Process system integrity: how can simulation help?

The management of hazardous waste in China is becoming a more and more important topic as the central government has been putting a lot of effort in the regulation on the hazardous chemicals and the improvement of the environmental quality. The latest version of the Inventory of Hazardous Wastes was published in March 2016. The new version became effective on Aug 1st 2016 and included significant changes compared to its predecessor, the 2008 version. However, industry has encountered some problems relating to the implementation of the Inventory. So ChemLinked invited Ms. Amy Tu to give our readers a comprehensive introduction to the management of hazardous waste in China.

Calibration is relevant to everyone. Even the most precise measurement instrument is of little or no use if you cannot guarantee that the reading is accurate, or you are unaware of the measurement uncertainty. The US GMP rule for pharmaceutical manufacturing, 21 CFR Part 211, article 68(a) provides details on calibration of measuring equipment. Similar statements can be found in other regulatory or guidance documents, such as ISO9001, which emphazises the traceability to international or national measurement standards. The challenge is to determine how to put these regulations into practice—to be confident that you comply with the requirements without an excessive amount of effort—but without compromising product quality.

China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued the draft Regulation on Chemical Substance Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on 8 Jan. The new regulation represents a complete overhaul of China’s chemical regulatory framework and will have a huge impact on the industry in terms of their compliance obligations. The deadline for public comment is 20 Feb 2019.

On January 21st, 2003, Members of AIChE's Center for Chemical Process Safety had the rare privilege to observe the safety procedures used at the Kennedy Space Center to load the hypergolic thruster fuels onto the Space Shuttle Columbia. Just 11 days later, the Columbia disintegrated on reentry. As details of the accident emerged from the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, it became clear that there were many lessons that chemical engineers could learn from NASA's actions leading up to this tragic accident. This presentation will link the loss of the Columbia to the 2005 explosion at the BP Texas City refinery which killed 15 and injured 180, and highlight six key actions useful to prevent chemical accidents, protect the integrity of research, and maybe even improve your life.