Preview Newsletter
PM ACC Clips Report - December 18, 2018
-
(ACC Mentioned) Trade Wars 101: Crash Course In How Chemical Markets Are Impacted
Dec 13, 2018 | Petrochemical Update
By Heather Doyle
As the U.S. opens trade battles on multiple fronts including China, Europe, North America, and Turkey; business confidence and financial markets will be impacted, analysts warn. -
(ACC Mentioned) Global Expansion Unravels While US Chemical Growth Continues—ACC, South Carolina Ports Break Records, Maintenance Spend Led To Pascagoula Closure
Dec 13, 2018 | Petrochemical Update
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) announced the strongest November in its history, with 15% growth over the same month last year. -
(ACC Mentioned) U.S. Chemical Production Edged Higher in November
Dec 18, 2018 | Powder Bulk Solids
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) rose by 0.2 percent in November, following a 0.5 percent decline in October and a 0.2 percent decline in September. During November, chemical output rose across all regions except the Gulf Coast, where it edged lower. -
(ACC Mentioned) Plastic Bottle Recycling Rates Slipped In 2017
Dec 18, 2018 | Waste Dive
By Katie Pyzyk
Plastic bottle recycling in the United States dipped 3.6% in 2017 to 2.8 billion pounds, according to the National Postconsumer Plastic Bottle Recycling Report from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) -
(ACC Mentioned) Plastic Bottle Recycling Declined in 2017
Dec 18, 2018 | Plastics Technology
By Heather Caliendo
The five-year compounded annual growth rate for plastic bottle recycling was 0.1 percent. -
(ACC Mentioned) API's Executive Vice President Heads For The Exit
Dec 18, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Christa Marshall
Marty Durbin, a longtime oil and gas official and former Capitol Hill aide, is leaving the American Petroleum Institute. -
Whole Foods Packaging Contained A Little-Known Chemical Linked To Cancer Until A Report Called Them Out. Here’s How To Protect Yourself.
Dec 18, 2018 | AP (In Business Insider)
By Aria Bendix
When Whole Foods Market made the switch from plastic to compostable containers, the company thought it was doing something good for the environment. But a recent report from three environmental watchdog groups discovered a type of toxic chemical that's been linked to cancer in the company's paper to-go boxes and one type of sandwich wrapper. -
Canada Clears 89 Substances, But Proposes Snacs For 15
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
The Canadian government has published a final screening assessment for 88 substances that finds none of them meet section 64 criteria of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (Cepa). -
Echa Consults On Annex XIV EDC Amendment For Four Phthalates
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
Echa is consulting on a draft recommendation to amend the REACH authorisation list (Annex XIV) entries for the following four phthalates to include their endocrine-disrupting properties:bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP);dibutyl phthalate (DBP);benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP); anddiisobutyl phthalate (DIBP). -
Echa Board Adopts Five-Year Strategic Plan
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Vanessa Zainzinger
Echa’s Management Board has adopted the agency’s new strategic plan, which sets its goals and priorities for the years 2019-23. -
Hundreds Of Infringements In Chemical Safety Reports, EU Project Finds
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Luke Buxton
A major European project has found "significant quality deficits" in the chemical safety reports (CSRs) of REACH registrants. -
LNG Exporters Don’t Have to Track Where Gas Ends Up, DOE Says
Dec 18, 2018 | BNA Daily Environment Report
By Rebecca Kern
Reporting requirements for exporters of liquefied natural gas from the U.S. would be reduced at the request of industry under a new Energy Department policy and proposal. -
Are We Safer A Year After Washington Amtrak Derailment?
Dec 18, 2018 | The Hill
By Russell G. Quimby
A year ago today, the southbound inaugural Amtrak Cascades train 501 derailed over Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington. The train was traveling at 78 mph through a curve with a speed limit of 30 mph curve. -
Years-In-The-Making Ozone Litigation Hits D.C. Circuit
Dec 18, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Ellen M. Gilmer
EPA offered a steady defense today of Obama-era ozone standards the agency previously considered scrapping. -
EPA Watchdog To Audit Risk Reviews For Toxic Emissions
Dec 18, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Sean Reilly
EPA's inspector general is examining how the agency's handled a key aspect of its hazardous air pollutant program. -
Cut Carbon Through Innovation, Not Regulation
Dec 18, 2018 | The New York Times
By John Barrasso
Leaders from nearly 200 countries met in Katowice, Poland, last week and agreed to rules to carry out the Paris climate accord. Now that the 22,000 delegates have returned home, there are three truths they need to recognize to make actual progress in the hard work of lowering carbon dioxide emissions across the globe.
Industry and Association News
LCSA News - There are no clips to report at this time.
Chemical Management News
Energy News
Chemical Security News - There are no clips to report at this time.
Transportation and Infrastructure News
Environment News
-
(ACC Mentioned) Trade Wars 101: Crash Course In How Chemical Markets Are Impacted
Dec 13, 2018 | Petrochemical Update
By Heather Doyle
As the U.S. opens trade battles on multiple fronts including China, Europe, North America, and Turkey; business confidence and financial markets will be impacted, analysts warn.
The U.S. chemicals industry is amid a historic expansion, American Chemistry Council (ACC) analysis shows. $202 billion in U.S. chemical manufacturing investment has been announced over the past decade. Much of the investment is export-oriented, meaning the industry’s ability to capitalize on its newfound competitive position largely hinges on a U.S. trade policy that opens rather than closes doors to new markets.
“U.S. chemical exports last year reached $130 billion, accounting for 10% of all U.S. exports and 9% of all global chemicals exports. 30% of our workforce is in export-dependent jobs, and even more jobs are dependent on imported inputs and intermediate goods,” Ed Brzytwa, Director for International Trade for the ACC said.
Brzytwa explained in detail Trade Wars 101 at the Supply Chain and Logistics Conference in Houston in November.
US Chemicals Industry and Trade
Trade is booming in the U.S. because of access to natural gas and the boom is poised to drive chemical exports even higher. The latest ACC estimates are forecasting a $70 billion trade surplus by 2025.
“We expect more trade in the future based on our access to cheap and abundant natural gas,” Brzytwa said. “We are exporting way more than we are importing and we need to export those products all over the world. The U.S. can’t consume all of those products on its own.”
Investments are predicated on growing foreign demand for U.S. chemical products.
“Many investments are being made by U.S. companies and many are being made by foreign companies,” Brzytwa said. “They are all about satisfying foreign demand for U.S. products. These products are low cost and they are high quality and we are an export platform for the rest of the world.”
The ACC is forecasting $30 billion worth of shale related exports by 2025, with $13 billion of that heading to Canada and Mexico.
NAFTA/USMCA
At the end of November, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada signed a new trade agreement, called the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), refreshing the original North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in place since 1994.
With a new deal formalized, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from the old agreement, to force a divided Congress to opt for the newly negotiated deal.
After the scheduled signing of the trilateral agreement, the pact moves to the incoming Congress for ratification, where Democrats will control the House of Representatives and have already said they want some changes to be made.
The deals are similar, but USMCA will shift more auto manufacturing from Mexico to the U.S. and allow more dairy exports from the U.S. to Canada. USMCA also paves the way for the U.S. to lift its steel tariffs it placed on Canada back in May.
The U.S. chemical sector has capitalized on duty-free trade under NAFTA ever since its inception, more than tripling U.S. chemicals exports to Canada and Mexico – from $13 billion in 1994, to $44 billion in 2018. Chemical exports are projected to grow to $59 billion by 2025, the ACC said.
“The North America Chemical Industry is highly integrated, and practically one market, not three. Many jobs are dependent on this agreement,” Brzytwa said. If the president does not get a positive vote on USMCA, he could terminate NAFTA, so we still think that threat is out there”
The top U.S. chemicals export partners are Canada, Mexico, China, Belgium and Brazil.
1/3 of all U.S. chemical exports are sold to Mexico and Canada, with 44% of those being intracompany transfers. 1/4 of all U.S. chemical imports are from Mexico and Canada with 64% of those being intracompany transfers, according to the ACC.
46,000 U.S. chemical industry jobs depend directly on chemical exports to Canada and Mexico, Brzytwa said.
“We think that terminating NAFTA would raise prices, destroy demand and jeopardize investments,” Brzytwa said. “We think there would be loss of investment, loss of jobs, and would create a massive amount of uncertainty.”
The tariff burden on U.S. chemical exports to Canada and Mexico could be between $700 million up to $9 billion final bound tariff level, according to the ACC.
The loss of the trade agreement would create uncertainty for up to $85 billion in chemical investments, or roughly 42% according to the ACC.
Best case scenario, trade would fall by 4% and worst-case scenario, trade could fall as much as 45%, Brzytwa is predicting.
“We think there would be a total loss of about $29 billion in chemical demand if there is not a positive vote for the new agreement and NAFTA is terminated,” Brzytwa said.
Sec 232: Aluminum & Steel
Using section 232 for investigation, the U.S. placed global tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum in March 2018. Four countries were exempt: Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, and Australia. Canada, and Mexico and the European Union were not exempt. Canada and Mexico are in the process of negotiating a solution.
The EU, Canada, Mexico, India, Turkey, Russia, China and Japan have all retaliated or threatened retaliation with tariffs of their own.
Now, more than 3.5 billion worth of exports are impacted by the aluminum and steel tariffs across a range of chemicals and plastics, according to the ACC.
“We are not able to buy competitively costed steel and aluminum to build plants and facilities in the U.S. or to maintain our plants,” Brzytwa said. “The retaliatory tariffs are also impacting manufactured products that rely on chemicals such as in the agriculture and auto sector.”
As a result of the U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, there are increased costs to maintain and expand capital, direct impact to chemical plant maintenance and construction costs.
In addition, investments are more likely to be put on hold and/or cancelled and there are particularly painful consequences to projects in progress, Brzytwa said.
Meanwhile, increased cost of essential inputs into downstream products results in a decline in demand for U.S. chemicals, a decline in U.S. chemicals production, lost jobs, offshoring, and investments put on hold and/or cancelled, Brzytwa added.
A recent study showed that for every job gained in the steel and aluminum sector, there are 16 jobs in the steel consuming sector lost, Brzytwa said.
The impact of steel tariffs on chemical industry investments is significant.
“We are estimating it takes about 18,500 short tons of steel to build an ethylene cracker, so we are estimating a maximum $1.8 billion cost rise in expanding the U.S. chemical industry over the next five years,” Brzytwa said. “Some of our companies have had a hard time getting the steel they need because of the prices and because of the quotas on the trading partners.”
Sec 232: Autos & Auto parts
In May 2018, the U.S. began an investigation into whether the auto and auto parts import market threaten national security. Tariffs of up to 25% were considered. The public review process was complete in July 2018 and the tariffs could now go into effect by the end of 2018.
“There is universal opposition from the industry for the auto tariffs,” Brzytwa said. “U.S. manufacturers depend on regional supply chains and imported inputs to produce goods efficiently and to remain competitive.”
Tariffs on autos and auto parts will result in lost output and lost jobs in the U.S. auto industry, Brzytwa said.
A 1.5% contraction in output and 195,000 U.S. job loss is anticipated, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
The auto sector is a key end-use market for chemicals and plastics.
“Tariffs would cause disintegration in global supply chains, making North American auto production costlier and reducing competitiveness,” Brzytwa said. “Disintegration of the global supply chains that have taken years to develop and have increased efficiencies, productivity, lowered prices, increased quality and enhanced the competitiveness of auto and auto parts manufacturers.”
If automotive tariffs are imposed, retaliation is expected, exposing more than $360 billion of U.S. exports, Brzytwa said.
Sec 301: US-China Trade
China is the U.S.’s number one import source while Mexico is second and Canada is third.
Just over 20% of all imported goods come from China. Only 13% from Mexico and 13% from Canada.
About 31% of all chemicals imported from China are from a related party, which compares to 56% for U.S. total from all partners.
In 2017, the U.S. imported $505 billion in goods from China. The U.S. exported about $120 billion to China in 2017.
With the third round of US-China tariffs now in effect, China finished plastics products and U.S. exports of commodity chemicals are beginning to see impacts.
At this point, the U.S. Administration has threatened to impose tariffs on all imports from China.
A small reprieve was given at the G20 summit at the end of November.
President Trump was planning to raise tariffs from 10% to 25% on the goods already affected by the trade war but agreed to a 90-day extension on tariff hikes to allow the countries to hash out their trade disputes.
The extension doesn’t de-escalate the difficult trade relationship, but it does stop the escalation for now and provides some positive footing for future agreements.
The ACC is still forecasting up to $11 billion U.S. chemicals and plastics exports will be
exposed to retaliatory tariffs.There are direct and indirect hits from the tariffs causing bigger consequences for the industry.
More than 1,000 chemicals and plastic products exports, $19 billion, and 1,500 chemicals and plastic products imports would all be impacted. In addition, tariffs put export-oriented investments at risk, the ACC estimates.
“A full-blown trade war between the U.S. and China, which is the path that we’re on, would not only have dramatic effects on both economies, but it would also significantly curb global growth,” Brzytwa said.
http://analysis.petchem-update.com/supply-chain-logistics/trade-wars-101-crash-course-how-chemical-markets-are-impacted
-
Dec 13, 2018 | Petrochemical Update
South Carolina has record November, plans additional $60 million investment
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) announced the strongest November in its history, with 15% growth over the same month last year.
The Port handled 188,585 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in November. SCPA has moved 985,981 TEUs across the docks of its Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals since the fiscal year began in July, an increase of 11% over the same period last year.
"While the US economy remains strong, there is increasing evidence that U.S. beneficial cargo owners advanced shipments from Asia in an effort to avoid tariffs,” said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. “Although mostly to the U.S. West Coast, in view of the shorter transit times, there were 25 extra loaders employed by container shipping lines to meet this peak demand.
Most of these ships will arrive in December which indicates that December will be a busy month. The first calendar quarter of 2019, however, is much more uncertain in terms of outlook and considering strong volumes achieved in the same period in 2018, the SCPA said.
As measured in pier containers, or boxes handled, SCPA moved a record 107,762 boxes in November. Fiscal year-to-date, pier container volume is up nearly 12% with 562,185 boxes moved since July.
Inland Port Greer handled 9,558 rail moves in November, pushing fiscal year-to-date volumes to 51,476. Last month, 16,977 finished vehicles rolled across the docks at Columbus Street Terminal.
The SCPA Board recently approved a capital expenditure of $60 million to complete the outfitting of the Wando Welch Terminal with neo-Panamax cranes.
SC Ports will purchase four more cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) with 155 feet of lift height for delivery in mid-2020. Once delivered and commissioned, the Wando Terminal will have 15 cranes of similar capability, giving it the ability to handle three 14,000 TEU ships at once.
This combined with efforts to densify the container yard, implement a new operating system (Tideworks), and expand gate and chassis capacity, the Wando Terminal will gain an additional 700,000 TEU of capacity.
“The port continues to build critical infrastructure to ensure both reliability and fluidity for our customers, both shipping lines and beneficial cargo owners,” Newsome said. “Further big-ship deployments are anticipated in advance of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 sulfur cap and once more clarity is achieved relative to the current trade dispute between the U.S. and China.”
The Board acknowledged with gratitude the award of a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant in the amount of $25 million to assist in the expansion of Inland Port Greer and the enhancement of the Norfolk Southern linehaul rail infrastructure between Columbia and Greenville.
Shale growth may push oil prices lower, force another OPEC production cut
Oil prices have plunged nearly 30% since reaching 2018 highs of more than $86/barrel in October. The drop is attributed to concerns of global oversupply and weakening demand. The U.S.-China trade war, political turmoil across European markets and fears of a slowdown in global growth have also clouded the demand outlook.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has upgraded its supply growth outlook for American crude. U.S. domestic oil production is now expected to increase by 1.18 million barrels/day next year, up slightly from November's estimate of 1.16 million bpd, with output averaging 12.06 million bpd.
Price and demand forecasts for 2019 vary among analysts, but each prediction point to the rise of the U.S. as the world’s top oil producer.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch forecasts Brent at $70/barrel for 2019. Capital Economics expects an average of $63/barrel.
OPEC's recently cut 1.2 million barrels/day of production, but analysts warn this may may not be enough to support prices.
Weak demand outlook and booming U.S. shale output could prompt the need for another OPEC production cut by April, CNBC reported in December.
Maintenance spend led to Chevron Phillip’s PX Pascagoula closure
Nearly 60 years of paraxylene production will cease at Chevron Phillip’s Pascagoula, Mississippi plant at the end of 2018 as the producer embarks on a major maintenance spend at the asset.
The history of paraxylene (PX) production in the Pascagoula refinery goes all the way back to the 1960s.
“The closure timing was mainly driven by the imminent requirement for major maintenance spend on the asset,” Gordon Haire, Wood Mackenzie Chemicals Research Director said.
The assets were significantly expanded and developed through the 1990s and were part of the Axens Eluxyl technology deployment where the developments in adsorption technology were added into the existing crystallisation recovery process, according to Wood Mackenzie.
“The paraxylene capacity of the asset is 500 ktpa, which is around 11% of North American capacity and just under 1% of global capacity. Coupled with the start-up of idled PTA capacity in Portugal this year, this will have a material impact on the Western Hemisphere paraxylene industry,” Haire said.
Global expansion unravels while US chemical industry growth continues—ACC
Ending a rare period of synchronized global expansion, the world’s major economies have slowed, while in the U.S., economic growth remains dynamic, manufacturing growth has nearly doubled, and chemicals output has improved, according to the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) “Year-End 2018 Chemical Industry Situation and Outlook,” released in December 2018.
Gains in manufacturing and exports in 2018 will continue to drive demand for basic chemicals, while most specialty segments will benefit from these factors along with growth in construction markets.
“Expansion across a broad band of industrial sectors is supporting American economic growth this year,” said Kevin Swift, chief economist at ACC and Outlook co-author.
“Housing, business investment, and their supply chains have momentum. Light vehicle sales have likely peaked for this cycle but remain at elevated levels. In 2019, industrial activity will expand, but the slowdown overseas is likely to affect to the U.S. and rising trade tensions present a risk of economic disruption.”
U.S.-based chemical manufacturing remains advantaged in global markets due to abundant energy and feedstock supplies.
Since 2010, 333 projects cumulatively valued at $202 billion have been announced. As this investment comes online, production is growing.
Total chemical production volume (excluding pharmaceuticals) rose by 3.1% in 2018 and is expected to grow by 3.6% in 2019 before easing to 3.1% in 2020 and 2.2% in 2021. Basic chemicals production is expected to increase by 2.1% in 2018, 4.8% in 2019, and 4.3 % in 2020.
Stronger export markets and gains in business investment spending have boosted demand in key end-use markets for chemistry such as light vehicles and housing.
Light vehicle sales have declined from the robust pace of 2015-16 but will remain elevated at 17.1 million in 2018 and 16.8 million in 2019, according to the ACC report.
Housing activity is improving, with 1.27 million starts in 2018 and 1.34 million in 2019 before the level gradually returns to its long-term underlying demand pace of 1.5 million units per year by 2023.
In the specialties chemicals segment, production will pick up by 3.7% in 2018, and another 2.2% in 2019.
Gains in specialty chemicals were led by improvement in oilfield chemicals, electronic chemicals, coatings, adhesives, cosmetic chemicals, and flavors and fragrances. Demand for specialty chemicals is expected to grow in line with industrial and construction sector gains in the years ahead.
The U.S. chemical industry will post a $39 billion trade surplus in chemicals this year as exports rise 10% to $143 billion and imports rise 7.8% to $105 billion.
Assuming no major trade disruptions, there will be a $69 billion trade surplus in chemicals by 2023, according to the ACC analysis. Access to export markets will be critical since export growth will drive industry gains over the next decade.
“American chemistry is set for significant growth in output as new production capacity comes online and demand strengthens in key end-use markets,” said Martha Moore, senior director of policy analysis and economics at ACC and co-author of the Outlook.
“In fact, growth rates in U.S. chemistry over the next five years are expected to surpass average growth over the previous 20 years. Provided that access to export markets remains open to our producers, expanding global demand will be met by shale-advantaged chemistry sourced from the U.S.”
The business of chemistry is a $526 billion enterprise and one of America’s most significant manufacturing industries, accounting for more than 10% of all U.S. exports and 12% of the world’s chemicals. More than 96% of all manufactured goods are touched by products of chemistry.
Prepared annually by ACC’s Economics and Statistics Department, the “Year-End 2018 Chemical Industry Situation and Outlook” is the association’s annual review of the U.S. and global business of chemistry. It offers global and domestic chemical industry data related to production, trade, shipments, capacity utilization, R&D spending, capital spending, employment and wages.
http://analysis.petchem-update.com/operations-maintenance/global-expansion-unravels-while-us-chemical-growth-continues-acc-south
-
(ACC Mentioned) U.S. Chemical Production Edged Higher in November
Dec 18, 2018 | Powder Bulk Solids
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) rose by 0.2 percent in November, following a 0.5 percent decline in October and a 0.2 percent decline in September. During November, chemical output rose across all regions except the Gulf Coast, where it edged lower.
Chemical production was mixed over the three-month period. There were gains in the production three-month moving average output trend in plastic resins, adhesives, pesticides, coatings, fertilizers, consumer products, and synthetic dyes and pigments. These gains were offset by declines in the output trend in organic chemicals, synthetic rubber, manufactured fibers, chlor-alkali, other inorganic chemicals, and other specialty chemicals.
Nearly all manufactured goods are produced using chemistry in some form or another. Thus, manufacturing activity is an important indicator for chemical production. On a three-month-moving average basis, manufacturing activity was flat in November, following a 0.2 percent gain in October. Output expanded in several chemistry-intensive manufacturing industries, including appliances, aerospace, machinery, fabricated metal products, semiconductors, petroleum refining, iron and steel products, foundries, plastic products, rubber products, tires, and furniture.
Compared with November 2017, U.S. chemical production rose 4.2 percent on a year-over-year basis. Chemical production was higher than a year ago in all regions, with the largest gains in the Gulf Coast.
The chemistry industry is one of the largest industries in the U.S., a $526 billion enterprise. The manufacturing sector is the largest consumer of chemical products, and 96 percent of manufactured goods are touched by chemistry. The U.S. CPRI was developed to track chemical production activity in seven regions of the U.S. The U.S. CPRI is based on information from the Federal Reserve, and as such, includes monthly revisions as published by the Federal Reserve. To smooth month-to-month fluctuations, the U.S. CPRI is measured using a three-month moving average. Thus, the reading in November reflects production activity during September, October, and November.
https://www.powderbulksolids.com/news/U-S-Chemical-Production-Edged-Higher-in-November-12-18-2018
-
(ACC Mentioned) Plastic Bottle Recycling Rates Slipped In 2017
Dec 18, 2018 | Waste Dive
By Katie Pyzyk
Dive Brief:Plastic bottle recycling in the United States dipped 3.6% in 2017 to 2.8 billion pounds, according to the National Postconsumer Plastic Bottle Recycling Report from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The overall 2017 plastic bottle recycling rate was 29.3% — a slight decrease from 29.7% in 2016.The total number of PET bottles collected in 2017 decreased by 27 million pounds, and HDPE decreased by 70.3 million pounds. Recycling rates for PET and HDPE were 29.2% and 31.1%, respectively. Exports of HDPE fell nearly 28%.The report notes that changing export markets contributed to the dip, as did manufacturers making lighter weight products and turning to smaller-sized bottles. Dive Insight:The report places a heavy focus on PET and HDPE — these two resins make up approximately 97% of the U.S. market for plastic bottles. While it also includes some data for PP, the sector comprises less than 2% of the market.
Despite all the recycling industry buzz, shifting market conditions weren't the only factor cited for the decrease in bottle collection — lightweighting, as well as changing container shapes and volumes, play an important role. The practice results in less weight for the same number of bottles collected, which adversely affects recycling economics. In addition, it causes more bottles to end up in the post-consumer paper stream, as they don't have the heft for machinery to properly handle them during the sortation process.
The report says residential single-stream collection participation has continued to increase — and while this is a positive development as far as recovered material numbers, it can also contribute to higher contamination rates.
The dip in recovered PET bottles is slightly concerning because that sector commonly is viewed as a bright spot, even while other plastics face difficult markets — consumers are well educated about recycling used PET bottles compared with other items. But the recycling market changes and alterations to curbside recycling programs could present further problems for PET. As programs across the U.S. continue to remove items from their collection list, confusion among consumers may lead to decreases in the recovery of traditionally highly-recycled materials.
Despite the decreases noted in the report, some experts remain optimistic about the state of plastic bottle recycling. “Plastic bottle recycling is proving to be resilient in the face of short-term challenges,” said APR President Steve Alexander in a statement.
New recycling opportunities also continue to present themselves as packaging evolves — the report, for instance, notes that PET thermoforms present a largely untapped area of opportunity for processors.
https://www.wastedive.com/news/plastic-bottle-recycling-rates-slipped-2017/544555/
-
(ACC Mentioned) Plastic Bottle Recycling Declined in 2017
Dec 18, 2018 | Plastics Technology
By Heather Caliendo
The five-year compounded annual growth rate for plastic bottle recycling was 0.1 percent.
Plastic bottle recycling declined in 2017, slipping 3.6 percent to 2.8 billion pounds, according to figures released jointly by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The 28th annual National Postconsumer Plastic Bottle Recycling Report indicates the overall recycling rate for plastic bottles for the year was 29.3 percent, down 0.4 percentage points from 29.7 percent in 2016. The five-year compounded annual growth rate for plastic bottle recycling was 0.1 percent.
The associations attribute the dip to a variety of industry challenges including changing export markets and a 3.6 percent decline in material collected for recycling. Ongoing increases in single-stream collection also led to increased contamination of recyclables in the near term. In addition, growth in the use of plastic for bottles was offset by continuing progress in lightweighting and increased use of concentrates with smaller, lighter bottles.
In 2017, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles collected for recycling decreased by 27 million pounds. The collection of high density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles, which includes bottles for milk, household cleaners and detergents, fell by 70.3 million pounds (6.3 percent) to just over 1.0 billion pounds for the year. The recycling rate for HDPE bottles slipped from 33.4 percent to 31.1 percent.
Exports of HDPE bottles fell nearly 28 percent from 193 million pounds to 140 million pounds, or 13.4 percent of total HDPE bottles collected in 2017. The processing of recycled HDPE sourced domestically and imported fell by 31 million pounds in 2017.
“Plastic bottle recycling is proving to be resilient in the face of short-term challenges,” says Steve Alexander, president of APR. “The recycling industry is responding in kind, with some investing in increased U.S. infrastructure, a clear sign of a positive long-term outlook. These investments underscore the need for continued consumer participation and convenient access to recycling programs.”Recent announcements include CarbonLite expanding its U.S. operations by building a third PET recycling facility in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. The new contract builds upon Nestlé Waters’, Stamford, CT., existing relationship with CarbonLite.
Nestlé Waters North America says it will achieve 25 percent recycled plastic across its U.S. domestic portfolio by 2021. The company is expanding its relationship with key supplier, Plastrec and working with other suppliers, to support the company’s ability to nearly quadruple its use of food-grade recycled plastic, or rPET, in less than three years.
In addition, Coca-Cola just announced investments in two PET recycling initiatives. Coca-Cola is extending a loan to Ioniqa Technologies to support the development of its technology for PET upcycling and the Coca-Cola system’s procurement collaboration has established a framework with Loop Industries for authorized bottlers to purchase 100% recycled Loop PET.
“Increasing plastics recycling is a critical part of moving toward a more circular economy, and commitments made across the value chain—from brand owners to plastics makers to recyclers—give us good reason to be optimistic about the long-term prospects for plastics recycling,” said Steve Russell, ACC’s vice president of plastics. “Plastics makers in North America and Europe have committed to recycle or recover all plastic packaging by 2040.”
This year’s survey found the collection of polypropylene (PP) bottles fell 15.2 percent to 31.1 million pounds, as the PP collection rate dropped to 17.2 percent. PP caps, closures and non-bottle containers are widely collected for recycling in the United States, and these data are presented in a separate report on recycling non-bottle rigid plastics, which will be released in the coming months.
Together, PET and HDPE bottles make up 97.0 percent of the U.S. market for plastic bottles with PP comprising 1.9 percent, LDPE 0.7 percent and PVC 0.3 percent. Together, PET and HDPE comprise 98.8 percent of bottles recycled with PP comprising 1.1 percent.
Data on PET recycling referenced in the report were separately funded and published by APR and the National Association for PET Container Resources. A separate report, entitled Report on PET Container Recycling Activity in 2017, is available on APR’s website.https://www.ptonline.com/blog/post/plastic-bottle-recycling-declined-in-2017
-
(ACC Mentioned) API's Executive Vice President Heads For The Exit
Dec 18, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Christa Marshall
Marty Durbin, a longtime oil and gas official and former Capitol Hill aide, is leaving the American Petroleum Institute.
A frequent commenter on oil and gas issues for a decade, Durbin is API's executive vice president. He rejoined the industry group in 2016 after serving for three years as the president of America's Natural Gas Alliance and as API's executive vice president of government affairs from 2009 to 2013.
"It was a thrill to have worked with the natural gas and oil industry during a period of such incredible innovation — even the dual challenges of an economic recession followed by an industry downturn couldn't dampen the U.S. shale energy revolution," Durbin said in a statement.
He said he would "step away, catch my breath and determine how I will pursue my passions in the policy and political world," including in a role with A Wider Circle, a Maryland nonprofit working to end poverty. Durbin currently chairs the nonprofit's board.
Durbin was previously vice president of federal relations at the American Chemistry Council and once worked as an aide to former Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and the late Sen. Alan Dixon (D-Ill.). Durbin is the nephew of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
With more than 600 members, API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and gas industry. During the Trump administration, the group's leaders praised many moves to accelerate oil and gas drilling but also were critical of the administration's steel tariffs.
Durbin frequently spoke out on administration policies, expressing concerns last year about Energy Secretary Rick Perry's proposal to bolster coal and nuclear plants (Greenwire, Sept. 29).
API did not announce who would replace Durbin, who will leave on Jan. 31.
Last week, API announced it was hiring Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute official Kenny Roberts as a federal lobbyist to "enhance outreach efforts with the new Congress." Roberts worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060109991/search?keyword=%22American+Chemistry+Council%22
-
Dec 18, 2018 | AP (In Business Insider)
By Aria Bendix
· A watchdog report found evidence of PFAS, a toxic chemical linked to cancer, in paper to-go boxes and one sandwich wrapper product at Whole Foods Market.
· Whole Foods immediately removed the items and said they were looking into replacements.
· The company said there was a "limited availability of environmentally responsible packaging made without [PFAS]," but the report said that safer alternatives are "widely available and competitively priced."
· As state and city governments begin to crack down on PFAS, consumers can be on the lookout for certain warning signs.
When Whole Foods Market made the switch from plastic to compostable containers, the company thought it was doing something good for the environment. But a recent report from three environmental watchdog groups discovered a type of toxic chemical that's been linked to cancer in the company's paper to-go boxes and one type of sandwich wrapper.
The chemicals in question — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — became popular in the United States around the 1940s, when manufacturing companies realized they could resist heat, grease, stains, and water.
Though many PFAS have been phased out of the manufacturing industry, they still lurk in drinking water and consumer goods such as food packaging, carpets, leather, textiles, and non-stick cookware. In addition to their ties to cancer, PFAS are associated with liver damage and developmental issues.
In a recent conversation with Business Insider, famed clean-water advocate Erin Brockovich warned about the emergence of these contaminants.
Since PFAS rarely break down in the environment, they can linger in water and air for thousands of years. Consuming or inhaling them means they could stay in the body for life.5 Whole Foods products tested positive for PFAS
For their investigation, the three watchdog groups — Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, Toxic-Free Future, and Mind the Store — tested 78 samples from different 20 stores across 12 states.
Of the 17 samples collected at Whole Foods, five tested positive for high levels of flourine, a sign that an item was likely treated with PFAS. One of the items that tested positive was a sandwich wrapper, while the rest were various types of takeout boxes.
The report found that one takeout container used Cascades Sonoco's FlexSHIELD coating, which contained fluorine. The company said it is no longer using the ingredient, but the container's manufacturer, Fold-Pak, said the old coating could remain on the market for up to two years.
The report also found evidence of PFAS in a paper bakery bag and paper takeout container at Kroger, as well as a gold-laminated cake board at Albertsons.
Whole Foods has marketed its items as adhering to the highest health and safety standards. According to the company's website, their standards "make it easy" to know what goes into the products you purchase.
"If it doesn't meet the standards, we don't sell it," the website reads.
In a statement provided to Business Insider, Whole Foods said they first introduced the paper to-go boxes "to reduce our environmental footprint."
"When new concerns about the possible presence of PFAS emerged we took immediate action and removed all prepared foods and bakery packaging highlighted in the report," the company said. Whole Foods declined to comment on whether the company tests or pre-screens products for toxic chemicals.
The company has now replaced the containers with ones that are free of PFAS.
The watchdog report says that these safer alternatives are "widely available and competitively priced," though it does not recommend specific brands.
According to Whole Foods, "there is limited availability of environmentally responsible packaging made without [PFAS], and we're actively working with our suppliers to find and scale new options."How to spot PFAS in water, packaging, and cosmetics
While PFAS aren't easy to spot, there are certain tip-offs that signal their presence.
If an item is labeled stain-proof, waterproof, or fireproof, it could have been treated with PFAS. That also applies to microwave popcorn bags and fast-food boxes or wrappers, which often use PFAS to reduce grease.
Brands that are commonly associated with PFAS includeScotchguard and Teflon, a coating found on nonstick pans.
One of the report's co-authors, Toxic-Free Future, recommends avoiding non-stick cookware altogether. For those who want to continue using it, the watchdog group warns against heating a nonstick pan above 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and suggests throwing it out if it starts to deteriorate.
Another common category to watch out for is cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has identified 66 cosmetic and personal care products with PFAS from 15 different brands. Aside from referencing the EWG's database, consumers should look for the words "fluoro" or "perfluoro" among the ingredients on their cosmetic items.
When it comes to drinking water, Brockovich recommends a water filter that removes toxic chemicals through reverse osmosis. The EWG has also compiled a database of places where tap water is safe to drink. In any case, boiling water won't get rid of PFAS.
There are also certain city and state governments that are taking steps to protect residents.
Earlier this year, Washington became the first US state to ban PFAS from food packaging, including microwave popcorn bags and fast food wrappers. A few months later, San Francisco became the first US city to ban PFAS from single-use food containers, utensils, napkins, plates, straws, trays, and lids.
San Francisco's ban goes into effect in January 2020, while Washington's isn't official until 2022.
https://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-packaging-toxic-chemical-cancer-2018-12
-
Canada Clears 89 Substances, But Proposes Snacs For 15
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
Harmful finding for cosmetic ingredient 2-ethylhexyl 2-ethylhexanoate
The Canadian government has published a final screening assessment for 88 substances that finds none of them meet section 64 criteria of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (Cepa).
The finding means the substances are not currently entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that could pose a danger to human health or the environment.
A substance found to be "toxic" under section 64 would be recommended for addition to the List of Toxic Substances (schedule 1) of Cepa.
However, the screening did find that 14 of the substances may have health effects of concern if exposure were to increase. And the government says there are concerns that new activities that have not been identified or assessed could lead to their meeting Cepa toxicity criteria.
It has, therefore, imposed significant new activity (Snac) provisions on them. As a result they will require government notification before any new uses are undertaken.
The 88 substances are part of a grouping of 171 which are currently undergoing screening.
The remaining 83 of these 171 substances need further assessment in order to evaluate their potential to cause harm, the government has said.Two other substances screened
Canada has proposed taking action against the cosmetic ingredient, 2-ethylhexyl 2-ethylhexanoate and the paint additive, calcium 2-ethylhexanoate.
A joint screening assessment on the two substances concluded that 2-ethylhexyl 2-ethylhexanoate is harmful under section 64 of Cepa because it meets the bioaccumulation criteria.
The government intends to designate the substance as toxic and add it to schedule 1 of Cepa. This will trigger regulatory action to manage the risks. In addition, it is proposing to add the substance to Health Canada’s List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients.
In Canada, 2-ethylhexyl 2-ethylhexanoate is used in cosmetic products, such as face make-up and foot lotion. In contrast, its use in cosmetics is prohibited in the EU because it has a mandatory category 2 reproductive toxicity classification under CLP.
Meanwhile, the government concluded that calcium 2-ethylhexanoate is not harmful under section 64 of Cepa. But it has proposed a Snac on the substance, because there may be a potential risk for human health if exposure levels increase.
There is a 60-day comment period on all of the proposed Snacs.
https://chemicalwatch.com/72868/canada-clears-89-substances-but-proposes-snacs-for-15
-
Echa Consults On Annex XIV EDC Amendment For Four Phthalates
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
Echa is consulting on a draft recommendation to amend the REACH authorisation list (Annex XIV) entries for the following four phthalates to include their endocrine-disrupting properties:bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP);dibutyl phthalate (DBP);benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP); anddiisobutyl phthalate (DIBP).
Some currently exempted uses of these may require authorisation due to the amendment, the agency says. The consultation is therefore specifically addressed to operators concerned with the uses:in mixtures in concentrations between 0.1 and 0.3%; andDEHP in food contact materials or in medical devices.
The deadline for comments is 12 March 2019.
The substances were identified as SVHCs due to their reprotoxic qualities and added to the candidate list in 2008 with the exception of DIBP, which was added in 2010.
BBP, DBP and DEHP were subsequently added to Annex XIV in 2011 and DIBP in 2012.
Following their inclusion in the authorisation list, they were additionally identified as having endocrine disrupting-properties with effects on human health and, in the case of DEHP, also on the environment. The candidate list was updated in 2017 for DBP and 2014 for the others.
https://chemicalwatch.com/72840/echa-consults-on-annex-xiv-edc-amendment-for-four-phthalates
-
Echa Board Adopts Five-Year Strategic Plan
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Vanessa Zainzinger
Echa’s Management Board has adopted the agency’s new strategic plan, which sets its goals and priorities for the years 2019-23.
The board endorsed the paper at its 13-14 December meeting. Commenting on the decision in a press release, chair Sharon McGuinness said it "goes a long way in preparing Echa for the next five years" and the long-term future.
The agency anticipates "challenging times ahead", with 2019 marking a new era in chemicals management after the last REACH registration deadline.
The plan takes into account the uncertainty on future relations between the EU and the UK due to Brexit, as well as the upcoming fitness check of all chemicals legislation under the EU Better Regulation programme.Goals
The strategy establishes three priorities:identification and risk management of substances of concern;industry's safe and sustainable use of chemicals; andsustainable management of chemicals by applying EU legislation.
To tackle these, Echa aims to have addressed all REACH substances of concern above ten tonnes by 2030. And it plans to have completed the biocidal products Regulation’s (BPR) active substance review programme by 2024. The latter forms the basis for having all biocidal products on the EU market licensed under the BPR by 2030.
Reaching these goals will involve prioritising groups of substances and speeding up both regulatory decision making and data generation by industry, Echa says.
The agency also plans to improve supply chain communication by, for example, helping downstream users to receive "more consistent and useful" materials from their suppliers, through extended safety data sheets.
And Echa wants to up its efforts in coordinating EU chemicals legislation and international chemicals management. This will involve contributing to the OECD chemicals programme and to international instruments, such as Saicm, according to the strategic plan.Early criticism
Echa’s strategy faced some criticism when the agency consulted on the draft plan earlier this year.
NGOs have called it "unrealistic" to identify all substances of concern by 2030. And industry stakeholders voiced concerns that Echa is overstepping its role, while some member states wanted the agency to shift its focus to strengthening the REACH authorisation process.
Meanwhile, Echa executive director Bjorn Hansen said the agency’s new priorities will lead it to "making the best use" of information on chemicals in Europe and "focus efforts where we can provide the most impact".
He added: "We have the right competences to respond to challenges. We aim to become more efficient in the next five years, which will also be supported by the new organisational set-up of Echa, to be effective from January onwards."
https://chemicalwatch.com/72860/echa-board-adopts-five-year-strategic-plan
-
Hundreds Of Infringements In Chemical Safety Reports, EU Project Finds
Dec 18, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Luke Buxton
A major European project has found "significant quality deficits" in the chemical safety reports (CSRs) of REACH registrants.
The fifth REACH enforcement project (Ref-5) saw 898 companies inspected in 29 EU and EEA countries during 2017. The checks covered 1,435 substances.
Inspectors focused on company obligations under REACH to prepare exposure scenarios that describe risk management measures in the CSR, and to ensure this information is passed along the supply chain in an extended safety data sheet (eSDS).
They also checked whether downstream users implement these risk management measures or prepare their own safety assessment.
They found 296 infringements related to quality of SDSs, which contain guidelines on the safe use of hazardous substances.
The fewest incidences of non-compliance were due to companies not compiling their own extended SDSs for the mixtures they prepare. The highest number involved failing to translate the extended SDSs into the language of the member states where the substance was marketed.
While the report concluded many duty holders comply with regulatory provisions, during the inspection period an Echa support team found:poor-quality information, including lacking updates on harmonised classification of substances;missing/incomplete exposure scenarios;risk management measures that were not clearly specified;exposure models used outside their functional domain; andquestionable exposure estimates.
In the majority of cases, these deficits are copied through into the eSDSs, meaning the information transferred through the supply chain via these is not of satisfactory quality, the report said.Breakdown
Of the companies inspected, 655 were manufacturers, 139 wholesalers and retail traders and 104 engaged in other activities. A total of 71% were small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), 28% were non-SMEs and 1% were unknown.
During the project, inspectors scrutinised:302 registrant SDSs (28%);270 (25%) downstream user SDSs (including formulators and distributors); and519 (47%) downstream end-user SDSs.
Of the 296 infringements, registrants accounted for 42%, and downstream users and downstream end-user companies 29% each. There were 168 companies that committed at least one infringement
Overall 665 enforcement measures were taken. Of these, over two-thirds were verbal and written advice, and 4% entailed fines.Recommendations
The project report recommended that industry ensures registration dossiers and the associated CSRs are "periodically updated as appropriate, and as a consequence of this, the extended SDSs are also".
It said registrants should put more effort into proposing functional risk management measures as part of the CSRs and corresponding exposure scenarios in the SDSs.
The use of available tools, such as those generated by the Exchange Network on Exposure Scenarios (Enes), can contribute to improving quality of the exposure scenarios/extended SDSs. This is also one of the actions proposed by the Commission’s REACH Review. However, it added, these tools do not yet cover the full spectrum of supply chain needs.
Downstream users, it said, should work to better communication up the supply chain.
With chemical/chemical product manufacturers and wholesale and retail trade sectors reported as the most non-compliant, it would be "beneficial for the relevant industry organisations to start a discourse" on the way forward towards better fulfilment of their REACH duties, it added.
The European Commission, it suggested, could initiate discussion with Echa’s Enforcement Forum on how to work towards attaining the objectives and practical enforcement of REACH issues explored in Ref-5. It could also do more to support SMEs in improving their CSR.
Meanwhile, it said, national enforcement authorities (NEAs) should design programmes to support implementation of Ref-5 scope. It further recommended national campaigns to improve understanding of the legal requirement to supply exposure scenarios.
And NEAs should start initiatives aimed at making practical use of the exposure scenarios easier.
https://chemicalwatch.com/72862/hundreds-of-infringements-in-chemical-safety-reports-eu-project-finds
-
LNG Exporters Don’t Have to Track Where Gas Ends Up, DOE Says
Dec 18, 2018 | BNA Daily Environment Report
By Rebecca Kern
Center for Liquefied Natural Gas applauds Energy Department move
Proposed rule that also clarifies what documents are required for contract agreements
Reporting requirements for exporters of liquefied natural gas from the U.S. would be reduced at the request of industry under a new Energy Department policy and proposal.
A policy statement, scheduled to be published in the Federal Register Dec. 19, would discontinue the “end use” reporting requirements that exporters currently have to provide to the department, which authorizes all LNG exports to free-trade-agreement countries.
“This is good news for the industry,” Charlie Riedl, executive director for the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas, told Bloomberg Environment by email. “It will help all parties and as DOE explains, more accurately reflect what is happening with U.S. LNG cargoes globally.”
Exporters are now required to track and report the country or countries where their LNG was received for end use. The department says discontinuing this requirement would “reduce administrative burdens” for the U.S. LNG export market, and would apply to all authorizations going back to February 2016.
Companies affected by the change would include Cheniere Energy Inc. and Dominion Energy Inc., which are the two businesses that have operating LNG export terminals. But nearly a dozen companies are going through the regulatory approval process for additional LNG export facilities.
Separately, the department is proposing to clarify the types of contracts and purchase agreements that LNG exporters must provide to its Office of Fossil Energy. Also it would direct exporters to notify the Energy Department within 30 days of execution of any contract of any prospective or actual changes to the information.
Public comment will be due 30 days after the proposal publishes in the Federal Register.
https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/lng-exporters-dont-have-to-track-where-gas-ends-up-doe-says
-
Are We Safer A Year After Washington Amtrak Derailment?
Dec 18, 2018 | The Hill
By Russell G. Quimby
A year ago today, the southbound inaugural Amtrak Cascades train 501 derailed over Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington. The train was traveling at 78 mph through a curve with a speed limit of 30 mph curve.
Three passengers were killed and another 62 were injured, 10 of those were seriously injured. Eight others were also injured when part of the train fell onto the busy highway below.
The estimated damage was over $40.4 million. The train was traveling on the new $181 million single-track Point Defiance Bypass that follows I-5 between Seattle and Portland. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), sent a 20-member team to investigate. Their final report has yet to be issued to the public. Yet, service will resume on Amtrak Cascades passenger trains over the Point Defiance Bypass in the spring of 2019.
So, how did this happen? Are we any safer today than a year ago?
The safety board released a preliminary report last January and a news release three weeks later. To a trained observer, several things become apparent safety issues:training and qualification of the conductor and engineer in the locomotive cabsafety oversight by the principal transportation entities involvedthe lack of Positive Train Control (PTC), which automatically prevents such overspeed situations
Despite the importance and publicity of this first run of service, the conductor and engineer had never worked together. The conductor is nominally in charge of the train although the engineer physically controls the train. Part of the duties of the conductor on this run was to “qualify” or become familiar with the route. The conductor told investigators that he spent time looking at his paperwork to help learn the territory, and that he and the engineer had minimal conversation. Just before the derailment, the qualifying conductor was looking down at his general track bulletins when he heard the engineer mumble something. As the conductor looked up, the train was becoming “airborne.”
In the five weeks before the wreck, the engineer had “qualified” on the Point Defiance section of the railroad by completing seven to 10 observation trips (riding) in the locomotive cab and three trips actually operating the train while under supervision, two northbound — but only one southbound — the route used on the day of the accident. At the time of the accident, there was 9 mph wind and 10 miles visibility. There was a light rain and it was 48 degrees Fahrenheit.
The engineer remembered going about 79 mph as the train passed mile post 15.5. He was aware of the 30 mph speed restricted curve four miles ahead at mile post 19.8 where there was also a wayside signal. He said that he planned to start braking about a mile before the curve.
The engineer said that he saw mileposts 16 and 17 but did not remember seeing milepost 18 — or the 30 mph advance warning speed sign posted two miles before the curve. He said that he did see the wayside signal at milepost 19.8 for the curve but mistook it for another signal. Finally, when the engineer saw the 30 mph sign at the start of the curve. He applied the brakes albeit too late as the train entered the curve.
Were the conductor and engineer adequately trained and qualified for this run? Obviously not.
Only one previous actual southbound operating trip by the engineer is absurd, and to have along an unqualified conductor to “supervise” or even “help” is worse. What were the Amtrak supervisors thinking?
This was relatively new railroad that many engineers and conductors had not yet qualified on. Therefore, there was an urgency to qualify as many engineers and conductors as possible before service started.
Previous route qualification training had taken place at night when busy freight railroad traffic could accommodate the luxury of a non-revenue passenger train on multiple training runs. As a result, the engineer may have had difficulty associating daytime landmarks with the speeding train’s ever-changing location.
In addition, there are allegations that these prior night training sessions had upwards of six people in the locomotive cab in order to qualify as many engineers and conductors as possible in the short amount of available time — despite the fact that there are usually only two seats in the relatively small cab. Thus, it is alleged that none of the qualifying engineers were getting the undivided attention needed to memorize the route without distraction.
At any rate, it is apparent that neither crew member knew where they were until immediately before the crash. Both engineer and conductor were seriously injured and I’m sure neither intentionally provoked the derailment.
Finally, the determination to start service with minimally qualified locomotive crews and without implementation of positive train control (PTC) seems risky at best and reckless at worst. The PTC system is crucial. Service is expected to resume when the system is fully operational and operating seamlessly. Yet, when the route becomes operational we still won’t have all the answers on why the 2017 inaugural run ended in tragedy.
Russell G. Quimby is a railroad and rapid transit accident consultant and expert witness. Quimby previously worked as a National Transportation Safety Board safety engineer for more than 20 years, investigating transit accidents to determine probable cause and proposed safety recommendations.
https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/421864-are-we-safer-a-year-after-washington-amtrak-derailment
-
Years-In-The-Making Ozone Litigation Hits D.C. Circuit
Dec 18, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Ellen M. Gilmer
EPA offered a steady defense today of Obama-era ozone standards the agency previously considered scrapping.
During long-awaited oral arguments at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, government lawyers defended the agency's 2015 thresholds for the air pollutant as "forward progress" aimed at protecting vulnerable people.
"The revised ozone standards here represent notable forward progress in protecting the health of all Americans across this country," Justice Department attorney Justin Heminger told a three-judge panel this morning.
The Trump administration's defense of the 2015 rule, which marked 70 parts per billion as the highest acceptable amount of ground-level ozone under the Clean Air Act, comes after more than a year of uncertainty over whether EPA would try to loosen the standard to please industry players.
Ultimately, EPA agreed to stick with 70 ppb, a decision that prompted today's unlikely standoff between the agency and some of the president's most ardent supporters, including Murray Energy Corp. (Greenwire, Dec. 17).
Lawyers for the agency fended off complaints from industry parties and mostly conservative states that the ozone standard is simply impossible to achieve, given existing levels of background ozone that states cannot control. EPA also pushed back on environmentalists' claims that the threshold is not strong enough.
The question of whether EPA should accommodate background levels — that is, ozone that has drifted across borders or formed from natural sources — when setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone is especially relevant now as the agency conducts its next five-year review of the threshold.
Arizona Solicitor General Dominic Draye, representing litigants who think the 2015 levels are too tough, argued today that EPA's decision to ignore background ozone levels when setting the 70-ppb standard is irrational and unfair to states and companies trying to comply. Places suffering from high levels of background ozone beyond their control are deemed "nonattainment areas" under the NAAQs and then saddled with onerous permitting requirements.
"EPA could ... set a standard that's defined as background-plus-20 parts per billion or whatever," he said, noting potential alternative approaches. "The point is that this lack of creativity is a function of sloppy and hasty rulemaking."
At least two judges on the panel aired skepticism about the argument. Judge Thomas Griffith asked Draye to point out what provision in the Clean Air Act requires EPA to build in background levels to ozone standards.
Griffith, a George W. Bush appointee, noted that certain parts of the law address EPA's consideration of background ozone at a later stage, in implementation regulations that follow the agency's determination of a threshold, "which suggests that that's where you pay attention to background ozone and that it's not necessary to do so when you're establishing NAAQS in the first place."
Dominic said he reads the provisions the opposite way, as evidence that Congress didn't intend for states to be on the hook for ozone they can't control.
Judge Nina Pillard, an Obama appointee, challenged Dominic with EPA's key argument: "The agency is saying it's not considering background ozone as an excuse not to come up with a level requisite for the public health."
Simi Bhat, another DOJ lawyer representing EPA, maintained that the Clean Air Act doesn't require the agency to select easier ozone targets to accommodate background levels, but rather requires the agency to protect public health and welfare.
She sidestepped a question, however, about whether EPA is permitted to consider background ozone, responding that the issue simply isn't before the court at this time. EPA is weighing that question for its next five-year standard, and the courts can decide the issue after that, she said.
Earthjustice attorney Seth Johnson urged the court to take this opportunity to resolve the debate. He argued that the Clean Air Act gives EPA "no authority whatsoever" in setting standards.
"That's not an issue we need to reach in this case, though?" Griffith asked. "You'd like us to."
"It would be efficient," Johnson said to laughter. "And it would be proper."Pushing for a stricter standard
The D.C. Circuit also grappled with arguments today that EPA's 2015 ozone levels are not tough enough.
Environmentalists say the agency failed to justify its decision to opt for the least stringent level of a range recommended by outside experts advising the agency on the issue. They question EPA's methodology and say its approach results in adverse health effects, including allowing areas to greatly exceed permitted levels of ozone many days or weeks each year.
Ozone contributes to the formation of smog, which can cause severe breathing problems in children and people with asthma.
The judges pelted Johnson, the Earthjustice lawyer, with technical questions about EPA's analysis. Judge Robert Wilkins, an Obama appointee, pressed him on the limits of environmentalists' arguments.
"Are you saying that the statute requires them to set the standard such that ... to be in compliance, the area can never exceed that standard on any given day?" he asked.
Johnson skirted a direct answer but maintained that the Clean Air Act requires EPA to set a standard that ensures the "absence of adverse effects" on public health.
"EPA hasn't done that here," Johnson said. "EPA has set a standard that it knows allows adverse health effects."
The court appeared somewhat more receptive to environmentalists' claims that EPA did not adequately justify its secondary ozone standard — the threshold for protecting plants and animals, which is also set at 70 ppb.
The judges repeatedly questioned DOJ lawyer Heminger on why EPA opted for a methodology that differed from the approach recommended by outside advisers at the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee.
Heminger explained that the agency looked at various measures of vegetation effects and used one — tree growth loss — as a surrogate to analyze broader impacts of ozone. It did not consider another measure — leaf damage — to be detailed enough to inform the standard. Pillard questioned the approach.
"I just don't see where EPA has grappled with that," she said. "Given the damage, given the determination that this is an important element of the public welfare, it reads as if it's dropped off the table."
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/18/stories/1060110011
-
EPA Watchdog To Audit Risk Reviews For Toxic Emissions
Dec 18, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Sean Reilly
EPA's inspector general is examining how the agency's handled a key aspect of its hazardous air pollutant program.
In a project notification memo yesterday, James Hatfield, a senior manager with the IG's office, said the audit's purpose will be to determine whether EPA's "residual risk and technology review" process has "sufficiently identified and addressed any elevated cancer risks from air toxics emitted by facilities."
The project's anticipated benefits "involve reducing public health risks in a timely manner," Hatfield, head of the air directorate in the IG's Office of Audit and Evaluation, said in the memo to EPA air chief Bill Wehrum.
Under the residual risk and technology review program, EPA is supposed to assess the adequacy of air toxics standards for dozens of industrial source categories within eight years after first issuing them. The reviews are supposed to take into account both technical advances in pollution controls and fresh research into pollutants' effects that would indicate whether any risk remains to public health or the environment.
Environmental groups have repeatedly had to sue EPA to compel the agency to carry out the reviews. In advance of a kickoff meeting, Hatfield asked EPA to provide the information used to conduct risk and technology reviews for four industrial source categories, including ethylene oxide sterilization facilities.
In the Chicago area, several of those plants have been at the center of controversy over whether EPA failed to promptly inform nearby residents of the dangers associated with emissions of the cancer-causing chemical.
Under legislation introduced last month by Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation, EPA would have to set new standards for ethylene oxide releases (E&E Daily, Nov. 30).
In yesterday's memo, Hatfield said the audit stemmed from the IG's "internal planning process."
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/18/stories/1060109971
-
Cut Carbon Through Innovation, Not Regulation
Dec 18, 2018 | The New York Times
By John Barrasso
Leaders from nearly 200 countries met in Katowice, Poland, last week and agreed to rules to carry out the Paris climate accord. Now that the 22,000 delegates have returned home, there are three truths they need to recognize to make actual progress in the hard work of lowering carbon dioxide emissions across the globe.
The first is, the climate is changing and we, collectively, have a responsibility to do something about it. Second, the United States and the world will continue to rely on affordable and abundant fossil fuels, including coal, to power our economies for decades to come. And third, innovation, not new taxes or punishing global agreements, is the ultimate solution.
People across the world are rejecting the idea that carbon taxes and raising the cost of energy is the answer to lowering emissions. In France, the government just suspended a planned fuel tax increase after some of its citizens took to the streets in protest. And in the United States, the results of November elections showed that these plans and other government interventions are just as unpopular.
Voters in Washington State rejected the creation of an expensive tax on carbon emissions. In Colorado, a ballot measure to severely restrict drilling was defeated. And in Arizona, voters rejected a mandate to make the state’s utilities much more dependent on renewable energy by 2030 — regardless of the cost to consumers. All three of these states elected liberal Democrats to Congress on election night.
The United States is currently on track to reduce emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, according to one recent analysis. That’s roughly two-thirds of the way to the original United States target under the Paris climate agreement.
The nation is leading the way not because of punishing regulations, restrictive laws or carbon taxes but because of innovation and advanced technology, especially in the energy sector.
Over the past decade, American energy-related carbon dioxide emissions have been falling. Technology breakthroughs have led to an American energy renaissance and a growing economy. As our economy has strengthened, we have lowered emissions.
While the United States cut its emissions in 2017, global emissions moved in the opposite direction. Emission levels increased in China and India, and even rose in the European Union in 2017.
Making energy as clean as we can, as fast as we can, without raising costs to consumers will be accomplished through investment, invention and innovation.Editors’ PicksA Generation of Widows, Raising Children Who Will Be Forged by LossFear of the Federal Government in the Ranchlands of OregonWhy Do Asian-Americans Remain Largely Unseen in Film and Television?
As chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I am working across party lines to support the development of new technologies that will further decrease America’s carbon emissions.
Nuclear energy is produced with zero carbon emissions. It has been a source of clean, affordable and reliable power for decades. Nuclear energy provides more than twice the global electricity of wind power and more than five times the amount of solar energy.
Washington needs to make it simpler for innovators who are building state-of-the-art nuclear reactors. These advancements in nuclear energy will create jobs, lower costs and contribute to America’s energy security without additional carbon emissions.
Groundbreaking new research in the area of carbon utilization to turn emissions into productive commodities, and even direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, also hold keys to major emission reductions. We have made meaningful progress on bipartisan legislation to help researchers engaged in cutting-edge carbon capture and utilization technologies.
The legislation supports efforts to find profitable uses for the captured carbon dioxide. The legislation will also simplify the process for building carbon dioxide pipelines, so that we can safely move the gas to where it is needed.
A leading commercial use of captured carbon dioxide is a process called enhanced oil recovery. By injecting carbon dioxide into an otherwise unproductive well, oil can be economically extracted. This is good for the environment and the economy — producing more American energy and sequestering carbon dioxide underground.
In addition to being used for enhanced oil recovery, carbon has the potential to be repurposed in building materials, medical supplies and manufactured goods.
Citizens around the world will continue to reject climate policies that cost them personally, either by direct taxation or by undermining the competitiveness of their own economies. The sooner the world’s leaders accept this reality, the sooner we will be able to put new and lasting solutions in place.
Senator John Barrasso was an orthopedic surgeon before joining the Senate in 2007. In addition to heading the Environment and Public Works Committee, he is a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/opinion/climate-carbon-tax-innovation.html
Industry and Association News
LCSA News - There are no clips to report at this time.
Chemical Management News
Energy News
Chemical Security News - There are no clips to report at this time.
Transportation and Infrastructure News
Environment News
Add recipients
Suggested