An explosion at Optima Chemical’s plant on the evening of 8 December killed one employee and injured three more. The incident was caused when a 1,200-gallon metal dryer became over-pressurised during a drying operation on a sanitisation compound based on chlorinated dry bleach and methanol.

The news is entirely dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. Here, we summaries some of the key developments in the fine and speciality chemicals industry so far in April

Multiple companies are turning spare capacity over or building new capacity to supply hand sanitiser. Leading the way is Ineos, which had already built three such plants in the UK, France and Germany and has now announced plans to build a fourth at Etian, France, to serve hospitals in Paris, north-eastern France and Belgium.

The first step in ongoing litigation in the US between Chemours and its parent firm DuPont over the cost of environmental liabilities relating to historic pollution caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) went DuPont’s way on 2 April. Chemours has said that it will appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.

Chemours has sold its methylamines business to Belle Chemical, an affiliate of Cornerstone Chemical. This has given a lifeline to the 57 workers at the site in Belle, West Virginia, and exemplified enduring interest in US-based chemical manufacture. Financial details were not disclosed.