Evonik’s Active Oxygens business line has released a new sustainability strategy for its hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), peracetic acid and persulfates. This includes steps to slash carbon emissions and increase resource efficiency in production, with the goal of achieving climate neutrality across the business line by 2040.
Following successful technical trials, Archroma has formed a partnership with Stony Creek Colors to market Stony Creek’s IndiGold plant-based pre-reduced indigo dye at scale. Archroma will produce the first batches at Salvatierra, Mexico.
IndiGold will be sold as a 20% concentration in a soluble liquid form. The two companies said that it displays similar performance to comparable synthetic indigo products available on the market. Stony Creek extracts the dye from proprietary
Three more companies have joined Together for Sustainability (TfS), the industry initiative for sustainable supply chains, bringing the total membership to 36. They are Germany- and Switzerland-based CDMO CABB; Mitsui, which is the first Japanese member; and Sennics, a Sinochem International subsidiary that makes polymer additives.
Cepsa Química has introduced the first products in its new line of sustainable chemicals. Both are derived from biomass and contain at least 68% sustainable or alternative carbon sources using the mass balance approach, with equivalent performance to existing products based on fossil sources.
These are NextLAB, which is a fossil-free linear alkylbenzene (LAB) for use in the production of biodegradable household laundry and cleaning products; and NextPhenol, which will replace phenol in automotive, construction and pharmaceutical applications.
The European Commission has revised certain information requirements for registering chemicals under REACH. It advised companies to start preparing as the changes will start to apply in October. Further advice will be issued in 2H and changes will be made accordingly in Iuclid.
The main changes concern requirements and specific rules for the adaptation of:
* In vitro and in vivo studies, when further studies are needed based on mutagenicity concerns
Sumitomo Chemical has announced plans to build a new plant for APIs and intermediates to come onstream in September 2024 at its Oita works on the southern tip of Honshu. This comes in response to growing demand from the small molecule sector. No financial details were given.
Oita, the company said, “can manufacture a wide variety of APIs and intermediates that require complex chemical reactions and also flexibly scale from development to commercialisation”. It is also compliant with EU, US and Japanese GMP standards.
Kurita has established a new R&D base called the Kurita Innovation Hub (KIH) at Akishima city in Tokyo. Covering about 38,400 m2 and employing 400, this comprises two buildings: the Technology Innovation Centre and the Technical Education Centre.
