NEWS
IN BRIEF
Neste completes change Finland’ s Neste has completed the global change negotiations announced in February as part of implementing its performance improvement programme by streamlining its development portfolio, global operations and organisation. As a result, about 510 jobs have been lost, 370 in Finland, which will save the company about € 65 million / year.
ECHA proposes Cr( VI) restrictions
New owners for OQ Investment firms Strategic Value Partners and Blantyre Capital have acquired OQ Chemicals from Oman Chemicals. OQ will resume its historic name of Oxea, reflecting its heritage as a maker of oxo intermediates and oxo performance chemicals for the speciality chemicals and additive markets in Europe and the US. Terms were not disclosed.
IMCD opens Dubai centre IMCD has formally opened its new facility in Dubai, which includes technical centres for the Coatings & Construction and Food & Nutrition business groups across the Middle East. Both feature advanced laboratories and expert teams to address technical challenges. They are part of a global network of more than 80 technical centres. IMCD now employs over 100 across the region.
Persán acquires Mibelle Persán, a Spanish company that is one of the largest manufacturers of home care products in Europe has acquired the Mibelle Group, including cosmetic ingredients specialist Mibelle Biochemistry. This excludes Mibelle’ s South Korean subsidiary, Gowoonsesang, which L ' Oréal has taken over. Mibelle said that the firms; complement each other very well in terms of expertise, technology, markets and production sites”.
Following a request from the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency( ECHA) has assessed the risks posed by certain hexavalent chromium( Cr( VI)) substances. It concluded that an EU-wide restriction is justified and brought a proposal for this forward, which could replace the current authorisation requirements under REACH. A six-month consultation with stakeholders is expected to start on 18 June.
“ The aim is to reduce the harmful effects of these carcinogenic chemicals for both workers and the public,” the agency stated.“ Cr( VI) substances are among the most potent workplace carcinogens and pose a serious risk to workers’ health. People living near industrial sites that release these substances into the environment are also at risk of lung and intestinal cancers.”
Barium chromate is also included in the scope of the restriction to avoid‘ regrettable substitution’. The proposal would cover all uses except in six use categories when they meet defined limits for worker exposure and environmental emissions:
• Formulation of mixtures
• Electroplating on plastic substrate
• Electroplating on metal substrate
• Use of primers and other slurries
• Other surface treatment
• Functional additives / process aids
ECHA estimated that the restriction could prevent up to 17 tonnes / year of Cr( VI) releases into the environment and up to 195 cancer cases / year. The total monetised benefits are estimated to be € 331 million or € 1.07 billion over 20 years, depending on the restriction option chosen. The total cost to European society is estimated at either € 314 million or € 3.23 billion, including measures to reduce environmental releases and worker exposure, the cost of closures and relocations, and replacing Cr( VI) substances with safer alternatives.
10 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981