In Louisiana, two Shell Chemical LP production sites will manufacture biobased surfactants for Henkel, producer of household-name detergents like Persil, Purex and all. The collaboration will replace up to 200,000 metric tons of fossil feedstocks used in the manufacture of surfactants with feedstocks that are based on renewable raw materials. Shell estimates that the switch […]
In Italy, chemical maker Solvay is investing at its Livorno site to manufacture its first highly dispersible silica from sodium silicate derived from rice husk ash. HDS is used as a tire additive, but also has applications in home and personal care and feed and food. Coupled with renewable energy integration at Livorno, the new […]
In Italy, engineering and technology conglomerate Maire Tecnimont has acquired a majority stake in biodegradable monomer firm Conser. Upon closing, the 83.5% stake will be held by Maire Tecnimont subsidiary NextChem Holding S.p.A., which under the terms of the agreement has an option to retain the remaining 16.5% within the next 3 years. Conser, which […]
In Ireland, Kibo Energy announced its decision to potentially introduce an additional revenue stream to its 2.7 MW plastic-to-syngas power plant in South Africa. This potential new revenue stream involves the production of synthetic oil from non-recyclable plastic waste in addition to the production of electricity from syngas, which promises significant added benefits to the […]
In Norway, Reuters reported that Norwegian energy firm Equinor plans to close its Tjeldbergodden methanol plant from the second week of February until the end of April this year with the aim of installing a mercury removal unit. The facility is Europe’s largest methanol plant and currently accounts for around 25% of the continent’s production. […]
In Texas, Kraton Corporation, a producer of specialty polymers and biobased products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, announced that Edgar Baena has been appointed as Vice President of Global Operations for the Pine Chemicals business. Baena will oversee the segment’s global operations strategy and progress toward achieving operational excellence and further improving manufacturing reliability, […]
In Pennsylvania, Crayola has partnered with a biodegradable glitter maker to produce colorful and sparkly sunscreen for kids. Partner Sunshine & Glitter, whose glitter is made from wood cellulose and readily biodegrades, says the “brands’ shared values of safety, quality, fun and self-expression” made the partnership a natural alignment. “Crayola is such a legacy brand […]
In Tel Aviv, material science company Balena hopes to shortly launch 60% biobased, 100% compostable, and cinnamon-scented slide-style sandals. Made from a proprietary natural elastomer dubbed BioCir, Balena’s slides are made using molds. The cinnamon scent comes from tea waste sourced from Israel. Founder David Roubach tells ISRAEL21c that the slides decompose in industrial composers. […]
In London, design publication dezeen is highlighting the potential of seashells as starting material for everything from construction to crockery. The shells of sea creatures like lobsters and scallops are comprised mostly of calcium carbonate, which is similar to limestone. Designers looking to incorporate sustainability into their products and repurpose seafood industry waste are leading […]
In Iceland, a supplier of natural astaxanthin from algae is attracting collaborators with ideas on how to use the leftover materials. Currently, Algalif dries microalgae and extracts relevant molecules for use in supplements, while the leftover biomass is used for fertilizer. But Julie Encausse, founder and CEO of bioplastic start-up Marea, is looking to use […]
