NEWS
Perstorp adds water and waste targets
Swedish chemical company Perstorp has added new corporate targets for water and waste to its sustainability strategy . These comprise 30 % absolute reductions of freshwater consumption and of both hazardous waste and non-hazardous waste directed to disposal by 2030 from a 2019 baseline .
Several large projects are planned that “ will contribute significantly ”, the firm said . These include purifying and recycling wastewater , and Project Air , in which captured CO 2 and residue streams from the Stenungsund site ( pictured ) are used as raw material for the production of sustainable methanol , replacing all use of fossil fuels for methanol production in Europe .
The new targets form part of a long-term sustainability ambition of becoming ‘ finite material neutral , which also involves raw materials , energy and catalysts . Perstorp had set its first 2030 targets , for greenhouse gas emissions and ( eco ) toxic impact , in 2021 .
Sumitomo to buy biostimulant firm
Via its Valent Biosciences subsidiary , Japan ’ s Sumitomo Chemical is to acquire FBSciences , a US-based firm which makes naturally-derived biostimulants and biopesticides via proprietary methods . No financial terms or timelines have been disclosed .
Sumitomo Chemical values the biorationals market , the class of products in which biostimulants form the largest part at about $ 10 billion . This is about 10 % of the growth rate for conventional agrochemicals but it has been enjoying far stronger growth .
The company has been active in biorationals for over 20 years . Since 2014 , it has built a US plant for microbial crop protection products actives , acquired a rhizosphere microbials business , opened a biorationals research centre and started dedicated sales organisations in multiple markets .
FSB currently has products and technologies applicable to over 50 different crops . Sumitomo said that it “ will strive to further expand its biorational business by combining its global footprint and resources with FBS ’ s product portfolio and technological know-how ”, while also seeking synergies with conventional crop protection products . to revise nine key policies , which , it says , are “ weakening US chemicals management and the solutions to correct these problems ”. They include :
• Fulfilling TSCA ’ s statutory obligations and meeting programme deadlines .
• Demonstrating responsible fiscal management and substantiating TSCA fee increases
• Requiring real-world data in risk evaluations
• Making chemical safety determinations for each condition of use
• Incorporating existing workplace safety guidelines in occupational risk determinations .
• Accelerating the pace and timeliness of New Chemical reviews
• Improving transparency and objectivity in peer review
According to ACC , obstacles are still preventing the EPA fully implementing the amendments laid down then . It also called on Congress to “ exercise its oversight authority and demand EPA to explain to lawmakers why the TSCA programme continues to fail at achieving its statutory objectives and deadlines ”.
“ Over the last two years , the TSCA programme has been plagued by constant delays and a lack of transparency in how resources are being deployed ,” said Dr Kimberly Wise White , the ACC ’ s VP of regulatory and scientific affairs . “ Six years since the bipartisan Lautenberg Amendments became law , the TSCA programme remains in need of repair .”
This follows on from the release of the ACC ’ s first ‘ State of TSCA Report ’ in May 2022 , identifying six key challenges and offering solutions . In October , it followed up with a ‘ State of TSCA Progress Report ’, grading the EPA on its progress in correcting these issues .
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