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☆ Plant-Based Plastics Gain Favor as Companies Pursue Sustainability Goals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Plant-based plastic, that is. However, the environmental benefits of plant-based plastics are increasingly appealing to companies promising to use more sustainable materials by the end of the decade. Plants absorb the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide, which cuts the greenhouse-gas emissions from making bioplastics to at least half that of fossil-fuel-based plastics. A Lululemon shirt containing plant-based nylon. Only plant-based plastics that are chemically identical to fossil-fuel–based versions can enter the existing and growing recycling infrastructure.

Persons: Bioplastics haven’t, Michael Carus, “, ” Carus, Eastman, Chris Killian, bioplastics, Warby Parker, ”, Biden, Manav, olefins, Dow, bioethylene, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis, Haley Lowry, Dieter Holger Organizations: Sustainable Business, Kodak, U.S . Defense Department, European, dieter.holger Locations: China, Japan, biomanufacturing, U.S, Iowa

New capacity in China is expected to make up more than half of that growth, according to the International Energy Agency. Reuters GraphicsIn 2023, WoodMac sees China's output growth creating a local surplus of 4.24 million metric tons of ethylene and an even bigger oversupply of propylene at 8.69 million metric tons. Reuters GraphicsMARKET SHARE BATTLENewly launched refinery complexes by state giant PetroChina's (601857.SS) Guangdong Petrochemical and privately-run Jiangsu Shenghong Petrochemical have added to surging petrochemical supply from mega refiners Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp and Hengli Petrochemical (600346.SS) that has come online in recent years. Rongsheng Petrochemical (002493.SZ) and Hengyi Petrochemical (000703.SZ) swung to net losses in the first quarter. While Chinese demand from some sectors such as inexpensive clothing and daily essentials is robust, other sectors such as automative have yet to recover in line with expectations, said Salmon Lee, global head of polyesters at consultancy WoodMac.

Persons: Chen, refiners, China's, Wood Mackenzie, WoodMac, Ganesh Gopalakrishnan, TotalEnergies's, Salmon Lee, Lee, Mohi Narayan, Andrew Hayley, Matthew Chye, Florence Tan, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, International Energy Agency, Reuters Graphics, Guangdong Petrochemical, Jiangsu Shenghong Petrochemical, Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp, Hengli Petrochemical, Sinopec, Rongsheng Petrochemical, Hengyi Petrochemical, Thomson Locations: Dalian, Liaoning province, China, Asia, Europe, U.S, Guangdong, Jiangsu, China's, New Delhi, Beijing

☆ Fire burns for third day at Shell Texas chemical plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HOUSTON, May 7 (Reuters) - A fire burned for a third day on Sunday at Shell Plc's (SHEL.L) chemical plant in the Houston suburb of Deer Park, Texas, a company spokesperson said. The fire initially ignited on Friday afternoon in an explosion in an olefins unit, used to make plastics and rubber. The fire was extinguished for a few hours on Saturday morning before it reignited around 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT), said Shell spokesperson Curtis Smith. Water runoff has exceeded the chemical plant's wastewater capacity and is being diverted into the Houston Ship Channel, Smith said. Olefins units are the central units in petrochemical complexes, producing ethylene, butadiene and propylene from hydrocarbon feedstocks.

☆ No harmful chemical levels in air after Shell Texas chemical plant fire, company says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] An olefins unit burns in fire at Shell Deer Park, Texas chemical plant in this screengrab obtained from social media on May 5, 2023, in Deer Park, Texas, U.S. Johnny Walea via TMX/via REUTERSMay 6 (Reuters) - Air monitoring around an extinguished fire at the Shell Plc's (SHEL.L) chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas, showed no harmful levels of chemicals in the air, the company said on Saturday, added that there was no threat to the surrounding community. The fire broke out shortly before 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT) on Friday after in an olefins unit at the plant in the Houston suburb. Five people were taken for evaluation of possible injuries due to exposure to burned chemicals, the county sheriff said on Friday. The company on Saturday said in a series of tweets that the fire was extinguished and air monitoring has detected no harmful levels of chemicals. Operations at the refinery continued despite the fire in the chemical plant, sources familiar with the refinery's operations said.

☆ Six injured in Shell Texas chemical plant fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HOUSTON, May 5 (Reuters) - Six people were injured after a fire broke out in an olefins unit on Friday at Shell Plc's (SHEL.L) Deer Park, Texas chemical plant, said five people familiar with plant operations. A large column of black smoke could be seen rising from the fire in the olefins unit located near Highway 225 in the Houston suburb of Deer Park, the sources said. In a notice posted on a website for nearby residents, Shell said there was a fire at the chemical plant. All personnel at the plant at the time the fire broke out had been accounted for by 4 p.m. CDTOperations at the neighboring Pemex (PEMX.UL) refinery were continuing despite the fire in the chemical plant, said sources familiar with the refinery's operations. Pemex bought the Deer Park refinery from Shell in 2022.

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