Albemarle Supports EPA Efforts to Address PBDEs

July 12th, 2012

BATON ROUGE, La., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – In a letter to Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) today offered its support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to finalize its proposed actions on Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Such action will ensure that decaBDE will not be imported into the United States after December 31, 2013.

In the letter, Dr. David Clary, Albemarle’s Chief Sustainability Officer, commented, “Albemarle supports the EPA proposal to amend the PBDE SNUR to designate manufacturing, importing, or processing of decaBDE for any use which is not ongoing after December 31, 2013 as a significant new use.  Further, Albemarle supports the EPA’s efforts to promulgate a test rule for PBDEs if it determines that manufacture (including import) or processing of PBDEs has not ceased by December 31, 2013.”

Albemarle, in cooperation with the EPA, announced a voluntary phase out of its production of decaBDE in 2009.  The company is on schedule to cease commercial production of decaBDE entirely by the end of 2012 in accordance with its agreement with EPA and will limit commercial sales within the United States in 2013 to only transportation and military applications requiring that additional transition time.

While many science-based and peer-reviewed studies have shown decaBDE to be safe in its intended use, Albemarle is committed to delivering safe and effective products with increasingly smaller environmental footprints.  The company’s proactive innovation has allowed it to bring two polymeric flame retardants to market in the last few years:  GreenArmor and GreenCrest.  These polymeric flame retardants, marketed under the Earthwise™ portfolio, represent the latest fire safety technology and provide additional certainty about product safety as they can’t be absorbed by animal or human cells.  GreenCrest has successfully completed review by EPA’s New Chemicals Program and GreenArmor has been submitted for such a review.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Posted in Albemarle, EPA, Energy, Sustainability

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Boulder, CO Hits Green Roadblocks

March 21st, 2012

Green chemistry and eco-friendly news and information from Earthwise- Green issues in sustainability in Boulder Colorado

On the surface, Boulder, Colorado seems to be an environmentally-conscious city.  According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, “it was the first to levy a tax to protect open space” and approved “the nation’s first ‘carbon tax’ to fund energy-conservation programs.” But despite the city’s efforts to promote these programs and subsidize efforts like energy audits, Boulder’s residents don’t seem to be taking as much action as the city would have hoped for.  The energy audits provide homeowners and business owners with recommendations for how to be more energy-efficient, yet the city has discovered that very few people are implementing the suggestions.

As a result, Boulder is planning to take its efforts one step further and actually do the work for residents through programs like “Two Techs in a Truck”. Boulder “plans to spend about $1.5 million in city funds and $370,000 in federal stimulus money to hire contractors to do basic upgrades for residents”. The city has chosen to promote these efforts by showing residents the financial benefits of saving energy.  But not everyone appreciates the city pushing conservation on them.

For the full story on the challenges of a city ‘s sustainability, see http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704320104575015920992845334.html

Have you hit some green roadblocks?

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Posted in Consumer attitudes, Consumer eco-products, EPA, Energy, Events, Green awards, Sustainability

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City ‘Slow’ on Solar

February 10th, 2012

BY MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL

A widespread effort to install solar panels on city schools’ rooftops could save taxpayers millions of dollars in energy costs and create more than 5,000 green jobs, according to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and a report to be released by his office Thursday.

Mr. Stringer, who wants his office to be viewed as an incubator for creative policy proposals as he contemplates a mayoral bid in 2013, accused Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his administration of adopting a sluggish and narrow approach to solar power in the five boroughs.

To read more visit WSJ.com

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Posted in Albemarle, Biofuels, Company Information, Consumer eco-products, EPA, Sustainability

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EPA Sets 2012 Cellulosic Ethanol Requirements

January 17th, 2012

By:

We have told you about cellulosic ethanol before.  Basically, it is any ethanol not made from corn, and, pursuant to a 2007 law, a certain amount of this stuff must be blended into our gasoline.  The problem is that no one knows how to make it in any commercially viable operation, even though the federal government is heavily subsidizing its “production”.

For 2010 and 2011, you, the consumer paid $10 million in “fines” (via higher gas prices) because oil companies did not blend this non-existent material into the gasoline they produced.  In spite of these facts, last week the EPA told oil companies that they must blend 8.65 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol into gasoline in 2012. The good news here is that but for the EPA’s waiver, Congress set the amount at 500 million gallons for 2012.

The [EPA] said [December 27] that a tiny fraction-less than one-tenth of 1%-of renewable fuels required to be used in the U.S. next year will come from cellulosic biofuel, based on projected production volumes, despite a congressional target that fuel made from plant stalks and other inedible materials account for more than 3% of the total.

The bad news is that, absent a technological miracle, you will once again, be forced to pay a penalty because companies fail to blend this into gasoline.  This year, the penalty will be $1.20 per gallon for each of the mandated 8.65 million gallons of non-existent material. Last year it was only $1.13 per gallon…inflation?

Looking forward, under the law, by 2022, 16 billion gallons will need to be blended into our gasoline.  How attainable is that?  Here is what the National Academy of Sciences had to say last year.

[the target won't be met] unless innovative technologies are developed that unexpectedly improve the cellulosic biofuels process.

Given this, wouldn’t you think that the EPA would just suspend the fines until someone actually makes this junk?  Silly me, that would be reasonable, and this, after all, is the EPA.

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Posted in Alternative Fuel Technologies Group, Alternative fuels, Bio-Diesel, Chemistry, Company Information, EPA, Sustainability

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Environmental Health News Gets it Wrong About ACC and Underplays Benefits of Flame Retardant

December 1st, 2011

By Anne Kolton

The American Chemistry Council works to educate policymakers about how chemistry makes life better for people across the country and around the world. That’s why it’s discouraging to see reports, like the one that appeared today in Environmental Health News, that misrepresent ACC’s advocacy initiatives. Prominent among the inaccuracies was the implication that all expenditures from ACC in California were related to flame retardants – that is simply not true.

Regardless, the real story is that flame retardants save lives. For example, aviation experts cite improved flame-retardant technologies in cabin seats and furnishings among the critical engineering advancements that have increased passengers’ chances of surviving an airline accident.

Our member companies are at the forefront of innovating new flame retardants, which undergo extensive testing by manufacturers and the safety data are scrutinized by government agencies in the U.S. and abroad. And there is a great deal of information showing that flame retardants play a crucial role in protecting people from the devastation of fire.

Unfortunately, we’ve found time and again that these important facts do not receive the attention they deserve, while, in the age of social media, the most alarming stories take on a life of their own. That’s part of the reason why ACC has to commit so much time and effort educating policymakers and the public, and countering misinformation.

We hope you will share this information with your friends and encourage anyone with questions to visit www.americanchemistry.com.

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Posted in Biofuels, EPA, Energy, Flame Retardants, Green Chemistry, Uncategorized

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White House Rejects EPA Proposal to Strengthen Smog Standards

September 19th, 2011

On Friday, September 2, 2011, the White House directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw and reconsider a proposal to strengthen National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, the primary ingredient in smog. The announcement marked the first time that the Obama Administration formally returned one of its own agencies proposals, and it could indicate heightened executive scrutiny of forthcoming rules economic impacts. The heart of the Clean Air Act, NAAQS, set maximum levels for six criteria pollutants at levels necessary to protect public health and welfare, implemented through State Implementation Plans covering a broad range of  sources. The ozone NAAQS were last revised in 2008, when the Bush Administration set a primary standard of .075 parts-per-million (“ppm”�) — more lenient than the .06-.07 ppm range recommended by EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee.

For more information on smog standards in your city view:
Top Toxic States, Who’s Doing New Studies?

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Posted in Air and water, Albemarle, Alternative fuels, Chemistry, Company Information, EPA, Flame Retardants, Food products, Global Business, Technology

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Top Toxic States, Who’s Doing New Studies?

August 17th, 2011

This study was conducted in 2009, Have you seen new reports?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have come up with the ‘toxic 20′ highlighting the 20 US states with the most toxic air.  The NRDC report was compiled from data collected for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory, which ranked the 20 worst states based on air pollution from power plants. Power plants are heavy polluters of the environment and are constantly burning our already depleted supply of fossil fuels.

The Toxic 20 States from 2009, with Ohio being the worst:

1. Ohio
2. Pennsylvania
3. Florida
4. Kentucky
5. Maryland
6. Indiana
7.Michigan
8. West Virginia
9. Georgia
10. North Carolina
11. South Carolina
12. Alabama
13. Texas
14. Virginia
15. Tennessee
16. Missouri
17. Illinois
18. Wisconsin
19. New Hampshire
20. Iowa

The EPA estimates that reducing pollution by levels proposed in the “Mercury and Air Toxics” standards, expected to be finalized in November, could save as many as 17,000 lives and prevent more than 12,000 hospital visits every year.

So, if you live in Ohio, Pennsylvania or Florida, you’re at the highest risk of toxic air pollution.  Appealing to your local government to make changes to the policies for operating power plants would be a step in the right direction.

To learn more about fossil fuels, view:
Can Carbon Dioxide Emissions be a Useful Product Too?
As California Goes, Does the Nation Follow?

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Posted in Air and water, Albemarle, Chemistry, Company Information, EPA, Energy, Flame Retardants, Green awards, Sustainability, Sustainable transportation fuels

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Using less, Living Better Drives Green Week Conference

June 22nd, 2011

Green Week is the biggest annual conference on European environmental policy and took place from May 24th to the 27th in Brussels and around Europe. This year’s theme: “Resource Efficiency – Using less, living better”.

The conference addressed the problem of resource depletion and scarcity, as well as the challenges and opportunities presented by constraints on resources. Albemarle’s European Advocacy Departmentsustainable growth. Over the past decade, the conference has established itself as ‘the event not to miss’ for anyone involved with protecting Europe’s environment. attended this conference that aimed to encourage a shift towards a resource-efficient, low-carbon, low-waste economy to achieve

Sustainability topics ran the gamut of industries and markets. Presentations and discussions focused on phosphorous depletion (focus on agricultural/food use), green chemistry, sustainable consumption and production (SCP), as well as Green Public Procurement (GPP).

Some of the Presentations/discussion panels included:

If you missed the event and want to learn more about Europe’s sustainability progress, visit the Green Week 2011 site.

For more on Albemarle’s sustainability initiatives, visit the Albemarle and the Earthwise sites.

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Posted in Air and water, Albemarle, Alternative fuels, Chemistry, Company Information, Conferences, Consumer attitudes, Consumer eco-products, EPA, Eco-awards, Energy, European Chemical Industry Council, Events, Global Business, Uncategorized

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Environmentalists Against Flame Retardant Chemicals Wage Life-Threatening Bans.

May 19th, 2011

Activists believe that flame retardant chemicals can be found in breast milk and blood samples and may eventually cause cancer. This argument has pressured the United States and Europe to ban some of these chemicals but as a result, this contributes to the death toll around the world. Read full article here.

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Posted in Albemarle, Chemistry, Company Information, EPA, Electronics, Flame Retardants, Global Business, Sustainability, fire safety

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Our Green Lab Monthly Wrap Up: March

April 5th, 2011

Today, companies can’t compete and win without embracing sustainability in their cultures, business practices and products. This includes consumer and commercial products, from textiles and electronics to airplane and automobile interiors industries.

As the global leader in fire safety solutions, we believe sharing innovation and green business news and insight are the keys to keeping this movement on track.

For us, green is not marketing and packaging, but should involve the entire life cycle of a product from design and innovation, to minimizing the use of raw materials and energy, through the manufacturing process and down to the final stages of recycling or reusing commercial by-products.

Every year we invest millions of dollars to bring the best and safest solutions to societies around the world. One of our newest breakthrough technologies is an eco-friendly flame retardant called GreenArmor. This new generation of green technology is changing the way businesses view fire safety. Learn more on how chemicals can perform and be safe.

What is your company doing? We welcome your ideas and updates on advancements your company is achieving in the area of green innovation.

Check out the top stories from this past year on best green business practices and new green technologies.

Work with chemicals and want to learn more about eco-friendly fire safety solutions? View Earthwise Fire Safety.

Looking for safety tips that can help prevent fires, fire-related deaths and injuries? Check out Fire Safety For All.

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Posted in Albemarle, Alternative fuels, Chemistry, Company Information, Consumer attitudes, Consumer eco-products, EPA, Energy, Flame Retardants, Green Chemistry, Recycling, Sustainability, Uncategorized

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