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OPCW Executive Council briefed on chemical weapons destruction progress in the United States

OPCW Executive Council briefed on chemical weapons destruction progress in the United States

Members of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Executive Council attended a chemical demilitarisation transparency event hosted virtually by the United States of America and held at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague from 21 to 22 March 2022. The event focussed on destruction progress at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) in Richmond, Kentucky.

The United States is in the process of completing the destruction of its remaining chemical weapons stockpiles in line with a decision of the Conference of States Parties. Inspectors from the OPCW monitor and verify destruction progress 24/7.

During the event, American officials provided an overview of the chemical weapons destruction in the United States and details on destruction progress at the BGCAPP. The destruction facility was designated to destroy all nerve agent-filled munitions stored at the Blue Grass Chemical Activity Chemical Weapons Storage Facility.

Topics covered in presentations and discussions included the measures that have been taken to accelerate destruction progress and the technologies used to destroy chemical weapons. Participants were also briefed on the approaches used to ensure the health and safety of people and the environment near the destruction sites including the involvement of the local community in decision making.

#OPCW Executive Council # destruction sites #local community # decision making #environment

EWG: EPA must do more to prioritize forever chemicals spending

EWG: EPA must do more to prioritize forever chemicals spending

The Environmental Working Group today thanked President Joe Biden for making the toxic forever chemicals known as “PFAS” a priority in his fiscal year 2023 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency. But the EPA has not yet said how it will reallocate FY 2022 funding to meet the deadlines in its “roadmap” for tackling PFAS.

The budget request for FY 2023 includes $11.88 billion for the EPA, a 29 percent increase above the FY 2021 enacted level, including a $57 million increase to address PFAS.

But the real test of the EPA’s commitment to tackling PFAS is not the budget request.

EWG and other environmental groups last week sent a letter urging EPA Administrator Michael Regan to prioritize funds for meeting deadlines in its PFAS roadmap. The roadmap released in October set deadlines for the EPA to develop a drinking water standard for PFOA and PFOS, two of the most notorious PFAS chemicals, among other deliverables.

The FY 2022 appropriations law directs the EPA to provide Congress with a “spend plan” to address PFAS within 60 days.

“Although the budget request for FY 2023 is good news, the real test of EPA’s commitment is the FY 2022 spend plan,” said EWG’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber. “Congress passed the buck, so it’s up to Administrator Regan to ensure the EPA meets the deadlines in its roadmap.”

“Communities have waited more than 20 years for EPA to act,” Faber said. “In the next few days, they will learn whether EPA will finally deliver or whether the roadmap is more empty promises.”

PFAS are a large family of fluorinated chemicals linked to an increased risk of cancer, harm to fetal development, reduced vaccine effectiveness, and other serious health problems. They are known as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment and they build up in our organs.

Nearly everyone tested in the U.S. has PFAS compounds in their blood, with exposure from many sources, including food, water, consumer products, and dust.

# Environmental Working Group #toxic forever chemicals #FY 2022 funding #PFAS 

 

Aerosol Can Market Is Estimated to Reach a Market Size Worth US$92.372 Billion by 2026

Aerosol Can Market Is Estimated to Reach a Market Size Worth US$92.372 Billion by 2026

The prime factor driving the growth of the Aerosol Can Market is the expansion of feed & personal care industries, the rising need for chelated minerals in food supplements & the rising shortage of minerals are some of the major driving factors driving the demand for the Aerosol Can market.

As per the report, the Global Aerosol Cans Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.65% to reach US$92.372 billion by 2026, from US$71.879 billion in 2019.

An aerosol can is a self-contained dosing mechanism that holds a chemical in a small metal canister and sprays or foams it out. It’s made out of metal, glass & plastic mostly PET, and has the properties to recycle infinite times. The recyclability & reusability of the cans is an important drivers for growth in the market. 

The cans are used to store nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide as propellants and are also used in pharmaceuticals, personal care cosmetic products & paints in the form of flammable hydrocarbons. The cans are leak-proof and can be dangerous if not handled properly.  The cans are expected to have a steady growth in the forecasted period as the packaging is not just about aesthetics but about creating value for storage, transportation, and ease of use.

The growth in personal care & increased demand in the cosmetic industry reflects a great opportunity in this market to grow in the future. Based on the type of can, aerosol cans are available in a straight wall, necked in & shaped cans. The recycling ability of these cans is an opportunity for the forecasted period as the cans can be reused and recycled and is a driving factor for growth in the market.

Based on the type of material, aerosol cans are made of aluminum, steel, glass & plastic. Aluminum cans are used to store products that are expensive or intend to showcase a premium appeal for example personal care products & pharmaceuticals. The cans are designed & made in a manner where steel & metals are used to make spray bottles. The cans are sustainable and don’t pose a threat to the environment thus leading to more demand and growth in the future.

Based on propellant type, aerosol cans are used to store liquefied & compressed gas propellant. Mostly used in pharmaceutical companies, they are used to expel the content from the container. They are stored in two forms: liquid & gas.

Based on industry vertical, most widely used in personal care & cosmetics, food & beverage, healthcare & automotive industry. The personal care and pharmaceuticals industry is forecasted to grow rapidly in the given period. Due to the impact of COVID on the aerosol market, it showed a downturn in the manufacturing industry during the initial months but the healthcare industry picked up the pace & demand for aerosol can packaging as it eliminated the risk of contamination.

 Based on geography segmentation, due to increase in urbanization with rapid infrastructural growth in the Asia Pacific region is likely to increase the demand for such cans leading to the growth of the market in the forecasted period with technological advancements increasing at a faster pace leading to investments, investment in the automotive & construction industry are all likely to increase demand for cans in the region.

As a part of the report, the major players operating in the Aerosol cans market that have been covered are. Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings Inc., Nampak Ltd, CCL Container (Hermitage) Inc., Exal Corporation, Arminak & Associates LLC, Colep Scitra Aerosols, spray Product Corporation, Mauser Packaging solutions, DS containers, Inc.

This analytics report segments the Aerosol can market on the following basis

By Type of can

  1. Straight Wall
  2. Necked In
  3. Shaped

By Type of material

  1. Aluminum
  2. Steel
  3. Glass
  4. Plastic

By Propellant type

  1. Liquefied Gas Propellent
  2. Compressed Gas Propellent

By Geography

  1. North America
  2. USA
  3. Canada
  4. Mexico
  5. South America
  6. Brazil
  7. Argentina
  8. Others
  9. Europe
  10. United Kingdom
  11. Germany
  12. France
  13. Others
  14. The Middle East and Africa
  15. Saudi Arabia
  16. UAE
  17. Others
  18. Asia Pacific
  19. Japan
  20. China
  21. India
  22. Indonesia
  23. Taiwan
  24. Thailand
  25. Others

#Aerosol  #Market Size Worth #US$92.372 Billion #2026

WISeKey Strengthens it Semiconductors NFC Brand Protection Related Patent Portfolio in China

WISeKey Strengthens its Semiconductors NFC Brand Protection Related Patent Portfolio in China

WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity and IoT company today announced it has been granted two new patents by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) that protect inventions in the domain of NFC tags for smart packaging, brand protection, and customer engagement applications.

WISeKey has designed its Nano Seal and Vault lines of secure NFC chips that can be attached to any brand product for unmatched security, cloud-based authentication, traceability, and consumer engagement. The cryptographic functions of these WISeKey’s NFC chips, integrated with the complete Wise Authentic ecosystem, offer an efficient way for brands to replace traditional non-secure QR code scanning or basic NFC tags. Moreover, the featured tamper detection sensors combined with single-tap Android and iOS compatibility extend the possibilities and disrupt direct-to-consumer digital strategies.

Various industries already benefit from this ecosystem including fashion & sports apparel, cosmetics, wines & spirits, consumer products, medicines, and luxury goods.

The original tamper detection sensors play a pivotal role in WISeKey’s proposed enriched customer experience: upon the status of these sensors, the brand’s message to the consumer can be adapted, giving packaging some intelligence.

Both new WISeKey’s Chinese patents cover this feature. To summarize:

Patent referenced CN106797235B describes a method to keep the NFC tag alive when the package has been opened, making it able to detect the opening and adapt its behavior accordingly;

Patent referenced CN108713292B describes a method to reliably place such NFC tags with open detection on any packaging, including on bottles. WISeKey’s CapSeal Top tags are direct applications of this patent.

“As reported in the newly released CNIPA 2020 Annual Report, there were a total of 1.497 million patents filed in China in 2020, among which 89.8% were about domestic inventions. In the same year,

530,000 patents were granted with 83.1% of the total being domestic ones,” said Carlos Moreira, Founder, and CEO of WISeKey. “China is a very inventive country. Getting two patents simultaneously granted there testifies WISeKey’s employees are, too. Because we have significant Chinese subcontractors and customers, and because we are investing a big portion of our revenue in R&D (40% in 2020) to provide our customers with the best cybersecurity, patents filing in China is not an option for WISeKey.”

info@wisekey.com

#WISeKey  #Semiconductors NFC #Brand Protection #Portfolio in China

Illinois EPA Announces Nine Spring 2022 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events

Illinois EPA Announces Nine Spring 2022 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events

Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim has announced nine upcoming Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) one-day collection locations for the spring of 2022. Each year, Illinois EPA provides residents with free HHW collection events to safely dispose of unused or leftover hazardous products commonly found in homes. Illinois EPA HHW collections continue to be contactless for the safety of participants and workers. Collection events are funded through the Illinois EPA’s Solid Waste Fund.

“Each year, we see a continued need for Household Hazardous Waste collection events throughout the state. We are pleased to continue offering this important program, providing residents with opportunities to safely dispose of unwanted chemicals and potentially hazardous products,” said Director Kim. “We are grateful to our local partners and co-sponsors who make these events possible throughout Illinois.”

One-day collections are open to all Illinois residents and operate from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the day of the event. Pre-registration is required for all of the spring 2022 collection events. Residents participating in these events are encouraged to bring chemical cleaners, oil-based paints, thinners, antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline, kerosene, weed killers, insecticides, pesticides, old or outdated medication, and similar hazardous household products. Fluorescent and other high-intensity discharge lamps may also be brought to the collections. ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED include latex paint, explosives, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals, and business wastes.

For safe transport of HHW, residents are asked to:

  1. Pack HHW items in a disposable box to avoid spilling during transport.
  2. Keep like chemicals together and separate, unlike chemicals.
  3. Secure lids and make sure containers are not leaking.
  4. Place box (es) of HHW in the empty trunk of your vehicle, away from passengers during transport.
  5. Remain in the vehicle at the collection site. On-site personnel will remove the HHW from your vehicle.

In addition to the one-day collections, the following long-term collection facilities are available for disposal of HHW throughout the year:

Naperville- 156 Fort Hill Drive (immediately North of Naperville Public Works), DuPage County; Hours:  Saturdays 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Sundays 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Phone: 630-420-6095.

Rockford– Rock River Reclamation District, 3333 Kishwaukee, Winnebago County; Hours:  Saturdays 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Sundays Noon – 4:00 PM, Phone: 815-987-5570.

Chicago- Goose Island, 1150 North Branch, Cook County; Hours: Tuesdays 7:00 AM-Noon, Thursdays 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM, and First Saturday of every month 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Phone: 312-744-3060.

Lake County- The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) currently operates a long-term household chemical waste collection program. Information and a collection schedule can be found on their website or by calling 847-336-9340.

Madison County- Madison County Building & Zoning Hours:  First Saturday and Third Friday of every Month 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Appointments are required.  See the website to schedule your appointment.  Questions:  618-296-5237 or recycling@co.madison.il.us 

#Illinois EPA #Nine Spring 2022 #Household Hazardous #Waste Collection Events

Inland Empire business activity headed for moderate growth

Inland Empire business activity headed for moderate growth

Business activity in the Inland Empire jumped considerably in the latest numbers – and on an annual basis, continues to outpace the nation. According to the new Inland Empire Business Activity Index released today by the UCR School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development, the region’s economy officially transitioned from recovery to expansion in the fourth quarter of 2021 (the latest data available) and growth is forecast to continue throughout 2022.

Business activity in the Inland Empire expanded by 6.4% in the fourth quarter compared to 4.5% in the third. At 7%, U.S. GDP outpaced the region in the fourth quarter but still lags the Inland Empire in total growth for the year (5.6% vs. 6.1%). Notably, the IE’s growth rate has declined from 8% in the second quarter and 7% in the first, but this is to be expected as the region’s economy moved steadily towards pre-pandemic conditions throughout 2021.

The short-term outlook for the Inland Empire remains positive, with local business activity forecast to rise between 3% and 3.5% in 2022.

“Now that the region is again in expansion mode, as opposed to recovering losses from the pandemic-driven recession, growth will moderate,” said Taner Osman, research manager at the Center for Economic Forecasting and one of the Index authors. “That isn’t a detriment; the point of concern continues to be the prospect of workforce shortages and the ability to meet the labor market’s demand.”

According to the report, the prospect of future labor shortages, which are caused largely by California’s high cost of living relative to other parts of the nation, will continue to limit the region’s growth over the long run.

The new report also calls out the surge in e-commerce purchases, an effect of the pandemic that shows little sign of slowing and bodes well for the Inland Empire’s economy.

“A major component of e-commerce operations is transportation and warehousing, which has long been one of this region’s mainstay industries and one that should continue to benefit from consumers’ discernable preference for online purchasing,” said Osman.

#Inland Empire #UCR School of Business #Center for Economic

 

SES Expands O3b mPOWER Partner Ecosystem with Comtech for Antenna Systems

SES Expands O3b mPOWER Partner Ecosystem with Comtech for Antenna Systems

SES announced today that Comtech Telecommunications Corp (NASDQ: CMTL) is supplying antenna systems for its second-generation medium earth orbit (MEO) O3b mPOWER gateways. The antenna hardware comes in a range of sizes – from the 5.5 metre gateway intended for telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) to smaller antennas for enterprise and government use. The antennas can also be deployed as customer gateways for O3b mPOWER.

O3b mPOWER is the successor to SES’s first-generation O3b MEO constellation. The software-driven communications system is capable of delivering connectivity services from tens of megabits to multiple gigabits per second. It is scheduled for launch in the coming months and is expected to be operational by end of 2022.

Based on a number of innovations, the new Comtech antennas are a significant improvement over the existing O3b gateways as the dual-drive X/Y antennas offer huge advantages over traditional Azimuth/Elevation systems, including:

  • Precision tracking – Elimination of the keyhole constraint and the facility for precision pointing and tracking through continuous hemispheric movement;
  • Multi-orbit support – Flexibility to operate both GEO satellites and MEO constellations from a non-GEO gateway, resulting in cost efficiencies and resiliency;
  • Easier installation – The 5.5-meter Ka-band kingpost, dish ring, drive cabinets, and cabling is installed and tested in the factory and shipped as an assembly, greatly reducing on-site installation timescales;
  • Carbon fibre reflector – The 5.5m reflector design leverages the intrinsic benefits of carbon fibre to provide a rigid structure that is much lighter than alternative materials;
  • Lower CapEx and OpEx – The lighter-weight reflector design can utilize smaller drive motors, experiences less component stress for longer life and lower power consumption during the constant trace/retrace operation needed for non-geostationary satellite tracking, resulting in overall lower capital and operational costs; and
  • Surface accuracy – Carbon fibre reflector surface accuracy is stable over extreme temperature ranges and is particularly ideal for gateways situated in equatorial regions and in areas subject to excessive daily temperature fluctuations.

“We are pleased that SES selected Comtech’s X/Y antenna products for critical telemetry, tracking, and control facilities as well as customer data gateways and user terminals to support their next-generation O3b mPOWER ground station infrastructure. These antenna products provide unique technical and commercial advantages in support of non-geostationary constellations over traditional antenna products,” said Michael Porcelain, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp.

“These next-generation gateway antennas are especially important for customers who want to land data at their own site whilst being able to tap into the differentiated O3b mPOWER connectivity services. For our government customers, this is especially attractive since we have a compelling offering with our low-latency, high-throughput services delivered in a secure environment as if they were using their own dedicated satellite network. This is made possible, in part, due to these gateways that are now more resilient, lighter, and easier to install,” said Stewart Sanders, Executive Vice President of Technology and O3b mPOWER manager at SES.

suzanne.ong@ses.com

#SES Expands #O3b mPOWER #Partner Ecosystem with Comtech #Antenna Systems

 

Gozio Health Announces Financial Partnership with Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital

Gozio Health Announces Financial Partnership with Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital

Gozio Health, an industry-leading location-aware mobile patient engagement platform, announced the closing of an investment from funds managed by Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital. The investment round will be used to accelerate Gozio’s growth and set the stage for a long-term financial partnership.

“We are at a turning point in healthcare where digital strategy is not only a competitive differentiator for health systems but is foundational to positive consumer experiences. An effective digital platform can enhance engagement with patients, prevent revenue leakage and increase overall patient satisfaction,” said Joshua Titus, Founder, and CEO of Gozio. “With the strong support of Morgan Stanley, Gozio is poised to substantially ramp up efforts to equip health systems with the kind of robust, extensible platform needed to optimize digital engagement.”

Gozio’s mobile patient engagement solution provides health systems with a turnkey digital front door, offering a unified platform that integrates HCIT applications, including physician directories, appointment scheduling, EHR, and patient record access, into an easy-to-use mobile application. Gozio’s solution also leverages the Company’s patented, industry-leading wayfinding technology to provide real-time, turn-by-turn directions to patients and staff.

“The consumerization of healthcare is driving hospitals and health systems to increasingly focus on patient experience and engagement. Gozio offers a solution that helps patients not only navigate the physical network of the health system but also provides patients mobile access to the services, information, and applications necessary to engage patients in their own care,” said Melissa Daniels, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital. “We believe Gozio’s digital front door and wayfinding technology provides a compelling value proposition by enhancing the personal end-to-end consumer experience within the network of the health system. We are thrilled to be partnering with Joshua and the Gozio team to support the Company as it continues on its growth trajectory.”

Gozio will use the funding to expand its client base among leading health systems, grow its client services and engineering teams, and advance the extensibility of its platform to support a digital health ecosystem.

https://www.goziohealth.com/

# Financial Partnership # Morgan Stanley # Gozio Health # Expansion Capital

Solvay launches new biodegradable guar-based polymers for beauty care

Solvay launches new biodegradable guar-based polymers for beauty care

Solvay, a global leader in naturally-derived beauty polymers, expands its range of biodegradable guar-based solutions, introduced in December 2021, with two additional thickening and conditioning polymers for beauty care. The two new ingredients, Jaguar NAT SGI and Jaguar Excel will enable beauty brands to address stringent global regulations and growing consumer expectations for more responsible and sustainable beauty products.

“Until recently, the availability of biodegradable functional polymers in the market has been limited,” explains Jean-Guy Le-Helloco, Home & Personal Care Vice-President at Solvay. “Our biodegradable Jaguar ingredients offer formulators a range of sustainable game-changers to create a wider choice of responsible hair and skincare products.”

Next to developing the new biodegradable Jaguar ingredients, Solvay experts created the Beauty Biodeg Score chart based on the OECD guidelines ranging from A to D. The two new ingredients Jaguar NAT SGI, a readily biodegradable thickening polymer (score A), and jaguar Excel, an inherently ultimately biodegradable conditioning polymer (score B), meet the toughest criteria for biodegradability. They complement JaguarHP-8 COS SGI for thickening and JaguarC500 STD for conditioning, both rated score B. Typical applications include shampoos, hair treatments, hair conditioners, styling gels, body washes, and powder-to-liquid cleansers. It will be presented at Solvay’s booth during the in-cosmetics global exhibition in Paris from April 5 to 7.

“By assigning a biodegradability score to our products, we help external stakeholders appreciate the swift progress Solvay is making in the development of biodegradable and sustainable products with full and transparent traceability,” says Galder Cristobal, Home, and Personal Care Research & Innovation Director at Solvay. “We have entered a new phase of innovation with new polymer technologies and are investing in advanced biodegradation testing for next-generation beauty ingredients. Our new biodegradable Jaguar ingredients are just the beginning.”

The guar beans used to produce the Jaguar polymers are a natural and renewable resource, partially sourced through Solvay’s Sustainable Guar Initiative (SGI) program in Rajasthan, India. The SGI program is designed to implement best farming practices, conserve groundwater, improve local quality of life and empower women, farmers while securing high-quality guar supplies.

Solvay’s commitment to sustainable beauty is at the essence of “Beauty for the Planet”, an initiative aimed at delivering sustainable beauty ingredients that work for consumers and the environment through innovation and partnerships with customers.

#biodegradable guar-based #sustainable beauty #Beauty for the Planet #SGI program

 

SI GROUP TO ATTEND AFPM 2022 INTERNATIONAL PETROCHEMICAL CONFERENCE

SI GROUP TO ATTEND AFPM 2022 INTERNATIONAL PETROCHEMICAL CONFERENCE

SI Group, a leading performance additives company, will be attending the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) International Petrochemical Conference, to be held at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio, Texas on March 27-29, 2022.

AFPM’s International Petrochemical Conference is a key annual event for SI Group. Following the event’s cancellation in 2020 and a limited attendance in 2021, SI Group is pleased to re-engage with industry stakeholders. Joey Gullion, SVP – Chief Commercial Officer, commented, “We are thrilled to be back at APFM this year—this event provides the right intimate setting for our Commercial team to focus and connect with our customers. We look forward to the opportunity for face-to-face conversation and engaging in the dialog to enable us to remain current with our customer’s needs.”

In addition to members of the Commercial team, SI Group will have representatives from its Strategic Sourcing organization at the event, noted Paul Vogt, VP – of Supply Chain Services at SI Group, “We are ready to meet our vendor base at AFPM this year. Our Global Supply Chain team has recently welcomed new leadership, including Ben Smith, VP of Strategic Sourcing, who will be present to meet directly with our partners for the first time. We’re also fortunate to have some of our tenured colleagues with us to facilitate the transition and connect with our long-term suppliers.”

SI Group leadership attending this year includes: 
•    Joey Gullion, SVP – Chief Commercial Officer
•    Paul Tilley, SVP – Business Development
•    Paul Vogt, VP – Supply Chain Services
•    Paul Whittleston, VP – Industrial Solutions
•    Ben Smith, VP – Strategic Sourcing
•    Pam Dolan, Sr. Sales Director – Industrial Solutions
•    Joe Evans, Sr. Director – Sourcing
•    Stephan Westphal, Sr. Director – Sourcing

CLICK HERE

#SI GROUP #AFPM 2022 INTERNATIONAL  #PETROCHEMICAL CONFERENCE