions are applicable under KKDIK. If a substance which has not been pre-registered before is placed on the Turkish market for the very first time after 2020, the system still allows such companies to pre-register.

Manufacturer or importer of a substance on its own or in a mixture of quantities ≥1 tonne/year shall submit a pre-registration to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation (MoEU) until 31 December 2020.

The companies pre-registering to the MoEU’s Chemicals Registration System, abbreviated as KKS, do automatically join the corresponding Substance Information Exchange Forum; MBDF. MBDF enables all potential registrants and data holders to interact and prepare for registration.

Registration period is only 3-year long and even now more than 18,000 substances’ pre-registrations are completed by over 850 companies according to the latest figures of MoEU. That corresponds to more than 77.000 pre-registrations.

There is no doubt that some companies, especially importers and formulators, pre-registered to be on the safe side. However, the expectations of the Turkish importers and distributors are high that their non-Turkish suppliers do register via an Only Representative or through their Turkish subsidiaries. Turkish importers are in communications with their suppliers to create awareness for KKDIK and seek compliance.

KKS is under permanent improvement and MoEU announced on their website that the new version

of KKS which is more user friendly will be available soon and the updated KKS Manuals will be published simultaneously. It is expected that this new version will have more functionalities and be in line with the latest version of IUCLID. This improvement is managed under the IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) cofinanced by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey that started on 1 November 2019. The ongoing IPA project is a European programme for EU candidate countries and the aim is to harmonise Turkish chemicals regulations with the EU. Therefore, continuous updates to the KKDIK, SEA Regulations and online KKS system are expected.

31 DECEMBER 2023 SINGLE REGISTRATION DEADLINE It is clear from REACH experience that the success of the registration period is not only dependent on the good co-operation of the potential registrants but also on the efficient use of the KKS without interruption, particularly during the registration period. Especially when considering that the registration dossiers will be created online under KKS in Turkish language, meaning several users will be using KKS at the same time. Moreover, there is a single deadline for all substances to be registered regardless of the tonnage band or the hazard classification.

Reach Global Services team of experts transferred over twelve-year-long of their EU REACH experience into practical solutions for non-Turkish companies to comply with Turkish chemicals regulations, KKDIK and SEA. Do not hesitate to contact RGS if you need more details on our services. We can assess your compliance status and build up tailor-made solutions for your company within our due diligence approach.

Dr.Yaprak Yüzak Küçükvar REACH Global Services Group Director, Global Regulatory Affairs & Product Stewardship www.reach-gs.eu

20

EUROPEAN UNION • TURKEY • JAPAN • CHINA • KOREA • TAIWAN RGS S.A. - Belgium Head Office + 32 (2) 234 77 77

RGS A.Ş. - Turkey Subsidiary + 90 (212) 454 09 93

info@reach-gs.eu

www.reach-gs.eu

| news |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

UK MANUFACTURING EXPORTS HIT RECORD LOW IN Q2 2020 UK manufacturing export index fell to an all-time low in Q2 2020, falling below levels recorded during the global financial crisis Basic metals and automotive exports were hit hardest due to factory closures Travel restrictions saw UK services exports fall at fastest rate since this index began in 2014 The end of the second quarter saw early signs of international demand returning – some growth in parts of the manufacturing sector also recorded in June UK manufacturing exports fell sharply in Q2 2020, according to the Lloyds Bank International Trade Index.

The speed of decline was the fastest since data collection began in 1996, driven by the impact of coronavirus on both international supply chains and falling overseas demand for British goods and services.

The Index hit a new low of 34.6 for new manufacturing exports between April and June 2020, representing a dramatic decline from 46.8 in Q1 2020. The previous historic low of 38.8 was recorded in 2009 amid the global financial crisis. A reading below 50 signals a reduction in new export orders, while a reading above 50 indicates growth.

In June, UK clothing and textiles (50.7) and other manufacturing (56.7) goods (which includes sports and leisure equipment), furniture, and luxury items such as jewellery manufacturing exports grew.

UK SERVICES EXPORTS FALL TO HISTORIC LOWS Meanwhile, UK services firms saw the sharpest drop in new overseas work since the inception of the Services New Export Business Index in 2014, measuring 29.2 in Q2, down from 42.7 in Q1. The fall was mainly due to international travel restrictions, with business-to-business (28.5), transport and communication (29.8) and technology (29.8) services all severely affected.

CHALLENGING CLIMATE FOR UK EXPORTERS Sharp economic contraction in the majority of UK export markets, including the European Union and North America was also recorded, driving a trade-weighted measure of global demand for British goods and services to a record low of 35.2 in Q2 2020.

China, after posting a reading of 42 in Q1 2020, was the only UK export market to see an increase in Q2 (52.6), as the country’s lockdown measures eased.

Of those manufacturers that reported a downturn in overseas orders, the vast majority (93%) attributed it to the impact of coronavirus, blaming the pandemic for shrinking demand, widespread business closures, and delays to export projects.

Gwynne Master, managing director and global head of trade for Lloyds Bank Global Transaction Banking, said: “The results demonstrate the full impact of the pandemic as swathes of the global trade markets shut down amid efforts to help contain the spread of the virus.

Basic metals (28.3) and automotive (31.5) exports were hit hardest, reflecting a fall in global demand for manufacturing components and the shutdown of car production in Europe.

“Export measures hit an all-time low in Q2 although we see small signs of recovery as early as May and into June.

While it is too early to talk about the trajectory of recovery, it is encouraging to see enhanced external demand, signs that China’s economy is stabilising, and some UK consumer goods’ export growth in June.

Exports of chemicals and plastics (41.1), including pharmaceuticals and healthcare products, fell at a slower rate than other manufacturing goods. This was in part due to forward purchasing by overseas buyers in expectation of delivery delays.

The end of the second quarter of 2020 saw early signs of international demand returning with June showing an increase in appetite for British consumer goods.

“Government schemes and finance options continue to be made readily available, which will help UK exporters continue to trade, to position for a return to normality to international trade, and to prepare now for potential future disruption.”

22

| lianhetech |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

SEAL SANDS PLANT DOUBLING OUTPUT TO MEET DEMAND Chinese firm Lianhetech has announced a multi-million pound extension to its chemical plant on Teesside.

By Helen Compson Editor

Around 80 permanent jobs and another 150 jobs during construction are being created as work gets under way at the Seal Sands chemical park at the mouth of the River Tees.

Catering for the crop protection, pharmaceuticals and performance chemicals markets, the company was reacting to high customer demand, said Julian Lightwing, director of Lianhetech Europe.

Production capacity at the site will double when the new extension opens in May next year.

And plans are already afoot to make use of several remaining ‘greenfield’ acres there for a third phase of development which, if it goes ahead, will nigh-on quadruple capacity.

The joy of the Seal Sands site was the ability to build from scratch, said Julian. “If you buy a greenfield site, the options are endless – you can pretty much do as you want.

“UK manufacturers are not generally doing that though, because expansion in Europe tends to be on brownfield sites and then, to get in the latest technology you want, you need to spend a lot of money on changing the architecture as much as anything.

“But in this dynamic, fast-track Julian Lightwing project, we can change the production concept from the ground up – we are laying the foundations for the future.”

24

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

| lianhetech |

A modular construction technique would be used, allowing each module to be completed and tested before it was dropped in place, paving the way for a super-quick build.

The completion date would have been three months earlier but for Covid.

Previously known as Fine Organics Ltd, of which Julian was a director, the site was acquired by Lianhe Chemical Technology in 2017. Two years later, it was rebranded as Lianhetech Seal Sands.

The acquisition gave the Chinese company both a foothold in Europe and a platform for its wished for global expansion.

The facility, in all its different evolutions, has had a presence at Seal Sands since the early 1980s.

Key to the 21st century management of the complex will be the control and instrumentation system to be installed by Siemens.

Mark Higham, head of Siemens Process Automation, said:

“in this dynamic, fast-track project, we can change the production concept from the ground up – we are laying the foundations for the future.”

Julian Lightwing, director of Lianhetech Europe

25

“We have worked for Lianhetech and the previous company for many years.

“One of the attractions of working with us is that we have been able to help Julian right from the inception of the project through to researching it from the control and instrumentation aspect and supporting the approach to modularity.”

In keeping with the digital transformation inherent in Industry 4.0, optimum connectivity between assets would be vouchsafed by the very latest technology.

Improving on the traditional analogue connections, which offered up only measured values (such as temperature and pressure), smart instrumentation provided an acute insight into asset performance.

“As the data becomes available, we can push it into the Cloud,” said Mark. “There could be certain sets of data that Lianhetech wants to share with a customer, in turn giving them a window into the plant and a real-time view of how their order is progressing.

“While that data is readily available, if you tried to do the same in a legacy system, you would find the data is locked into silos and stuck at different levels of the automation pyramid – it is hard to extract and hard to present it where you want it.”

By way of contrast, Siemens would be installing a distributed control system, complete with a suite of Cloudbased apps capable of ‘interrogating’ and interpreting the data generated.

Julian said the trust his team had in Siemens was critical to the success of the project.

Rather than having to deal with several contractors, Lianhetech had had the confidence to award the whole C&I contract to just the one partner, helping to streamline and therefore fast-track the project.

| flow measurement and control |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

Dry vacuum technology for chemical and pharmaceutical processes Vacuum plays an essential role in chemical and pharmaceutical processes. Whether in vacuum conveying, inertisation, distilling or drying processes, vacuum is used everywhere to make processes safer, faster and more economical or to make them possible in the first place.

There are various technologies for generating vacuum. Liquid ring vacuum pumps and steam ejectors have been the robust workhorses for many decades when it comes to generating vacuum. However, like rotary vane vacuum pumps with recirculating oil lubrication, they have one key consideration: they require an operating fluid that comes into contact with the process gas. In the mid-1990s, Busch Vacuum Solutions launched its first screw vacuum pump on the market, the COBRA. The major difference to other vacuum technologies is that screw vacuum pumps do not require any operating fluid to compress the process gas. This is why they are called “dry” screw vacuum pumps (Fig. 1). Dry screw vacuum technology is now also widely used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

FUNCTION In a dry screw vacuum pump, two interlocking screw-shaped rotors rotate in opposite directions (Fig. 2). The process gases are drawn in, trapped between the cylinder and screw chambers, compressed and transported to the gas discharge.

During the compression process, the screw rotors do not come into contact with each other or the cylinder. Precise manufacturing and minimal clearances between the moving parts enable this operating principle and, in addition, ensure a low ultimate pressure of up to 0.01 millibar (absolute).

COBRA dry screw vacuum pumps operate with a cooling system which ensures even heat distribution, greater thermal efficiency and stability throughout the pump body. This allows the temperature to be selected so that it is high enough not to condense the process gas but low enough to avoid potential temperature-related problems such as gas deposition or spontaneous ignition. The absence of operating fluid allows compression in the process chamber without contamination or reaction.

PROTECTING THE VACUUM SYSTEM Depending on the process gas, the vacuum pump can be exposed to certain risks. It is therefore important that the process gases are fully understood to minimise these risks.

Different components are often required, which can be installed on the inlet or pressure side, in order to convey the process gas without damaging the vacuum pump. This is called a vacuum system, which can also consist of several vacuum pumps (Fig. 3).

For safe operation of the vacuum system, it is important to protect it from corrosion and deposits caused by crystallisation or polymerisation, and to increase the material resistance.

PROTECTION AGAINST CORROSION Various measures can be effective in protecting the vacuum system or the individual vacuum pumps against corrosion. The first possibility is to prevent corrosive substances from entering the interior of the vacuum pump. This can be implemented by upstream condensers or gas scrubbers.

The second possibility to avoid corrosion is to keep the process stream in the gas phase. In a dry screw vacuum pump this can be implemented by setting a certain operating temperature. In addition, the process gas can be diluted by a supplied ballast gas to reduce the partial pressure of the condensable gases.

So, the following simple logic applies: suction in gaseous form and ejection in gaseous form. The minimum temperature must therefore be selected so that it is high enough to prevent gases from condensing out. The maximum temperature must be selected so that the vacuum pump is not damaged or so that the maximum permissible temperature according to ATEX classification is not exceeded.

A third possibility is to use compatible materials for the vacuum pump. In COBRA screw vacuum pumps from Busch Vacuum Solutions, for example, all parts in contact with the process are made of ductile cast iron by default and have a special coating that is resistant to almost all chemicals.

Dry screw vacuum pump for chemical and pharmaceutical processes

PROTECTION FROM PARTICLES ENTERING THE SYSTEM Screw vacuum pumps should always be operated with an inlet screen or an inlet filter. This is to prevent particles from entering the inside of the vacuum pump. Due to the precise manufacturing of screw vacuum pumps with the associated small clearances and tolerances, there is a certain sensitivity to entrained particles. Dry screw vacuum pumps are frequently used with particulate dryers, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. A certain number of such particles can easily pass through the vacuum pump together with the process gas or be flushed out at the end of the process. Nevertheless, it is advisable to take appropriate precautions in order to prevent particles from being sucked in on a regular basis. For example, Busch offers a large number of different particle filters for every application.

LEAK-TIGHTNESS OF THE VACUUM PUMP/VACUUM SYSTEM Vacuum pumps and vacuum systems in a chemical environment must be so tight that no or a minimum amount of ambient air can enter and create a potentially explosive atmosphere, or toxic or explosive gases can escape. Polymer o-rings are generally used to prevent leaks between two stationary parts. The resistance depends on the selected polymer. The seal material therefore also needs to be adapted to the process gases. Busch Vacuum Solutions has had a dynamic sealing concept for rotating shaft feedthroughs certified by TÜV SÜD in accordance with the Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control (TA Luft). These seals are considered technically leak-tight.

TIPS FOR OPERATION For most applications it is recommended that the vacuum pump is warmed up for a certain lead time before process operation.

This allows the specified temperature to be achieved, for clearances to be at the required level and full pumping speed and end pressures to be achieved. After the end of the process, it is recommended to purge the vacuum pump with a noncondensable inert gas to completely remove the process gas from the vacuum pump before switching it off. Nitrogen is normally used for this flushing process. Flushing the vacuum pump with a cleaning liquid at the end of the process is also possible and recommended if there is a risk of deposits forming inside the vacuum pump during cooling.

EXPLOSION PROTECTION With different sealing systems, various coatings and appropriate accessories, COBRA screw vacuum pumps from Busch can be configured to be compatible with virtually any chemical. In addition, various ATEX versions are available for COBRA screw vacuum pumps in accordance with EU Directive 2014/34/ EU. Also, any other national regulation can be adapted for these vacuum pumps like EX-proof in US or KOSHA in South Korea. This means that these vacuum pumps can also be used worldwide in potentially explosive areas and for conveying explosive gases and vapours. Flame arresters may also be integrated if necessary.

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| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

| flow measurement and control |

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27

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

The Global Labelling Experts We supply the UK, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, US, Italy, Spain, France & India

Dura-ID Chemicals Division provides the full solution for identification purposes; from labels, printers, consumables and software to technical support.

Our products are BS5609 approved ensuring your products can be transported wherever they need to go. Ideal applications include IBC’S, drums, cans, kegs, tubes and more.

Get in touch today to see how we can help!

28

Dura-ID selects the best solutions for printing labelling

Contact us for more information: +44 (0) 114 2422 111 chemicals@dura-id.com www.dura-id.com

INTRODUCING THE WORLD’S FIRST ANTI-STATIC REPAIR SYSTEM How do you repair a pipe, crack or displaced joint using a material or method that will still dissipate static charge so that there is no threat of explosion?

The UK national standards body, the BSI, issues standard BS60079-32 for electro-static hazards in potentially explosive atmospheres. All infrastructure repair systems in potentially explosive atmospheres should conform with this standard. They do not and never have! Up to now industry has been effecting repairs to negate environmental risk, unwittingly introducing an explosion risk. This is set to change for the first time in modern industrial history thanks to Conductorliner.

McGrath Environmental Services has come up with a ‘world first’ answer, because not only is Conductorliner EN/BS60079-32 standard compliant, but it has also been proven to be the first 100% dissipative infrastructure repair system in the world.

APPLICATIONS Conductorliner is the ultimate underground infrastructure repair system, best serving those sectors that have a daily need to mitigate explosion risk. It is not only key to preventing the infiltration and/or exfiltration of chemicals or noxious substances, but also contains a special substance to make it the first 100% dissipative infrastructure repair system in the world.

SECTORS

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Chemical, Nuclear or any organization with potentially explosive atmospheres needing to mitigate the risk of spark, explosion and chain reaction.

The Conductorliner Infinity System relates to longer stretches of pipe repair, from 1m up to 500m.

PATCHING The Conductorliner patching system can be used in any length and diameter of pipe to effect a repair of up to 5m in length.

BEFORE

AFTER

SPRAYING The Conductorliner Spray system is a high-build, spray applied dissipative coating, with excellent chemical and abrasion resistance, ideal for rehabilitation of chambers, tanks, bunds and sumps etc.

Please get in touch to arrange a visit from one of our sales team or to request a brochure.

You can either email us at info@conductorliner.com or telephone +44 (0) 330 111 0007.

Kindly ask for Tom or Lydia McGrath. McGrath Enviromental Services Limited, Woodside Farm, Wakefield Road, Grange Moor, Wakefield WF4 4DS www.conductorliner.com

| big interview |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

GLOBAL CHEMICAL AND INGREDIENT DISTRIBUTOR PRIDES ITSELF ON LOCAL SERVICE

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| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

| big interview |

U

nivar Solutions framed its ambitions in just one short sentence when it went on the acquisition trail last year.

It was and continues to be determined to redefine distribution and be the most valued chemical and ingredient distributor on the planet.

And the 90-year-old Univar did just that when it acquired Nexeo Solutions in April 2019.

The latter gave Univar a much bigger footprint in the personal care, home care, industrial and speciality chemical and ingredients markets it was after in both the America’s and Asia.

Nick Powell, President of EMEA & APAC in the rebranded Univar Solutions, said: “There were a lot of synergies between the two companies and, yes, the acquisition fits well with our expansion desires.

“We retained the $2bn chemical and ingredient business, divested the plastics element, and absorbed Nexeo’s strong focus on being a solutions company.”

With net sales in 2019 of just over $9bn, Univar Solutions is indeed a world leader in chemical and ingredient supply.

Our sheer scale of operation and geographic reach is important, said Nick. The company has a physical presence in over 30 countries with a particularly firm footing in North America and Europe.

“Yes, we are large in size, but we are also laser-focused on being agile, reliable, and consistent across all the businesses and countries where we operate.

“That scale combined with reliability is reassuring, particularly during these days of a global pandemic. Some of our competitors might suffer from issues such as cashflow, and some may not even survive, but we are here to stay.”

Scale wasn’t at the top of the list as far as most of Univar Solutions customers were concerned.

“For the majority of our customers, what is most important is that we are local to them and offer a fast, efficient and reliable local service,” he said, “and that’s where the number of warehouses, tank farms, blending facilities and offices we have comes into play.”

“These facilities, combined with the over 400 sales and technical support staff in the field across EMEA, work with and support our customers in selling the value of our suppliers’ products.”

Univar Solutions strong relationships with leading suppliers allows it to offer the deepest, broadest portfolio of chemicals and ingredients available - from specialty ingredients to commodity chemicals.

Intent on adding value via its services, the company also draws upon its vast capabilities, including digital tools to automate processes and make it easier to do business with, along with the expertise to deliver tailored solutions, ranging from formulation and recipe development through field technical support, analytical services, and packaging to the identification of more sustainable production offerings.

“We have 48 technical solutions centres around the globe that are strategically located close to our customer bases,” said Nick.

31

| big interview |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

“Our solutions centres are focused in two main areas: either trouble-shooting customers technical problems or helping them to formulate and perfect a finished product that they can then take to market themselves.”

“We want to help our customers produce the very best product they can, whether that’s a sunscreen or a ready meal or an advanced coating, and that’s really where we add value.”

A lot of major chemical producers have retrenched in recent years, receding from direct sales and technical support to concentrate instead on research and development and production, or in some cases, they have reduced their focus to serve their biggest customers only.

“But their smaller and medium sized customers need support as well,” said Nick, “and that is the strike zone for us – small to medium-sized enterprises that use chemicals and ingredients in their products or production processes.”

“Customers and suppliers needed more from their chemical and ingredients distributor, more than just a basic service,” he said. “To innovate and grow, they needed a partner – an expert adept at collaboration who could help improve their processes, formulate a breakthrough product and / or optimise their supply chain, all the while keeping a strong focus on safety and sustainability.”

With a strong distribution network and what is one of the largest private fleets in the industry, Univar Solutions prides itself on delivering logistical know-how to providing data-driven insights designed to reduce both delivery times and costs, thereby helping customers respond more nimbly to market conditions.

One of the services it provides is the breaking down of bulk deliveries into the often smaller quantities required by our customers, which are then delivered in turn directly to customers.

“In the UK, the vast majority of deliveries are made using our own fleet.”

One of the common threads – perhaps the biggest one of all – running through every aspect of the company is the emphasis on safety. In fact, being ‘Serious About Safety’ leads Univar Solutions core values, which include being a place ‘Where People Matter’ as well as being ‘Valuable to Others’ and ‘Doing What We Say’, so ‘Together We Win’. Combined, these describe a purposedriven and values-based company.

That focus on safety is yet another reason why Univar Solutions is relied upon and trusted all over the world.

“Yes, we are large in size, but we are also laser-focused on being agile, reliable, and consistent across all the businesses and countries where we operate. That scale combined with reliability is reassuring, particularly during these days of a global pandemic.

Some of our competitors might suffer from issues such as cashflow, and some may not even survive, but we are here to stay.”

www.univarsolutions.com

Nick Powell, President of EMEA & APAC

Nick said, “We have a huge focus on safety! Before everything else, we are serious about safety.”

“Every employee in our business, right through the organization and including our field based employees, has the ability to stop the job.”

“If they spot a risk, we actively encourage them to stop the job, which could mean stopping a facility operating or choosing not to deliver to a site - we have had letters from customers praising our staff for spotting a problem they weren’t aware of, before an incident occurs.

“We’re not only protecting our own staff with this policy, but also the employees of our customers and the reputation of the suppliers whose products we are delivering.”

32

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| ras |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

Managing the ’New Normal’ There are very few organisations that can say they are running business as usual during this COVID-19 pandemic, yet the COMAH Competent Authority (CA) has made it clear that regulatory activities will continue, as far as possible, as normal. Of course, process safety doesn’t wait so it is clear why there are no excuses for non-compliance, but as operators try to strike a balance between COVID specific measures and maintaining production, where does that leave process safety?

Maintaining operations with measures like social distancing, reduced manning and limited access to contractors requires quick decision making, whether an organisation has contingency plans in place or not. Those in process safety have the tools to make sure any decisions made are not going to compromise how our major accident hazards are managed, but in light of recent circumstances, it might be tempting to bypass the management of change process or to fail to identify where the MoC process is needed at all.

Some of the changes we have been seeing on high hazard sites have an obvious requirement for management of change to be carried out, just as it would be if COVID-19 measures were not in place. For example, a number of operators are installing portable buildings on their sites to enable employees to continue to work while social distancing. Any changes that have the potential to directly impact on the safety of personnel, such as location and building vulnerability, are considered to be critical and are generally being well managed.

With limited access to contractors who may be furloughed and social distancing measures preventing many of them from working on sites, keeping up with maintenance, inspection and testing intervals for equipment has proven difficult. Changes to maintenance schedules, particularly for safety critical equipment, should be carefully considered and continuing operations with affected equipment well justified. The longer that tests are left overdue, the less reliable the equipment is, with implications for risk calculations and tolerability. It may be tempting to continue to run the equipment based on historical integrity data, but any credit taken as a risk reduction measure is unfounded once maintenance becomes overdue. Compliance with the ALARP principle (whereby barriers are implemented to control risk to a level that is As Low as Reasonably Practicable), can therefore be compromised significantly if

the risks of changes to maintenance tasks are not identified and sufficiently managed.

Some changes, however, might not be so readily recognised as requiring a formal management process. In many cases, we have had to adapt the way that we operate, but are the less tangible changes such as updates to procedures considered to be critical? As the time spent operating under COVID-19 measures increases, activities that have so far been delayed until things return to normal become more urgent. Take, for example, HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) studies for projects. Time and money are important, and so in some cases rather than continuing to delay processes such as HAZOP, some operators are electing to carry them out remotely via video conference calls. Where it is strongly recommended that full studies are done in person, project HAZOPs can be carried out successfully remotely, provided that the risks associated with doing so are identified and managed. Are procedures compatible with remote working?

How can we make sure that the resources required for a successful study are available to all participants, and that participants are able to communicate freely?

Unprecedented times are not an excuse to forget or to compromise the activities that ensure our major accident hazards are properly managed. We already have the tools to manage new measures and changes to our operations. Now is the time to remind ourselves of the intentions and the scope of our management of change processes.

Carolyn Nicholls & Jennifer Hill enquiries@ras.ltd.uk

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RAS RISK & HAZARD MANAGEMENT

Understanding and facilitating the effective management of risk is our core business.

Our expertise covers the full range of risk assessment and management services across:

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Only when the risk facing an organisation is well understood can it be effectively managed.

Key to the successful identification, assessment and management of risk is engagement with the right

people, using the right processes at the right time. We believe we are different to many of our competitors and our approach is distinctive, we don’t always walk the well-trodden path but look at each client’s particular risk context and develop a tailored solution, working in partnership with our client.

We work across all aspects of risk, from Quantitative Risk Assessments and Predictive &

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+44 (0) 1244 674 612 • enquiries@ras.ltd.uk • www.ras.ltd.uk

| innovation |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

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| innovation |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

Imperial and BASF partner to advance innovative form of chemical manufacturing Imperial College London and chemical company BASF are working in partnership to develop flow chemistry, an innovative approach to chemical production.

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| innovation |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

By David Silverman

Enterprise Communications Officer

The technique could allow the chemical industry to manufacture chemicals, for example agrochemical actives, far more efficiently than they do now.

Traditionally, chemicals are produced in batches by placing the ingredients, reagents, into vessels known as batch reactors. Some time is allowed to complete the reaction, before the product is extracted. The whole process can be very slow, as extra time is needed for the reactor to be unloaded and cleaned in between batches. The productivity is limited by the volume of the reactors, how long the reaction takes, and how efficient the mixing is.

In contrast, in flow chemistry, chemicals are produced continuously by pumping reagents through the reactor, a process that is easier to control and produces more consistent results.

“The transition from batch to flow chemistry is similar to the transition from piece-by-piece manufacturing to industrial production on a conveyor belt,” said Professor Mimi Hii in Imperial’s Department of Chemistry. “Flow chemistry will produce higher-quality products at scale.”

Klaus Hellgardt, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Imperial, said: “We are excited to be working with BASF not only to advance the science and engineering, but also to train a new generation of chemists who are familiar and cognate in flow chemistry. To get modern techniques into companies you need champions, and you need to create these champions.”

Dr Darren Budd, Commercial Director (UK and Ireland) at BASF, said: “We want to make flow chemistry a success for BASF and the global chemical industry. It is pleasing to see these advanced processes developed and pioneered in the UK, strengthening the country’s position as a global leader in chemical manufacturing. By combing our sectoral insights with the academic expertise and resources of Imperial College London, we aim to push the technology forward and upskill the workforce in the chemicals sector.”

While some companies, including BASF, already use continuous processes routinely to manufacture chemicals at large scale (typically kilotonnes), a key challenge is to implement flow chemistry at smaller scales (kilograms), specifically for the manufacture of low-volume, high-value chemicals, including speciality chemicals.

Continuous flow would also allow them to distribute manufacturing across smaller plants, reducing the cost of shipping and creating more localised and resilient

“The transition from batch to flow chemistry is similar to the transition from piece-by-piece manufacturing to industrial production on a conveyor belt. Flow chemistry will produce higherquality products at scale.”

Professor Mimi Hii, Imperial’s Department of Chemistry.

The Imperial and BASF team at the BASF complex in Ludwigshafen supply chains – something that may become increasingly important post-COVID-19.

Dr Christian Holtze, Senior Research Engineer at BASF, said: “The current paradigm is the bigger you get, the cheaper you can make your chemical. The world’s supply is produced by a handful of chemical plants. This research is a real opportunity to complement world-scale production with a more flexible alternative. By partnering with Imperial on an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to flow chemistry, we’re helping to introduce a new mindset, and also changing the way R&D is done.”

TRANSFORMING THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY BASF is partnered with Imperial on several flow chemistry projects at Imperial’s EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Synthesis & Reaction Technology, led by Professor Hii and Professor Sophia Yaliraki in the Department of Chemistry, and Professor Klaus Hellgardt in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Mimi Hii, Professor of Catalysis at Imperial, said: “In Imperial’s new home for chemistry, the Molecular Sciences Research Hub, we are pursuing advanced work in flow chemistry, automation and data science, and it is great to join our world-leading expertise and resources with those of BASF to help drive innovations in the chemical industry by deploying the outcomes of our collaboration in industrial practice.”

ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITY Imperial works with a range of industry partners to address industry challenges and create a more healthy, smart, resilient and sustainable society.

Dr Simon Hepworth, Imperial’s Director of Enterprise, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with BASF, one of the world’s leading chemicals companies. Through this partnership, we are not only applying our expertise to their business challenges, but also working with them to bring important benefits to the chemical sector, the UK economy and ultimately to wider society.”

Companies interested in partnering with the College on research or helping take technologies developed at Imperial to market learn more about opportunities by contacting the College’s Enterprise Division. www.imperial.ac.uk/enterprise

38

hfl

consulting Safety Sustainability Profitability

Supporting sustainably safe and profitable operations.

Most would agree that good business performance is linked to good operational and process safety performance, built on sound practices and procedures.

At HFL Consulting, we provide a unique blend of leadership, management, consulting, engineering and training services, that makes us the natural partner of choice for many of the UK’s most prominent chemical manufacturing and chemical using companies.

Find out more about how we can help improve your performance.

T 0161 304 5902 E info@hflconsulting.uk W hflconsulting.uk

People Plant Process Productivity HFL Consulting is now part of SLR; a global leader in environmental and advisory solutions.

Together, we provide world-class solutions and advice to our clients.

| mht |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

we are looking forward to showing you all our new features We were disappointed CHEMUK 2020 was cancelled where we intended to show you our new features. We can’t wait to catch up with you next year in Birmingham 2021. MHT Technology Ltd is a leading global supplier of tank gauging, terminal automation and stock management solutions for bulk liquid storage and handling. Since lockdown, we have worked hard to help our customers adapt to the challenges faced with COVID-19.

Health and safety on site have never been as important. The storage and transportation of hazardous materials have many inherent risks.

Operators must follow strict safety procedures with accuracy and precision at all times. If there is an accident because procedures were not followed, this could result in fines, injury and environmental damage. We understand human error is inevitable, people are not robots, this is why we create our software and hardware to support digitalisation to boost safety and help overcome these challenges.

Our product, CheckScheme, enables operators to carry out their checks quickly and efficiently, harnessing existing data to optimise safety procedures with a userfriendly smartphone app. We believe digitalisation is the key to helping our customers with the challenges faced at the moment. With CheckScheme managers can remotely monitor the processes being carried out by their colleagues on site in a way that paper-based checklists simply could not.

The latest features in CheckScheme allow for the recording of richer data and scheduling repetitive tasks. The system can still make use of RFID tags and QR Codes to identify locations and equipment, but now textual and photographic information can be recorded. For example, CheckScheme users can record photographs of the laden vehicles before they leave the site, to be able to show that they have discharged their duties in line with ADR and ensure every vehicle with a hazardous load leaves your site carrying the correct placards and markers.

The built-in calendar allows processes to be scheduled.

Tasks such as manual tank dips can be scheduled to occur at regular intervals, capturing the levels recorded easily with the mobile device. An RFID tag placed on the roof of the tank which the device reads ensure operators can’t falsify readings. The server shows the results, permitting gauge drift to be assessed.

See how CheckScheme can benefit your operations today.

Get a quote by emailing sales@mht-technology.co.uk or ring +44 (0)1748 828820.

At home

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• Handheld device to guide safety processes.

• Easily configured by a centralised server.

• Syncs automatically to the cloud for analysis.

Eliminate paper-based checklists with CheckScheme

MHT Technology Ltd I www.mht-technology.co.uk

40

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| circular economy |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

moving towards a greener, cleaner economy More than 80 per cent of chemicals and materials companies say they are gravitating to a circular economy and, key to that, green chemistry.

However, as data analyst Elsevier discovered, most are only at the start of their journey.

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| circular economy |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

Although a new survey shows that 81% of chemicals and materials companies are beginning to explore the circular economy, the findings also show there is much room for improvement.

Though interest is clearly high, more than half of those surveyed (57%) design under a quarter of their products according to circular economy principles, illustrating that while many companies understand the need for a circular economy model, they are still in the very early stages of implementation.

However, there is a cause for optimism. Almost two thirds (61%) of respondents expect more than half of their products to be designed according to the principles by 2030.

To reach this goal, it’s clear that chemicals and materials companies will need to change the way they approach the circular economy to ensure that those working in the industry can make this shift a reality.

Nina Kaun, Elsevier’s director of product management, said: “The circular economy is no longer optional for businesses – it is crucial in the fight against climate change and the move towards a greener, cleaner economy.

“This sentiment is clearly felt by many law and policy-makers, with the EU commissioner recently announcing that the circular economy must be at the heart of COVID-19 recovery plans. This message was also echoed by the global Ellen Macarthur Foundation.”

COVID-19 had made companies and consumers alike change their outlook, she added. Chemicals and materials companies needed to seek out material alternatives and invest in R&D that supported the circular economy.

The survey findings also show that the adoption of circular economy principles is driven primarily by social pressure, with almost half (43 percent) of respondents naming both regulatory and consumer pressure as key reasons for adopting the principles.

However, the survey finds there are a number of barriers to doing so; the biggest being cost (19 percent), followed by cultural resistance to change (13 percent) and low investment in R&D (13 percent).

To overcome these hurdles and address the concerns of consumers and regulators alike, businesses needed help when tackling the costs,

risks and commercial feasibility, because projects with a strong business case and cost efficiency were more likely to succeed.

A significant element of the circular economy model is green chemistry. Of its 12 principles, one is to phase out the use of dangerous and toxic materials.

When asked about the drivers for green chemistry, respondents identified a number of factors, including safety of staff (27 percent), safety of endproduct users (26 percent), reduced environmental impact (22 percent) and improved regulatory compliance (25 percent).

PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’ (chemicals that don’t degrade naturally, such as Teflon or ScotchGard), are one of the biggest problems in this area – 99% of Americans have PFOS and PFOA (two well known, harmful forms of PFAS) in their blood, and the numbers are thought to be similar all over the world.

Nina Kaun said: “Removing these toxic chemicals from use quickly is essential for both public health and safety, but when toxic chemicals are phased out, companies need to ensure they are replaced by other substances with the right properties and which will cause minimal impact on the environment.

“Companies also need to be aware of the shifting regulations and compliance risk around these chemicals. As more research is undertaken into the health and environmental implications, the regulations are changing to match.”

Chemical manufacturers must ensure they understood the regulatory nuances in each market, the impact on their key product lines, and how this changed their information needs, she said.

“Achieving all of these goals is a complex undertaking, and it requires innovation and creativity.

“We can only move towards a cleaner industry by equipping chemicals and materials researchers with all the knowledge they need, ranging from toxicology data, to sourcing quotes, to real-time market news.”

Elsevier conducted the survey between January and April 2020 with 182 respondents in Chemicals and Materials businesses, in R&D, manufacturing & operations, and environment, health and safety roles.

“The circular economy is no longer optional for businesses – it is crucial in the fight against climate change and the move towards a greener, cleaner economy.”

Nina Kaun, Elsevier’s Director of Product Management

43

| circular economy |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

THE FUTURE IS ROUND The UK’s Bioeconomy Strategy, published two years ago, covers the period up to 2030. Designed to remove our reliance on finite fossil resources, it encourages the use of bioscience and biotechnology to create new solutions in the food, energy, health and, yes, chemical industries. Integral to that is the ‘circular economy’, the green ideal that enshrines recycling and sustainability. HELEN COMPSON investigates.

The phrase is on every industrialist’s lips. The road ahead is indeed circular. But where on earth do you start?

BioVale, a not-for-profit York University spinout dedicated to ensuring the Yorkshire and Humber region is at the heart of our now rapidly expanding bioeconomy, describes the UK as being at the forefront of international efforts.

But, as chief executive Dr Sarah Hickingbottom, above, acknowledges, “It’s all about commercialising those ideas.

“The UK has four bio-clusters, each looking at futureproofing in the bioeconomy, but that’s easier said than done.”

First, there is the age-old challenge inherent in scaling up chemical compounds and the lack of uniformity that usually brings in its wake.

And secondly, every industry attempting to change track is doing so amidst a complex network of long-established supply chains and logistics. That is one of the biggest hurdles of all.

more than that – it should also be about reimagining chemistry to strip out the toxicity of processes.

“The chemicals industry is huge and one of the challenges with green chemicals is the sheer economics of scale required.

“Another is that the mainstream chemicals industry doesn’t tend to think in a big enough way, in that we live in a world that is a gilded petroleum thought cage.

“From the minute we wake up in the morning, our day is full of it.”

The 6000 different types of product petroleum is used in ranges from the upholstery on our beds and chairs to the materials in the clothes we wear, the toiletries we put on our skins, the central heating that keeps us warm and the fuel that powers our vehicles. It is everywhere.

Dr Hickingbottom said: “Nowadays, if you are using DMF or some other non-environmentally benign solvent, it’s not because that is the perfect solvent for the process, but

Nonetheless, there is a strong argument for going back to basics, for starting again where possible, she said.

“In accordance with UN sustainability goals, our government is pushing for Net Zero, but it should be about

44

| circular economy |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

because at the point of development – several decades ago – it was the best we could make do with in the economics of scale.

Where there was a will, there was a way, and that had to be applied to municipal solid waste (MSW), she said. “That’s the stuff in your black bin, collected by the council.

“However, the tool box of biotechnologies we have today means we could go back to chemical reaction and devise an environmentally benign product that is even better chemical-wise.”

“When the metals and plastics have been removed, you are left with organic municipal solid waste and that’s a very rich feedstock that can be circular.

An organic chemist by training herself, she knew we had the ability now to combine organic chemistry with catalysts and the chemistry achieved with biotechnology to change the way we do things.

“Yes, the challenges are massive, but we have the ability to go back to first chemical principles, go back to the drawing board, and reimagine better solutions.”

What is done within the four arenas of municipal solid waste, unavoidable waste, gases and plastics is key to achieving a circular economy.

Acting as a sort of marriage broker between innovators and entrepreneurs, Biovale is intent on helping to create the new, commercial-scale supply chains necessary.

Dr Hickingbottom cites the example of food waste, and particularly unavoidable food waste, which can be turned into feedstocks for other supply chains.

“In accordance with UN sustainability goals, our government is pushing for Net Zero, but it should be about more than that – it should also be about reimagining chemistry to strip out the toxicity of processes.”

45

“We can ferment it or turn it into a syn(thetic) gas in exactly the same way as a crop.

“It would be amazing if we could use the country’s rubbish to create the chemicals of the future!”

More than just a pipe dream, the first steps have already been taken in that direction.

In the UK, a company called Wilson Bio-Chemical Ltd has established a pilot plant in Dunnington, near York, designed to turn waste into high-value chemicals.

Game-changing technology, in what is a micro-autoclave fibre production plant, diverts unsorted MSW away from landfill and towards reprocessing as a feedstock for the biofuel and biochemical markets.

Similarly, Circa Group, which has worked with York University’s Green Chemicals Centre of Excellence, is busy turning tonnes of renewable and otherwise underused nonfood cellulose into Levoglucosenone, a valuable platform molecule.

In turn, Levoglucosenone feeds into an emerging portfolio of sustainable products, such as bio-solvents, flavours and bio-polymers for pharmaceutical, agrichemical, new materials and clean technology companies.

Dr Hickingbottom said: “We have access to feedstocks and platform chemicals that were never viable before - in the laboratory and in pilot tests, we can do almost anything we want.

“Certainly, there are big challenges in taking them outside, not least in terms of scale, but we do have the ability, now.”

| solvents industry association |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

SIA Encourages Safe Working with the Manufacturing and Use of Hand Sanitisers The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has seen an increase in the number of companies entering the market to supply hand sanitisers to meet the hygiene demands of consumers and healthcare professionals. These products can contain ethanol, isopropanol or n-propanol, which are flammable liquids and should be manufactured using suitable approved packaging, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and have earthing procedures in place to prevent static discharge.

SOLVENTS ARE IN OUR EVERYDAY HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS The Solvents Industry Association (SIA) promotes the safe and responsible use of solvents and flammable liquids and encourages all existing and potential manufacturers of these products to seek guidance on safe handling, to avoid serious injury or damage to property.

Andrew Norman, General Secretary of the SIA said, “The increase in the number of manufacturers in the sanitiser market and the now widespread use of alcohol-based hygiene products by the general public, has helped to illustrate the importance of the solvents industry to today’s society”.

NEW ENTRANTS INTO THE HAND SANITISER PRODUCTION ARENA HAVE HEALTH AND SAFETY OBLIGATIONS “There have been numerous examples of posts online during the COVID-19 crisis, showing how industry has diversified and worked tirelessly to ensure that demand for

sanitiser products is met. However, it has become apparent from these posts and from the guidance being sought by these companies, that many new producers lack experience in the field and have little or no knowledge of their Health and Safety obligations when handling flammable liquids”.

He continued, “The use of inappropriate packaging for containment of these flammable liquids has been evident, with the danger of static discharge being a major issue, particularly with respect to unprotected plastic Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), along with further dangers to commercial drivers and other road users through

46

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

| solvents industry association |

a lack of understanding of ADR requirements and labelling”.

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DESEAR) are in place for protection against risks from fire, explosion and similar events arising from dangerous substances used, or present in the workplace. These must be adhered to when producing hand sanitiser products.

One of the most widely used alcohols used in sanitisers is ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which of course is the type of alcohol used in alcoholic beverages, such as wines and spirits.

DEMYSTIFYING HAND SANITISER PERCEPTIONS TO RAISE SAFETY LEVELS In this article, we will attempt to raise awareness of the hazards associated with sanitiser products and dispel some of the myths that surround them.

1. Handgels contain alcohol – Does that mean that you can drink it?

FALSE - Handgel products can contain up to 85% ethanol, which will of course make a person drunk if consumed, but handgels also contain a range of other chemicals which are toxic or nasty tasting to prevent human consumption.

There has been an alarming number of instances where people in the UK have broken into hand sanitiser stations to consume the product inside. The toxic additives (denaturants) can cause dizziness, blindness, permanent kidney and liver damage or even death. The message is clear – Do not consume hand sanitiser products under any circumstances.

or vapour from the product comes into contact with a spark, flame or even static electricity.

Smoking is to be avoided in the presence of open containers and hands must me completely dry of the product if a source of ignition is present. There have been cases of individuals receiving serious burns to hands from cooking on stoves where the product hasn’t yet dried and even from the natural discharge of static from a metal surface after sanitising.

3. Leaving sanitisers in a hot vehicle will catch fire FALSE – There have been some reports in the press of bottles of hand sanitiser catching fire when left in vehicles in hot weather.

The truth is that sanitisers are indeed flammable at relatively low temperatures as they can give off vapours when used, or are left in open containers. However, they require a spark of flame to be applied to the vapour to be ignited and will not catch fire by normal atmospheric high temperatures. The temperature would need to exceed 360°C to ignite from the presence of heat alone (auto ignition).

Many household products that we take for granted every day, from paints and coatings to cleaning products to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, contain solvents. These can all be used safely if handled with care.

The Solvents Industry Association is here to support and provides comprehensive guidance on how to handle solvents and flammable liquids safely.

2. Hand sanitiser products are flammable

View our safety films on the Safe Handling of Solvents, Solvents and Static Electricity and Solvents and IBCs, along with our range of essential Guidance Notes for further information.

TRUE – Ethanol solutions are flammable at concentrations of 24% and above, so handgels can be ignited if the product

Visit our resource centre today www.solvents.org.uk/sia-information-centre/

Guidance issued on Assessment of Customer Bulk Facilities and Safe Sampling of Solvents Updated SIA Guidance Note 52 – Assessment of Customer Bulk Facilities The Solvents Industry Association has updated and reissued their Guidance Note 52 – Assessment of Customer Bulk Facilities, to align with their recent ‘Safe Loading and Transportation of Bulk Solvents by Road’ safety film.

First produced back in 2007, this revised document accounts for updates in legislation and incorporates the use of CEFIC’s SULID (Site (Un)Loading Information Document) for pre-delivery inspection.

The Guidance Note can be downloaded for free via the SIA Website Resource Centre:

SIA Produces Latest Guidance Note on Safe Sampling of Solvents Produced by a team of experienced specialists from their Technical Committee, the Solvents Industry Association has produced new Guidance on the Safe Sampling of Solvents, covering sampling from road tankers, storage vessels and manufacturing processes.

The Guidance Note can be downloaded for free via the SIA Website Resource Centre: www.solvents.org.uk/sia-information-centre

www.solvents.org.uk/sia-information-centre

For further information, contact Andrew Norman, SIA General Secretary

For further information, contact Andrew Norman, SIA General Secretary

www.solvents.org.uk/contact-us

www.solvents.org.uk/contact-us

47

| news |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

How Hublot and Metrohm are uncovering the treasure of ancient Greece

One of the most fascinating items ever salvaged from an ancient shipwreck is the socalled Antikythera Mechanism.

More than 2000 years old, this magnificent piece of mechanical engineering forced the scientific community to rewrite the history of science as it became clear that its unknown maker must have possessed knowledge and skills that were believed to simply not exist in the 1st century BC. The Antikythera Mechanism was a complex and highly precise solar and lunar calendar that could also predict eclipses of the sun and the moon, as well as the future dates of the Panhellenic Games.

The complexity and precision of this machine inspired not only scientists but also Hublot, the Swiss brand famous for their outstanding watches. Not only did Hublot recreate the Antikythera Mechanism in a

wristwatch, they also started their own underwater archaeology program.

One of the challenges faced by underwater archaeology is the fact that the cargo and debris of ancient shipwrecks is often randomly distributed across vast areas on the seafloor and also often covered by sediments.

As divers can only operate for very limited time spans at depths below 50 meters, drones are needed to investigate larger areas of the seafloor at such depths.

The engineers from Hublot have built drones for this purpose, the so-called “Bubblots�, and have equipped them with miniaturised voltammetric measuring stands from Metrohm. They are utilised to perform real-time analyses of the seawater for unusual concentrations of dissolved metal salts typically associated with corroding bronze artefacts. Thus, the systematic and highly selective investigation of larger areas for hidden historical bronze artefacts becomes feasible.

Due to its sensitivity and selectivity regarding different metals and their oxidation states, voltammetry is ideally suited for such investigations, as it is also a very fast and robust technique. In the case of Bubblot drones, results are obtained in a few seconds and this information can be immediately processed.

Read all about this ground breaking project and watch the video: www.metrohm.com/en-gb/company/news/newsandikitira-hublot-projekt-metrohm-electrochemia

48

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| cba |

| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |

MAJOR DECLINE IN ORDER BOOKS AND SALES – EMPLOYMENT TURNS NEGATIVE

Peter Newport

The latest Supply Chain Trends Survey from the Chemical Business Association (CBA) shows a major decline in order books and current sales as well as the industry’s forecast for employment turning negative.

Peter Newport, CBA’s Chief Executive, said, “This Survey shows the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic with order books and current sales showing more than a 60% negative swing since our last survey in March. Worryingly, trends in employment have turned negative for the first time since we started running these surveys eight years ago.”

“Emerging from the Covid-19 lock-down, an imminent and severe economic downturn, plus the increasing likelihood of a No Deal Brexit represents a perfect storm for the UK’s chemical supply chain and are beginning to be reflected in our survey,” he added.

The CBA’s on-line Trends Survey was conducted during the two weeks from 8-19 June 2020 and is based on responses from 58 member companies.

ABOUT THE SURVEY CBA’s Supply Chain Trends Survey asks companies to provide information on order books, sales, sales margins, and employment, on a ‘better–worse–same’ basis. To measure short-term trends, the analysis ignores responses answering ‘same’ and focuses on the positive or negative balance provided by the difference between the ‘betterworse’ responses.

CURRENT ORDER BOOKS – Major negative swing Members are asked if their order books are better, worse, or the same than during the previous three months. The March survey shows a negative balance of -33% - an adverse swing of 66% since CBA’s last survey in March 2020 which reported a positive balance of +33%.

SALES VOLUMES – Sharply negative Respondents compare their current sales volumes with the preceding three months and indicate their expectations for the next three months. Current sales volumes have turned sharply negative at -31%. In March, members companies reported a positive balance of +32%. This represents a significant decline of 63% in business sentiment. The outlook for the next three months remains positive at +9% (March 2020, +5%).

SALES MARGINS – Barely positive and forecast to turn negative Companies compare their current sales margins with the preceding three months and also forecast their trend over the coming three months. Current sales margins are now barely positive at +4%, a marginal improvement on the last survey when margins were neutral (at 0%). The outlook for future sales margins remains negative at -7%, the same outcome as our last survey in March 2020.

EMPLOYMENT – turned negative for the first time Member companies are asked if their employment levels will be higher, lower, or remain the same over the next three months. For the first time, in the eight years of these surveys, member companies have reported a negative trend in employment of -8% a reflection of the impact of Covid-19 and the future uncertainty in levels of business activity.

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thin film

palladium catalysts

nickel foam

perovskite crystals glassy carbon III-IV semiconducto europium phosphors Nd:YAG

buckyballs 1

MOFs

Li Na

2 1

4

MOCVD

Be

2 8 1

12

Mg 24.305

20

Rb

40.078

2 8 18 8 1

38

85.4678

Cs

Sr

56

Ba

Fr (223)

2 8 18 8 2

39

Ti

2 8 18 18 8 2

57

Ra

Francium

(226)

La

2 8 18 9 2

40

Zr

Ac (227)

Radium

50.9415

Vanadium 2 8 18 10 2

41

91.224

2 8 18 18 9 2

72

Hf

138.90547

89

V

Nb

2 8 18 32 10 2

73

Ta

178.48

Actinium

104

Rf (267)

24

Cr 51.9961

2 8 18 12 1

42

Db (268)

Rutherfordium

Mn

2 8 13 2

26

Fe

54.938045

2 8 14 2

27

Mo

2 8 18 13 1

43

95.96

2 8 18 32 11 2

74

W

gallium lump quantum dots

Ce

2 8 18 19 9 2

140.116

Th 232.03806

Thorium

Pr

2 8 18 21 8 2

140.90765

Cerium 90

59

Tc

106

Sg (271)

2 8 18 13 2

44

(98.0)

2 8 18 32 12 2

75

183.84

Dubnium

Praseodymium 2 8 18 32 18 10 2

91

Pa 231.03588

2 8 18 32 20 9 2

Protactinium

transparent ceramics refractory metals

60

2 8 18 22 8 2

Re

Ru

2 8 18 32 32 12 2

107

Bh (272)

2 8 18 15 1

45

101.07

2 8 18 32 13 2

76

186.207

61

2 8 18 23 8 2

62

144.242

(145)

U

Uranium

2 8 18 32 32 13 2

Os

108

Hs

Cu

30

2 8 18 32 14 2

77

2 8 18 32 21 9 2

93

Np (237)

94

Ir

(270)

2 8 18 24 8 2

63

2 8 18 16 1

46

Mt (276)

47

106.42

78

Ag

79

195.084

Meitnerium

110

Ds (281)

48

Au

80

Ga

2 8 18 18 2

49

In

Hg

Rg (280)

Roentgenium

81

112

Cn (285)

Tl

113

Nh (284)

Copernicium

Eu

64

151.964

95

Gd

2 8 18 25 9 2

65

157.25

158.92535

Gadolinium 96

Tb

2 8 18 27 8 2

2 8 18 28 8 2

Dy

67

162.5

Terbium

97

66

Neptunium

(244)

Plutonium

2 8 18 18 3

50

Sn

68

82

Pb

99

Er

(243)

2 8 18 32 25 8 2

Americium

(247)

2 8 18 32 25 9 2

Curium

(247)

2 8 18 32 27 8 2

Berkelium

rhodium sponge

(251)

2 8 18 32 28 8 2

114

100

Californium

(252)

Einsteinium

(257)

Fermium

51

Fl (289)

S

52

Bi

84

208.9804

Br

Po

Mc

Moscovium

116

53

I

85

At

Lv (293)

117

Ts (294)

Tennessine

39.948

36

Kr

2 8 18 8

83.798

Krypton 2 8 18 18 7

54

2 8 18 32 18 7

86

Xe

2 8 18 18 8

131.293

Xenon

Rn (222)

118

Og (294)

GDC

dielectr

2 8 18 32 18 8

Radon 2 8 18 32 32 18 7

Invar

2 8 18 32 32 18 8

CIGS

Oganesson

silver nanoparticles ITO 2 8 18 30 8 2

69

Tm

2 8 18 31 8 2

168.93421

101

Md (258)

Yb

2 8 18 32 8 2

71

173.054

Thulium

2 8 18 32 30 8 2

70

Lu

2 8 18 32 31 8 2

Mendelevium

102

No (259)

2 8 18 32 9 2

174.9668

Ytterbium

Lutetium 2 8 18 32 32 8 2

Nobelium

103

Lr (262)

nanoribbons

2 8 18 32 32 8 3

mischmetal

Lawrencium

chalcogenides

biosynthetics rare earth metals CVD precursors deposition slugs

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2 8 8

Argon 2 8 18 7

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Over 15,000 certified high purity laboratory chemicals, metals, & advanced materials and a

carbon nanotubes

Ar

Astatine 2 8 18 32 32 18 6

h-BN

Neon

Iodine

2 8 18 32 18 6

2 8

20.1797

126.90447

Livermorium

Now Invent.

graphene oxide ultra high purity materials

18

79.904

(209)

2 8 18 32 32 18 5

2 8 7

Ne

Bromine 2 8 18 18 6

Te

scandium powder

laser crystals

35

Polonium

115

(288)

2 8 18 6

127.6

2 8 18 32 18 5

10

35.453

Tellurium

Bismuth 2 8 18 32 32 18 4

Cl

78.96

Sb

83

17

osmium

Helium

2 7

Chlorine

Se

121.76

2 8 18 32 18 4

2 8 6

Selenium 2 8 18 18 5

He

Fluorine

32.065

34

2

4.002602

18.9984032

Sulfur

Antimony

Flerovium

Erbium 2 8 18 32 29 8 2

2 8 18 18 4

207.2

2 8 18 32 32 18 3

2 8 18 5

As

Lead

167.259

Holmium

P

16

74.9216

Tin

2 8 18 32 18 3

2 8 5

Arsenic

118.71

Nihonium

164.93032

Dysprosium 98

Ho

2 8 18 29 8 2

33

F

15.9994

30.973762

2 8 18 4

9

Oxygen

Phosphorus

72.64

204.3833

2 8 18 32 32 18 2

15

Germanium

macromolecules 2 8 18 25 8 2

Europium 2 8 18 32 24 8 2

Ge

Thallium

Pu Amstabilized Cm Bk zirconia Cf Es Fm yttrium

2 8 18 32 22 9 2

32

114.818

200.59

111

Si

Indium 2 8 18 32 18 2

2 8 4

2 6

O

14.0067

28.0855

2 8 18 3

8

Nitrogen

Silicon

69.723

Mercury 2 8 18 32 32 18 1

14

Gallium

Cd

Gold

Darmstadtium

31

112.411

196.966569

2 8 18 32 32 17 1

2 8 18 2

Cadmium 2 8 18 32 18 1

2 8 3

2 5

N

12.0107

26.9815386

Zinc

Silver

Platinum 2 8 18 32 32 15 2

2 8 18 18 1

C

7

Carbon

Aluminum

65.38

107.8682

2 8 18 32 17 1

Pt

192.217

109

2 8 18 18

Palladium 2 8 18 32 15 2

Zn

Copper

Pd

Iridium 2 8 18 32 32 14 2

63.546

Nickel

102.9055

Hassium

Samarium

gold nanocubes OLED lighting

hotovoltaics

29

Al

2 4

TM

endohedral fullerenes

spintronics

Ni

2 8 18 1

cerium oxide polishing powder

sputtering targets

tungsten carbide

2 8 16 2

58.6934

Rhodium

190.23

150.36

Promethium

Rh

Osmium

Bohrium

Nd Pm Sm

238.02891

28

Cobalt

Ruthenium

Rhenium

Seaborgium

Neodymium 92

2 8 15 2

58.933195

InAs wafers epitaxial crystal growth 58

Co

Iron

Technetium

Tungsten 2 8 18 32 32 11 2

55.845

Manganese

Molybdenum

180.9488

105

25

Chromium

Tantalum 2 8 18 32 32 10 2

2 8 13 1

6

10.811

3D graphene foam

ultralight aerospace alloys

Niobium

Hafnium 2 8 18 32 18 9 2

2 8 11 2

92.90638

Zirconium

Lanthanum 2 8 18 32 18 8 2

23

47.867

Yttrium

Barium 88

Y

2 8 10 2

Titanium

88.90585

137.327

Cesium

2 8 18 32 18 8 1

22

44.955912

87.62

2 8 18 18 8 1

Sc

2 8 9 2

Scandium

Strontium

132.9054

87

21

Calcium

Rubidium 55

nanodispersions

2 3

ferrofluid

Boron 13

isotopes

39.0983

AuNPs

2 8 8 2

Ca

Potassium 37

2 8 2

Magnesium 2 8 8 1

B

surface functionalized nanoparticles

9.012182

Sodium

K

5

2 2

Beryllium

22.98976928

19

organometallics

99.999% ruthenium spheres

6.941

YBCO

EuFOD

H

Lithium 11

metamaterials 2

1.00794

anogels

alternative energy additive manufacturing

1

Hydrogen 3

diamond micropowder

Now Invent! metallocenes

li-ion battery electrolytes

solar energy

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