Chemours has become the first company in the US to be subject to an enforcement action for discharging perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) from its Washington Works facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia, under the Clean Water Act. The EPA is now requiring it to implement a sampling plan analyse the release of PFAS and implement a plan to treat or minimise them.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published a proposed restriction of around 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on its website. Its scientific committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will now start evaluating the proposal.
This followed three years of investigations by the national authorities of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. In a report submitted to ECHA on 13 January, they concluded that the risks from PFAS are not adequately controlled and should therefore be restricted.
Chemours is to invest $200 million to increase capacity and advance technology for its Nafion brand ion exchange materials at the site in Villers-Saint-Paul, France. The investment is subject to obtaining the necessary permits and licences for construction and operations. It includes ionomers and associated membranes.
Chemours has announced a planned $200 million investment to increase capacity and advance technology for its industry-leading Nafion ion exchange materials. The company is now evaluating potential locations in the US and Europe for the investment, in accordance with applicable regulatory frameworks.
Clariant, Solvay, Chemours and Novozymes have all announced plans to suspend business with Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. They have all also pledged support for employees in the affected countries and made donations to support relief operations.
Clariant suspended operations with immediate effect. CEO Conrad Keijzer said: “Continuing to do business under these circumstances is incompatible with our purpose and values”. The company has a sales office and a laboratory in Moscow, which contribute about 2% of its sales. It also employs 146 people in Ukraine.
Oaktree Capital Management is to invest $150 million in Czech firm Draslovka, “providing preferred equity capital to support the company’s growth strategy”. This follows multiple recent acquisitions by Draslovksa, a family-owned specialist in CN-based chemicals, including next generation fumigants and biocides.
Draslovka, a specialist in cyanide chemistry based in the Czech Republic, has completed the previously announced acquisition of Chemours’s Mining Solutions business for $521 million. However, its proposed acquisition of Sasol’s sodium cyanide business has been blocked by the South African competition authorities.
