Fluorochemicals used in paper and packaging - is the new C6 chemistry an advance on the problematic C8?

To the many of you who read the earlier blog on fluorochemicals and their use in paper, and any others with an interest in this topic, it may be worth reading the recent article by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

EWG, 'Finds no evidence that the industry-touted replacement chemicals being rushed to market are safer -- and plenty of evidence that DuPont and other manufacturers are continuing a decades-long pattern of deception about the health risks of PFOA and related chemicals.'

EWG make the point that the move from C8 to C6 chemistry is,

'Greenwashing – claiming environmental benefits for a product that's little better than its replacement – at its worst. PFOA is so remarkably persistent in the environment and broadly toxic to living organisms that using it as a bar against which to judge "green chemistry" is like calling anything under 200 miles per hour a safe speed limit. For C6 replacements, the full extent of the public record on their safety consists of a PowerPoint presentation delivered by Asahi Glass Company to the Environmental Protection Agency. Public records show that DuPont, Asahi, and Clariant are all shifting from PFOA to C6 chemistries despite an absolute dearth of public safety data, and despite the fact that on 3 critical counts, C6 may be as great a concern as PFOA:

• C6, like all the other PFCs, is extraordinarily persistent in the environment (NAS 1972).
• C6 is potentially 3 to 5 times more toxic than C8 to aquatic organisms (Asahi 2006).
• C6 crosses the placenta to contaminate children before birth, according to an EWG study of umbilical cord blood from 10 newborn babies (EWG 2005). While many studies of thousands of people by CDC, industry, and academic university researchers show that PFOA contaminates nearly the entire U.S. population, industry has failed to publish even a single study of C6 in people. EWG's tests of cord blood show it to be potentially as great a concern as PFOA.

EWG certainly make some good points in amongst the sometimes emotive and hyperbolic writing. The fact remains, does it make sense to continue with fluorine chemistry? Surely this is an opportunity to develop and market fluorine-free alternatives.

The main companies involved in the manufacture and supply (directly or indirectly) of fluorine-based chemicals to the paper industry are: Arkema, Asahi, Ciba, Clariant, Daikin, DuPont, 3M/Dyneon and Solvay Solexis. There are others.

Fluorine-based chemicals are mainly used in paper and packaging to give grease-resistance (eg pizza boxes, burger wrap, butter wrap, soap wrap, pet-food bags). Alternative barriers are available for some of the current applications, but in some of the more demanding applications it has been difficult to find chemicals which perform as well as those containing fluorine with its unique physical properties. Finding fluorine-free alternatives is an opportunity.

Antitrust - EU Imposes Heavy Fines on Chlorate Cartel

The European Commission announced that it has imposed fines totalling over EUR 79 mio on four groups of companies for operating a cartel - fixing prices and allocating sales volumes of sodium chlorate. This chemical is mainly used in chemical pulp production where is used to produce the bleaching chemical, chlorine dioxide.

Some of the highlights are:

• The companies involved: EKA Chemicals, Akzo Nobel, Finnish Chemicals (now Kemira), Erikem Luxembourg, Arkema France, Elf Aquitaine, Aragonesas Industrias y Energia and Utralia.
• Period the cartel operated: 1994 - 2000
• Akzo Nobel and EKA Chemicals (subsidiary of Akzo Nobel) received full immunity from the fines as they were first to provide information about the cartel
• Finnish Chemicals (now Kemira) had its fine reduced by 50% for co-operating with the investigation
• The fine imposed on Arkema France was increased by 90% as it was a repeat offender - participated in 'three cartels before this one'

Full details of the fines and the rulings are available from the European Commission web site.

Keywords: Paper Chemicals, bleaching, chlorine dioxide, sodium chlorate, Canda International

Hydrogen peroxide market predicted to reach 4.3 million tonnes by 2012

A press release by RISI reports on a recent market review, "Hydrogen Peroxide: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

The highlights are:

• Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) demand is partly driven by elemental chlorine free (ECF) processes; the introduction of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) by the EPA in United States; and total chlorine free (TCF) processes mandate by the European Union [comment: there is still not much TCF pulp produced and some analysts do not see much future growth - at least in the next 10 years]
  
• The US hydrogen peroxide market in 2008 is estimated to be 705 thousand metric tons for 2008
• The Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market, with a CAGR of 8% over the period 2001-2010.
  
• The pulp & paper industry is the largest market segment for hydrogen peroxide and this segment is expected to be around 2.11 million metric tons by 2010.
• European producers dominate the market in both Europe and North America.
  
• North American producers such as Dow Chemical and FMC also have a significant presence in the market.
  
• The market is fragmented in the Asia-Pacific region where there is a large number of small players.
• Players dominating the global hydrogen peroxide market include Arkema, BASF AG, Chang Chun Petrochemical Co, DC Chemicals, Dow Chemical, Eka Chemicals, Evonik Degussa, FMC Corporation, Guangdong Zhongcheng Chemicals, Hansol Chemicals, Kemira, Kingboard Chemical Holdings, Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals, Nippon Peroxide, PT Degussa Peroxide Indonesia and Solvay.

California first to introduce a bill to ban the introduction of PFCs into food packaging - Why are they alone?

At last there has been a move somewhere in the world to challenge the lengthy, voluntary withdrawal of the use of fluorochemicals containing PFCs from use in applications such as food packaging. This topic has been covered before in this weblog and the question asked as to why there should be a voluntary agreement with the EPA to withdraw these products when there is clear evidence that they are harmful.

See the weblog on the EPA announcement that the big manufacturers are on track, or that on the recent DuPont study to produce evidence as to the fate of fluorochemicals in the environment.

The question remains, why wait until 2015? In many papermaking applications there are alternatives, but if there are not, then increased pressure will generate innovation.

Enviroblog covers this topic well and highlights the recent bill filed by California State Senator Ellen M. Corbett which would make California the first state to ban some PFCs in food packaging. The bill, sponsored by EWG, would prohibit more than trace amounts of two PFCs called PFOS and PFOA in any material used to package food, beginning in 2010.

The big producers working with the EPA include Arkema, Asahi, Ciba, Clariant, Daikin, DuPont, 3M/Dyneon and Solvay Solexis.

Kemira's acquisition of Arkema's coagulant business confirmed

It has been confirmed that Kemira has acquired Arkema's coagulant business.

Kemira Chimie S.A. in France and Kemira Ibérica SA in Spain will acquire Arkema’s coagulant business for water treatment. The 2006 revenue of Arkema´s coagulants business for water treatment was approximately EUR 19 million.

The acquisition includes three production units located in France and Spain and the main customer base is municipalities for potable and wastewater treatment.

As stated in the announcement, 'Kemira Water is the world’s leading supplier of inorganic coagulants and ranks third in water treatment polymers. It offers customized water treatment and sludge treatment solutions to municipal and private water treatment plants and industry. In 2006, Kemira Water had revenue of EUR 468 million and a payroll of approximately 2 000 employees. It is present in 30 countries.'

Arkema to by Omya's Coatex business

Arkema announces plans to acquire Omya's Coatex business.

The announcement states that, "Coatex manufactures specialty polymers mainly acrylic based, used as dispersants and thickeners. The main end markets of these high growth specialty chemical activities include paper, paint, water treatment, cosmetics and textile. With its headquarters and largest site in Genay, near Lyon (France) Coatex employs 300 people in the world (Europe, Americas, Asia) and reported sales of € 150 millions in 2006.

Coatex’s business offers strong synergies with Arkema’s in raw material, process and R&D terms, and represents the natural downstream activities of Arkema’s acrylic monomer production sites in Bayport (United States) and Carling (France).

The proposed deal is also a genuine opportunity for the Omya and Arkema groups to develop long-term strategic cooperation, in particular in technical and commercial fields."

The financial details of the proposed deal have not been disclosed. The project is subject to the usual approvals.