Materials 
Canada has added bisphenol A (BPA) to its register of toxic substances, making it the first country in the world to make the move. The decision follows research that showed that 91% of Canadians has the plastics additive in their urine.
2 September 2010
US demand for degradable plastics is set to grow 16.6% per year to 325 million pounds (147.7 million kilos) by 2014, giving the market a value of $380m, according to a new Freedonia report.
2 September 2010
Increasing demand for coatings that protect composites against the effects of wear and abrasion has led Italian motorsport specialists CRP Technology to become the first reseller of Zircotec’s ceramic and metallic protective coatings for its own mouldings.
2 September 2010
Solvay is to increase the production capacity for peroxide curable fluoroelastomers, under the trademark Tecnoflon, at its Solexis plant at Spinetta Marengo, Italy. Solvay is investing €10m in the capacity increase, which is expected to start producing in the first half of 2012.
2 September 2010
Starting next month Urespec will be representing Shepherd Chemicals in the UK and Ireland, offering speciality catalysts to elastomer and foam manufacturers.
1 September 2010
A Schulman is streamlining manufacturing operations at its Crumlin, South Wales, production facility and moving part of the plant's capacity to two other, larger plants in Europe.
1 September 2010
British Polythene Industries has revealed encouraging half year figures despite raw material price uncertainty. The company reported revenues increased to £260.8m, up from £231.4m in 2009. Profits before tax rose by more than 40% to £13.1m.
31 August 2010
DuPont and China Petroleum & Chemical, known as Sinopec, have started production at their joint venture ethylene vinyl acetate production plant in Beijing, the parties said.
31 August 2010
Kautex Maschinenbau, the Bonn-based maker of blow moulding equipment, is taking over international sales and service for the German company that builds giant blow moulders, Rikutec-Richter Kunststofftechnik.
31 August 2010
Bioplastics maker Cereplast is strengthening its presence in Europe after signing a distribution deal with Ri.Me, an Italy-based masterbatch manufacturer.
27 August 2010
Biome Technology has revealed positive half year figures – revenues increased by 40% to £6.7m. Sales at its bioplastics division rose 34%, partly as a result of new product launches.
27 August 2010
Changes in sex hormones associated with bisphenol A exposure in men have been identified for the first time.
26 August 2010
Speciality chemicals group Lanxess is taking part in the third EuCheMS Chemistry Congress, the largest of its kind in Europe, which will be held in Nuremberg from 29 August to 2 September.
26 August 2010
DSM has licensed its Dyneema-brand high-performance polyethylene fibre for protective suits used in hydro demolition and water blasting.
26 August 2010
Munich-based Baerlocher said it will install further capacity for the production of PVC heat stabilisers at its plant in Dewas, India to serve the growing domestic market.
24 August 2010
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