Imports to EU: banned chemicals list is tripled

(plasticsinfomart) -- Producers and distributors across a broad range of industries which place products on the EU market face ⌠significant extra costs under EU proposals to nearly triple the number of banned chemicals.

There are currently six substances outlawed in the EU. However, the European Chemicals Agency has recommended to the EU Commission adding a further 13 chemical compounds to that list.

The new list includes chemicals used in paint production, pigments, ceramics, glazes and metal processing.

⌠This would be a marked expansion and represent a huge undertaking for industry to ensure its stock of products were compliant; a process likely to entail significant costs said John Doherty, a partner and EU regulation specialist at law firm Manches.

Mr Doherty said the bans could be in place within approximately two years.

⌠This is a further example of the seemingly ever-increasing compliance burden imposed by the EU, which is stacking up costs for the UK construction industry, amongst others, at a time when it could do without them.

⌠Industry needs to consider whether any exemptions can be negotiated, which the regulations do allow for if there is no suitable alternative in a particular function.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Taiwan's CPC Corp has restarted its 380,000 tpa No. 4 naphtha cracker this week following a routine maintenance, but operational rates will be kept low.

The unit was shut in December for maintenance and restarted on Thursday but runs at the unit will stay below full-tilt due to sluggish demand in the Lunar New Year period.

CPC has two other crackers, of which the smaller of the three units- a 230,000 tpa No. 3 cracker -- will be shut permanently around April.

That would reduce its naphtha demand until it commissions a new 700,000 tpa cracker by end 2012 or early 2013.

MRC

(Plastics Today) -- AT&T joins Procter & Gamble and Heinz in an effort to use plastic derived from sugarcane.

The telecommunications provider is now using Klockner Pentaplast's TerraPET films for all of its branded wireless accessories.

Klockner Pentaplast's TerraPET films are made in part from sugarcane, which can allow customers to replace fossil fuel based material with up to 30% plant based material.

"The TerraPET film is sourced from ethanol harvested from sugarcane. Since sugarcane is a semi-perennial crop, the same plant can harvest and re-grown for up to seven years.

Nancy Ryan, corporate communications group director for Klockner Pentaplast, told PlasticsToday TerraPET films have the same performance properties as standard APET films.

The TerraPET films can be used for food and general-purpose thermoformed packages, such as blisters, clamshells, and trays, as well as non-thermoformed applications, including transparent boxes and windows, box lids, and rounds.

AT&T became the first U.S. telecom company to use this type of plastic in its packaging. P&G began using sugarcane-based plastics for some of its products, and Heinz announced it would license The Coca-Cola Company's PlantBottle technology to use for its ketchup packaging.

MRC

(Plastics Today) -- Kraft Foods has launched an initiative to eliminate 100 million pounds of packaging material from its products worldwide by 2015. This commitment was the driver behind delivering the Yes Pack, Kraft's new sustainable flexible pouch for salad dressings to the foodservice industry.

The Yes Pack is a stand-up pouch with dual handles, and a rigid screw cap closure that replaces the traditional rigid plastic container for salad dressings. The company stated the product is more compact than rigid jugs, and flattens when empty, which can provide easier disposal and lower waste-removal costs.

A Kraft Foods spokesperson told PlasticsToday the Yes Pack is a flexible nylon-polyethylene blend film made in house, and it is produced with about 60% less plastic when compared to the rigid gallon container.

Kraft partnered with PE International, a sustainability consulting company, to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment, which quantified the environmental benefits of the Yes Pack. The Life Cycle Assessment is a standardized method of evaluating environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product from raw material production, manufacturing and use, all the way through disposal.

"After extensive data collection from our suppliers, technical modeling, and a rigorous third-party critical review of the study, we confirmed without a doubt that our new packaging design was not only better for our customers - in terms of yield and ease - but also in terms of environmental sustainability," the company stated.

MRC

(DuPont) -- Today, DuPont reported full year and fourth quarter earnings per share (EPS).

DuPont's 2011 earnings, before significant items, were up 20% to a record USD 3.93 per share versus USD 3.28 per share in 2010. Reported earnings per share were USD 3.68 versus USD 3.28 in 2010. Sales of USD 38.0 billion were up 20%, with a 27% increase in developing markets. Excluding significant items and pharmaceuticals, segment pre-tax operating income increased 31% with leading contributions from Performance Chemicals and Agriculture.

DuPont's fourth quarter 2011 earnings per share were USD.35 per share, excluding significant items, reflecting a USD.23 per share year-over-year headwind from a higher tax rate. Prior year earnings were USD.50 per share, excluding significant items. Reported fourth quarter 2011 earnings were USD.40 per share, unchanged from the prior year.


For 2012, DuPont reaffirmed its earnings outlook range of USD 4.20 to USD 4.40 per share, which represents 7 to 12% growth versus 2011, excluding significant items.

⌠We delivered exceptional full-year results in 2011 despite significant market headwinds late in the year, said DuPont Chair & CEO Ellen Kullman. ⌠Our market-driven science continues to meet customer needs in food, energy and protection. Acquisitions in Nutrition & Health and Industrial Biosciences, coupled with robust and disciplined productivity efforts across our businesses, contributed to our successful performance. We remain well-positioned to serve customers and innovate as key markets rebound and global population growth drives new opportunities.

MRC