IN BRIEF
3M exits PFAS 3M will exit all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance ( PFAS ) manufacturing by the end of 2025 , including fluoropolymers , fluorinated fluids and PFASbased additive products . The company will also discontinue the use of PFAS across its portfolio , having already reduced this in the past three years .
Bachem signs contract Bachem has signed a further work order with an unnamed customer for a minimum total of € 1 billion worth of peptides from 2025 to 2029 . This follows two previous contracts announced in September worth € 175 million in 2023-4 . The peptides will be supplied out of Building K , a large-scale facility now under construction at the main site in Bubendorf , Switzerland .
CAMs delivered BASF-Toda Battery Materials has delivered the first batch of nickel-cobalt-manganese cathode active materials ( CAMs ) for electric vehicle batteries for Prime Planet Energy & Solutions , a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic . These were made by calcination at Onoda , Japan , where the firm plans to expand CAM production to 45 GWh cell capacity in 2H 2024 .
First US site for Oleon Oloechemicals specialist Oleon has acquired a blending plant in Conroe , Texas , its first in North America , and will invest over $ 50 million there . The company said this will be “ the cornerstone for its industrial activity in the Americas ”. It will start up in 1H 2023 , offering warehousing and blending for multiple applications . Esterification will follow from 2024 .
UK REACH deadlines to be extended by three years
Following consultation with stakeholders , the UK Department of Environment , Food & Rural Affairs ( Defra ) has decided to extend the deadline for registering substances with the Health & Safety Executive ( HSE ) under UK REACH , the legislation that replaces EU REACH , by three years . This is subject to consultation with the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales . As a result , the deadlines will be :
• 27 October 2026 for substances that were included on the EU REACH candidate list before UK REACH came into effect ; carcinogenic , mutagenic or toxic for reproduction and manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 tonne / year or more ; very toxic to aquatic life and manufactured or imported in quantities of 100 tonnes / year or more ; and all substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 1,000 tonnes / year or more
• 27 October 2028 for substances added to the UK REACH candidate list before the 2023 submission deadline , or which are manufactured or imported in quantities of 100 tonnes / year or more
• 27 October 2030 for all substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 tonne / year or more
Defra stated that an extension was needed “ to ensure there is sufficient time for substantive development of the policy , and to make operational and legislative changes to implement the new model ”, and also to give industry time to prepare for compliance while avoiding extra cost .
Views were also sought on a proposal to make related amendments to the dates for compliance checks under Article 41 ( 5 ) to ensure they were in lockstep with the proposed data submission deadlines . This would have been impossible under the previous deadlines .
In all , 289 responses were received : 123 from large businesses ( 250 + employees ), 47 from mediumsized businesses ( 50-249 ), 58 from small or micro businesses (< 50 ), 20 from consultants , 28 from industry associations , eight from importers of substances and mixtures , and five from NGOs .
A full three-year extension was decisively preferred over the government ’ s preferred option of extending the deadlines by three years , two years and one year respectively , and of making no changes . In all , 82 % of those responding chose this , most commonly saying “ that it would provide more time to prepare registration documents and that the longer timeframe would reduce burdens and maximise the opportunity for businesses to submit high quality dossiers ”.
8 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981