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Can Plastics Be Turned Into Oil?

The world has a plastic problem. Too much of the material is ending up in our environment, and recently microplastics were even found in humans for the first time. There’s a growing movement to curtail our use of the material, but what should we do with what we already have? According to Let’s Recycle, there are a growing number of companies exploring the possibility of recycling plastics into oil.

Spotlight

Athenex

Athenex is a global specialty oncology pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next generation therapies for cancer diseases and supportive therapies. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative drugs that can have a life-changing impact on cancer patients. Our business includes medical technology innovation centers and a unique manufacturing supply chain across both China and North America. Through the connected innovation and manufacturing supply chain presence, we can identify, develop and deliver proprietary medical technology across continents and multiple regulatory environments.

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Chemical Technology

Boom in petrochemicals demand guaranteed but we must grow sustainably

Article | July 20, 2022

ONE OF THE GREATEST achievements of the last 30 years has been the fall in the number of people living in extreme poverty.In 1999, 1.9bn of the world’s population were living on less than $1.90, the Word Bank’s definition of extreme poverty. Despite setbacks caused by the pandemic, this had fallen to 698m by October 2020. Income levels alone are not enough to escape the life-threatening agony of extreme poverty. There is no point in having money if the essential goods and services to spend your money on are not available. Critical to poverty alleviation has been sufficient supply of all the things that people in the rich world take for granted. The raw materials to make the vast majority of manufactured goods include petrochemicals and polymers. Nearly all the major manufacturing chains would not have been able to function without petrochemicals. Think of medical equipment, syringes, blood bags, hospital gowns, face masks, pill bottles and medicine blister packs. None of the above could have been produced without petrochemicals. As people emerged out of extreme poverty and as economies became wealthier, modern-day medical services became more widely available.

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Chemical Management

Petrochemical buyers, after a very difficult pandemic, can gain from China-driven deflation

Article | July 14, 2022

BUYERS OF polypropylene (PP) and other polymers and petrochemicals have had an incredibly difficult pandemic. Firstly, the converters and brand owners expected doom and gloom last March. At the time it seemed logical to expect a cratering of demand as the global economy pretty much imploded. Just looking at forecasts for GDP, parallels were drawn with the Global Financial Crisis when collapses in growth led to a cratering of polymers demand. The US is a good example where PP demand declined by 12% in 2008 over 2007. Demand then fell by a further 5% in 2009 over 2008.But what we all missed was the complete dislocation of polymers and petrochemicals demand from GDP. As economies registered historic declines, consumption went up. PP demand went through the roof, firstly for food packaging and hygiene applications.Then consumption for the durable goods made from PP also smashed through the rafters as we bought white goods (PP is used to make components of washing machines), consumer electronics (PP is used to make some electronic components) and carpets (PP fibres are used here).

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Chemical Technology

Reimagining the Workforce with Anglo American

Article | June 6, 2022

“At Anglo-American, we’re really focused on finding the best ways to attract the most talented people in the industry and effectively equipping our existing workforce based on what they need today and what the future will mean for their careers. We’re also committed to providing learning opportunities that lead to growth and development in the communities in which we operate. Our people are a strategic advantage. We want to ensure that continues to be the case as the mining industry evolves and faces more disruption.

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Chemical Management

The supply-chain inflation threat to petrochemicals demand

Article | May 9, 2021

Petrochemicals themselves remain in short supply. This is partly because of reduced feedstock from refineries, a consequence of the pandemic-related collapse in transportation fuels demand.Global petrochemical supply is still edging back to something like normal following the US winter storms in February, during which most US capacity was shut down. A point of discussion is whether containers will become available in the right places at the right prices to relieve tightness in the European polyethylene (PE) market, once US supply has normalised. The container issue is making it difficult to move PE and polypropylene (PP) cargoes from Asia to Europe.Market intelligence from the US-based ICIS CDI team indicates that enough container freight space will be available to resume significant shipments of US PE to Europe, albeit at high prices. It will be several more weeks before domestic pipelines have been refilled, enabling US producers to refocus on exports, added CDI.

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Chemical Technology

Ways Your Chemical Company Can Benefit From Digitization

Article | July 20, 2022

ONE OF THE GREATEST achievements of the last 30 years has been the fall in the number of people living in extreme poverty.In 1999, 1.9bn of the world’s population were living on less than $1.90, the Word Bank’s definition of extreme poverty. Despite setbacks caused by the pandemic, this had fallen to 698m by October 2020. Income levels alone are not enough to escape the life-threatening agony of extreme poverty. There is no point in having money if the essential goods and services to spend your money on are not available. Critical to poverty alleviation has been sufficient supply of all the things that people in the rich world take for granted. The raw materials to make the vast majority of manufactured goods include petrochemicals and polymers. Nearly all the major manufacturing chains would not have been able to function without petrochemicals. Think of medical equipment, syringes, blood bags, hospital gowns, face masks, pill bottles and medicine blister packs. None of the above could have been produced without petrochemicals. As people emerged out of extreme poverty and as economies became wealthier, modern-day medical services became more widely available.

Read More
Chemical Management

Key Trends in the Digital Transformation of the Chemical Industry

Article | July 14, 2022

BUYERS OF polypropylene (PP) and other polymers and petrochemicals have had an incredibly difficult pandemic. Firstly, the converters and brand owners expected doom and gloom last March. At the time it seemed logical to expect a cratering of demand as the global economy pretty much imploded. Just looking at forecasts for GDP, parallels were drawn with the Global Financial Crisis when collapses in growth led to a cratering of polymers demand. The US is a good example where PP demand declined by 12% in 2008 over 2007. Demand then fell by a further 5% in 2009 over 2008.But what we all missed was the complete dislocation of polymers and petrochemicals demand from GDP. As economies registered historic declines, consumption went up. PP demand went through the roof, firstly for food packaging and hygiene applications.Then consumption for the durable goods made from PP also smashed through the rafters as we bought white goods (PP is used to make components of washing machines), consumer electronics (PP is used to make some electronic components) and carpets (PP fibres are used here).

Read More
Chemical Technology

Organic Catalyst Boasts Big Benefits

Article | June 6, 2022

“At Anglo-American, we’re really focused on finding the best ways to attract the most talented people in the industry and effectively equipping our existing workforce based on what they need today and what the future will mean for their careers. We’re also committed to providing learning opportunities that lead to growth and development in the communities in which we operate. Our people are a strategic advantage. We want to ensure that continues to be the case as the mining industry evolves and faces more disruption.

Read More
Chemical Management

The supply-chain inflation threat to petrochemicals demand

Article | May 9, 2021

Petrochemicals themselves remain in short supply. This is partly because of reduced feedstock from refineries, a consequence of the pandemic-related collapse in transportation fuels demand.Global petrochemical supply is still edging back to something like normal following the US winter storms in February, during which most US capacity was shut down. A point of discussion is whether containers will become available in the right places at the right prices to relieve tightness in the European polyethylene (PE) market, once US supply has normalised. The container issue is making it difficult to move PE and polypropylene (PP) cargoes from Asia to Europe.Market intelligence from the US-based ICIS CDI team indicates that enough container freight space will be available to resume significant shipments of US PE to Europe, albeit at high prices. It will be several more weeks before domestic pipelines have been refilled, enabling US producers to refocus on exports, added CDI.

Read More
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Spotlight

Athenex

Athenex is a global specialty oncology pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next generation therapies for cancer diseases and supportive therapies. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative drugs that can have a life-changing impact on cancer patients. Our business includes medical technology innovation centers and a unique manufacturing supply chain across both China and North America. Through the connected innovation and manufacturing supply chain presence, we can identify, develop and deliver proprietary medical technology across continents and multiple regulatory environments.

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Tampa fire rescue working to clean up after chemical spill

Tampa | February 20, 2019

Tampa Fire Rescue officials responded to a hazmat situation Wednesday morning on Columbus Drive. According to a press release, a tanker trunk was transferring a cleaning chemical to another storage tank, which caused a chemical reaction and spill from the top of the holding tank. Residents next to the complex were moved to another place while crews cleaned up the spill, and the leak was stopped by 9:20 a.m. The shelter order was lifted, and residents were allowed back shortly thereafter. Two workers were seen at the hospital for observation following the spill, but there were no reported injuries. Crews are working to neutralize and clean up the chemicals, and there is currently no threat to the surrounding area or public, fire rescue officials say.

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A catalyst for ‘greener’ hydrogen production

The Chemical Engineer | January 14, 2019

A RESEARCHER at the University of Delaware (UD), US has patented a process that could enable greener production of hydrogen. The process uses electricity and a copper-titanium (Cu-Ti) catalyst to make hydrogen from water. Hydrogen is an energy carrier and can be used to power fuel cells in vehicles, buildings, and other infrastructure. It can also be used to upcycle biomass, such as straw and grasses, into high-value chemicals to produce a range of products, such as plastics, paint, and personal care items. However, using hydrogen for these purposes is challenged by the unsustainable methods required for hydrogen production. Currently, the main processes for production use fossil fuels and produce carbon dioxide.

Read More

NGOs demand release of REACH studies submitted as confidential under TSCA

Chemical Watch | December 20, 2018

A coalition of NGOs has filed a public records request demanding the release of REACH studies submitted to the US EPA under TSCA that are being withheld as confidential. And the NGO action could represent an early test to the EPA's interpretation of what types of information can be protected as CBI under the law. At issue is the first of ten draft risk evaluations issued under the reformed TSCA, which focuses on pigment violet 29. Released to some controversy last month, the draft proposes to conclude that the substance does not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment.

Read More

Tampa fire rescue working to clean up after chemical spill

Tampa | February 20, 2019

Tampa Fire Rescue officials responded to a hazmat situation Wednesday morning on Columbus Drive. According to a press release, a tanker trunk was transferring a cleaning chemical to another storage tank, which caused a chemical reaction and spill from the top of the holding tank. Residents next to the complex were moved to another place while crews cleaned up the spill, and the leak was stopped by 9:20 a.m. The shelter order was lifted, and residents were allowed back shortly thereafter. Two workers were seen at the hospital for observation following the spill, but there were no reported injuries. Crews are working to neutralize and clean up the chemicals, and there is currently no threat to the surrounding area or public, fire rescue officials say.

Read More

A catalyst for ‘greener’ hydrogen production

The Chemical Engineer | January 14, 2019

A RESEARCHER at the University of Delaware (UD), US has patented a process that could enable greener production of hydrogen. The process uses electricity and a copper-titanium (Cu-Ti) catalyst to make hydrogen from water. Hydrogen is an energy carrier and can be used to power fuel cells in vehicles, buildings, and other infrastructure. It can also be used to upcycle biomass, such as straw and grasses, into high-value chemicals to produce a range of products, such as plastics, paint, and personal care items. However, using hydrogen for these purposes is challenged by the unsustainable methods required for hydrogen production. Currently, the main processes for production use fossil fuels and produce carbon dioxide.

Read More

NGOs demand release of REACH studies submitted as confidential under TSCA

Chemical Watch | December 20, 2018

A coalition of NGOs has filed a public records request demanding the release of REACH studies submitted to the US EPA under TSCA that are being withheld as confidential. And the NGO action could represent an early test to the EPA's interpretation of what types of information can be protected as CBI under the law. At issue is the first of ten draft risk evaluations issued under the reformed TSCA, which focuses on pigment violet 29. Released to some controversy last month, the draft proposes to conclude that the substance does not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment.

Read More

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