If you live in Austria, should you be concerned about exposure to bisphenol A (BPA)? Not according to the results of a new study from Austrian government researchers that was just published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. The title of the new study (Human biomonitoring of bisphenol A exposure in an Austrian population) may not […]
Who says you can’t have some fun while recycling? This America Recycles Day (November 15), our Plastics Make it Possible® campaign teamed up with comedian Rudy Mancuso to talk with millennials – and really anyone who would talk to him – about plastics recycling. Rudy hit the streets of New York City armed with a […]
We have a new partner in promoting a more holistic way of looking at plastics: the U.S. EPA. On America Recycles Day (November 15), ACC’s Plastics Division and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a partnership to promote sustainable materials management (SMM) for plastics. SMM offers a systematic approach to more efficiently using and reusing […]
This Thanksgiving, over 50 million Americans will travel to visit friends and family to enjoy our favorite comfort foods. Though you may get frustrated sitting in traffic, standing in security lines at the airport, or trying to coordinate the cooking of all your holiday dishes, silicones help make your travel and cooking experiences a […]
This National Education Week, I would like to express my thanks to all those who contribute to educating American students. My hat is off to teachers and school administrative staff and to the community of school employees known as “Educational Support Professionals” (ESPs) who keep our schools maintained and running on a daily basis. Case […]
With so much scientific review of bisphenol A (BPA) having already taken place, you might think that there would be little to learn from further review. Numerous government bodies around the world have recently reviewed the science on BPA and independently reached similar conclusions on its safety. But if you thought there’s nothing new under […]
Are you ready for the tricks and treats of Halloween? We hope your All Hallows’ Eve is filled with spooks and spirits. Before you embark on your ghostly adventure let’s make sure you’re taking proper safety precautions. Fire hazards pose a significant risk on Halloween. In fact, 10,300 fires were reported in the United States […]
CPI Steering Committee Chair Tom Feige of Dow “Our driving force is CPI,” remarked CPI Steering Committee Chair Tom Feige at the Opening Session of the 2016 Polyurethanes Technical Conference. “We have an association of people and resources that support a material that is vital to our society.” The strength and momentum driving the industry […]
Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation can increase the energy-efficiency of a home by creating a sound building envelope, which shields the home’s living areas from the outdoor environment. Homes can lose as much as 40 percent of heating and cooling energy through cracks and gaps in the building envelope. SPF acts as an effective barrier […]
Over a decade ago, more than 150 countries signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), a global treaty to manage chemical substances that warrant global control due to their PBT (persistence, toxicity, bioaccumulation) characteristics and ability for long-range environmental transport. This treaty is considered a significant environmental agreement, and is broadly supported by […]
The U.S. Nanotechnology community will come together to celebrate the first National Nanotechnology Day on October 9, 2016 (an homage to the nanometer scale, 10-9 meters). The annual event will serve as a day to inform the public about nanotechnology, to share the accomplishments of the industry and to promote the future possibilities and benefits nanotechnology offers. Nanotechnology […]
Have you ever stopped in an aisle at the grocery store and noticed how many items are now sold in flexible plastic packaging? From baby food to tuna fish, laundry detergent pods to pet food, many items once sold in glass or rigid plastic packaging are now sold in lightweight flexible packaging. And while flexible […]
The topic of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been popular lately with many “experts” weighing in with their opinions on everything from the basic definition of EDCs to what to do about them. With scientific issues like this, the words attributed to Daniel Patrick Moynihan bear repeating: “everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but […]
In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed ambitious climate change legislation that set an even higher bar than previous laws – California would now have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. This integrated plan to address climate change includes doubling energy efficiency savings at existing buildings. Along with other […]
Imagine living in a world without chlorine disinfection of drinking water…You would have no idea when a dreaded disease might strike you down or strike down your children or other family members. This is the world that everyone in the U.S. lived in at the turn of the twentieth century. –Michael J. McGuire in the […]
In March 2016, the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) conducted a workshop to better understand how changes in the availability and use of natural gas and natural gas liquids resulting from the rise in U.S. shale gas production can motivate research investment in new catalysis technologies and processes. Catalysts are added substances that enable more […]
The Louisiana flood waters have receded and so has the national media coverage of this disaster. The storm pummeled South Louisiana with almost seven trillion gallons of water in a week’s time. It flowed from parish to parish; the storm destroyed homes and businesses, and claimed lives. The TV cameras are gone, but the cleanup […]
Innovations in chemistry make an important contribution in developing the products and materials that help create attractive, durable, modern buildings. High performance spray foam insulation helps keep heat and cooled air inside a building, lowering energy costs. Vinyl flooring in hospitals and operating rooms is easy to clean and disinfect and can last for many […]
How is it possible that two World Health Organization (WHO) agencies could evaluate the same chemical’s potential to cause cancer and come to seemingly opposite conclusions? Dr. David Eastmond explored this question in a presentation at the Summer Toxicology Forum meeting comparing the approaches taken by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and […]
As with the presidential campaign, serious debate on the subject of chemicals that can interact with the human endocrine system is often sidetracked by a tendency by some to engage in the politics of identity, branding anyone with a different perspective to be in industry’s pockets. Such ad hominem attacks are a serious impediment to progress and […]