2018 has been full of developments with major relevance to the various industries that work directly or indirectly with chemical compounds, as well as the regulatory agencies tasked with providing oversight for the sector and numerous environmental advocacy groups. Given the spate of stories taking place solely within the final week of August, it appears as if the industry is not going to be falling out of the headlines any time soon.
Here, we'll take a closer look at three of the most notable stories germane to the chemical field of late:
Market for surface treatment chemicals appears set for notable growth
Not all surface treatment operations are chemical in nature, but plenty are: The process, regardless of its particular iteration. involves altering the exterior of an existing manufactured product with the aim of improving the surface for any number of reasons: corrosion resistance, better soldering properties, improved adhesion, chemical resistance, tarnish endurance or overall durability. A new report prepared by Market Research Future found significant reason for positive belief within the market.
The research cited major demand for metals on a worldwide scale as one of the primary reasons the industry should expect a noteworthy level of growth between fall 2018 and 2023. It also noted that the Asia-Pacific region has been the largest and fastest-growing area for the surface treatment chemicals market, but that emerging regions like Latin America will also contribute to the field's profitability at increased rates, due to a rising tide of industrialization in Venezuela and Brazil.
More PFAs found at Wisconsin army bases
Perfluoroalkyl chemicals keep finding their way into the headlines as people throughout the U.S. and around the world become more aware of their presence – and their potential hazards. Most recently, an environmental impact assessment found these PFOA and PFAS present at four armed-forces sites in Wisconsin: the 128th Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard in Milwaukee, Camp Douglas in Juneau County, Truax Field in Madison and Fort McCoy located between the cities of Sparta and Tomah.
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the chemicals at these sites were present at levels above the safety threshold established by the Environmental Protection Agency for PFOA and PFAS in drinking water – specifically, greater than 70 parts per trillion. Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources found that the substances had not seeped into any drinking water supplies at these bases, but their presence at concentrations beyond safe levels was cause enough for alarm.
Both the Air Force and Air National Guard, in conjunction with the DNR, are working to decontaminate the area. This continues previous efforts by Air Force officials to examine contamination of all kinds at its bases and enact all appropriate measures.
Arkema CEO to face criminal charges approximately one year after incident during Hurricane Harvey
The landfall of 2017's Hurricane Harvey brought a great deal of devastation to southeastern Texas, and few business verticals bore as much of the storm's brunt – in terms of commercial damage – as the petrochemical industry in that region. Specialty chemicals manufacturer Arkema, which had a major facility in Crosby, Texas, saw that plant explode Aug. 31, 2017, and not long afterward company representatives such as CEO Richard Rowe faced questions about the site's safety preparation measures – queries that were never fully answered, in the view of local authorities.
NPR reported that the lingering uncertainties surrounding the case became less murky as time went by, in the mind of Kim Ogg, district attorney for Harris County (home to Houston as well as Crosby). She believes Rowe and Arkema as a whole were grossly negligent enough in their approach to safety that they should be held criminally liable, and as such filed charges against them Aug. 30, just one day fewer than a year after the date of the initial explosion.
In a statement to the media, Ogg said that her decision was a specific refutation of Arkema's actions rather than any sort of broader stance against businesses.
"I support responsible companies," the Harris County DA said, according to NPR. "It's the conscious disregard that was shown by Arkema that has led to their indictment … We've had a new normal in Houston. We've had three 500-year floods in just a short period of time. And so it was a risk that was unjustifiable."
The news provider noted that some believe this case could serve as precursor to other matters, in which companies that aren't updating their safety protocols based on verifiable evidence of climate change – like Houston's flood uptick – could face further criminal charges. It all comes down to how other authorities react in similar cases.
