EU Commission proposes tightened limits on exposure to acrylonitrile, benzene in the workplace

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The European Commission says it has proposed today, in the fourth revision of its carcinogens and mutagens directive, the introduction of new limit values for acrylonitrile and nickel compounds, and a revised downward limit value for benzene, to limit further the exposure of EU workers to cancer-causing chemicals, said Chemweek.

The proposal is the first initiative of the Commission's commitment to fight cancer under the upcoming Europe's Beating Cancer plan, it says. The proposal will now be negotiated by the European Parliament and European Council. "A workplace should be a safe place and yet cancer is the cause of half of the deaths linked to work. Today's update to the carcinogens and mutagens directive is one of the first steps in our ambitious plan to beat cancer. It shows that we are determined to act and will not compromise on workers' health,” says Nicolas Schmit, EU commissioner/jobs and social rights.

Each year, about 120,000 work-related cancer cases occur in the EU as a result of exposure to carcinogens, leading to approximately 80,000 fatalities annually, the Commission says. Introducing new or revised occupational exposure limits for acrylonitrile, nickel compounds, and benzene will prevent work-related cases of cancer and other serious illnesses, it says.

Estimates show that more than 1.1 million workers in a wide range of EU sectors will benefit from improved protection thanks to the new rules, the Commission says. The proposal is also expected to benefit companies by reducing costs caused by work-related ill health and cancer, such as absences and insurance payments, it says.

"Today we are taking an important step to protect our workers from the exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace and start our work under our upcoming Europe's Beating Cancer plan. With the plan, we will aim to tackle the main risk factors of cancer for everyone, but also to guide patients at every step of their journey and contribute to improving the life of those affected by this disease," says Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner/health and food safety.

The carcinogens and mutagens directive is regularly updated in line with new scientific evidence and technical data, and this new initiative has been developed in close collaboration with scientists and with representatives of workers, employers, and EU member states, the Commission says. Trade unions and employers' organizations were also involved through a two-phase consultation, it says.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall PE production totalled 1,712,400 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, up by 58% year on year. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) accounted for the greatest increase in the output. At the same time, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nanjing?Thyssenkrupp has won an order from an unnamed client to build a new polylactide (PLA) plant in South China based on its patented PLAneo technology, according to Apic-online.

The facility, scheduled to begin operation in fall of 2021, will produce 30,000 t/y of PLA, a compostable bioplastic made from 100% renewable biomass, making it an "eco-friendly, low-carbon dioxide and economic alternative" to conventional oil-based plastics, Thyssenkrupp noted.

Thyssenkrupp will be responsible for designing the plant and supplying the key components.

Value of the contract was not given.

As MRC wrote before, this summer, Thyssenkrupp and BASF said that they had signed a joint development agreement to expand their cooperation on the STAR dehydrogenation process. The proprietary technology developed by Thyssenkrupp produces propylene from propane feedstock, or iso-butylene from iso-butane feedstock. Under the collaboration, the partners aim to significantly increase the resource and energy efficiency through targeted improvements in catalyst and plant design. Thyssenkrupp will focus on process and BASF on catalyst development. The aim is to lower plant investment and operating costs and to reduce CO2 emissions in the in the future.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Grangemouth, UK, petrochemicals plant operated by Ineos will shut down at the beginning of October, reported Chemweek with reference to sources with links to the plant Tuesday.

The shutdown of the petchems facility in Scotland is planned to last between five and six weeks and has been pushed back from a provisional mid-September start date, those local sources say.

Turnarounds at the nearby 210,000-b/d Petronineos-operated refinery as well as the petchem plant were originally scheduled for April this year, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic scotched those plans. One source told OPIS that a short period of maintenance work on a 110,000-b/d crude distillation unit at the refinery was about to end, and so many workers engaged in that project will be redeployed to work on the forthcoming petchems plant shutdown.

A spokesman for Ineos said that the company does not comment on its day-to-day operations at Grangemouth.

OPIS is an IHS Markit company.

As MRC informed previously, Ineos, one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies, has undertaken an unplanned shutdown at its No. 1 olefins unit at Texas cracker. The company halted operations at the cracker for maintenance on September 18, 2020 owing to technical issues. Further details on duration of the shutdown could not be ascertained. Located at Chocolate Bayou in Texas, the No. 1 Olefins unit has an ethylene production capacity of 1.07 million mt/year and propylene production capacity of 235,000 mt/year.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall PE production totalled 1,712,400 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, up by 58% year on year. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) accounted for the greatest increase in the output. At the same time, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.

Ineos is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products employing 22,000 people. It has 34 businesses, with a production network spanning 183 manufacturing facilities in 26 countries.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, and a global leader in vinyl acetate ethylene (EVA) emulsions, has announced an increase in its September EVA prices in China, as per the company's press release.

Thus, the company's EVA prices rose by CNY700/mt for China, effective September 15, 2020, or as contracts otherwise allow.

The price increases above are for orders shipped on or after September 15, or as contracts otherwise allow, and are incremental to any previously announced rises.

As MRC reported earlier, Celanese has also raised its September prices of EVA emulsions by CNY300/mt.

According to MRC's DataScope report, June EVA imports to Russia fell by 22,5% year on year to 2,940 tonnes from 3,800 tonnes a year earlier, and overall imports of this grade of ethylene copolymer into the Russian Federation dropped in January-June 2020 by 8,16% year on year to 17,440 tonnes (18,980 tonnes a year earlier).

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs approximately 7,700 employees worldwide and had 2019 net sales of USD6.3 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical (NSRP) has restarted the polypropylene (PP) unit in Vietnam late last week following a 10 days unscheduled shutdown starting 7 September 2020 due to a persistent technical issue, reported CommoPlast.

The 370,000 tons/year line has been able to stabilize the operating rates at the time of this report.

On another note, Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical is planning a major overhaul at the PP unit in June 2021 and the entire complex would be shut in 2023 for maintenance.

As MRC wrote previously, in late June, 2020, NSRP was operating its PP plant in Vietnam at about 70% capacity following a change in the catalyst used in the production processes. The unit restored the normal rates in ten days.

We remind that NSRP shut its PP unit on 21 June, 2019, owing to technical issues. The exact duration of the shutdown could not be ascertained. Besides, the company conducted a scheduled maitenance at this unit from 22 October, 2019, to end-November, 2019.

We also remind that Vietnam’s Nghi Son oil refinery officially began commercial production from 14 November 2018, following months of tests. The USD9 billion refinery is 35.1 percent owned by Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan Co, 35.1 percent by Kuwait Petroleum, 25.1 percent by PetroVietnam and 4.7 percent by Mitsui Chemicals Inc.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.
MRC