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The article focuses on China's energy clampdown pressures chemicals and China has been reinforcing environmental and energy policy this year to help meet its climate commitments, putting pressure on the country's chemical industry. Topics include the Chinese government tightened its enforcement of a key energy policy and announced a range of new proposals has designed to cut emissions, and the China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

Deals with the revitalization of environmental regulations of Mexico to provide economic and tax incentives for environmental goods and services. Background of General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection; Comments on the developed environmental laws; Zedillo's environmental initiative.

This section offers news briefs on the chemical industry as of November 2023. Topics include the pre-closing regulatory approvals received by Arcadium Lithium PLC, the holding company that will result from the proposed merger of Allkem Ltd. with Livent, the partnership between NuScale Power Corp. and the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the licensing and engineering agreement signed by Lummus Technology LLC and Citroniq Chemicals LLQ.

This article explains that the European Union's (EU) upcoming Registration, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach) law will require companies to examine the availability of alternatives to chemicals classified by the EU as persistent, bioaccumulative, endocrine disrupters, or "substances of like concern." The availability of alternatives will therefore dictate how long an existing chemical can be sold or used, at least in the EU market, attorneys say. And, while it is not clear which substances will fall into those categories, it is certain is that Reach is the beginning of the end for at least a handful of substances, they say.

Reports on the redevelopment of brownfields or contaminated industrial sites in New Jersey. Creation of jobs in deteriorating cities; Relaxation of regulations on brownfields redevelopment; Problems involved in reusing contaminated sites.

Reports on the reduction in the 1997 budget of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Elimination of several positions; Concerns of businesses about the implications of the agency's budget cuts; Reduction of water pollution control programs; Launching of the Sustainable State Initiative to evaluate New Jersey's environmental regulatory process. INSET: EPA, OSHA to release NAPP findings, by J.S..

Reports on the significance of the 1996 presidential election on the chemical industry in the United States. Agenda of President Bill Clinton and Republican rival Bob Dole for environmental protection; Dole's failure to present a coherent message on the environment; Environmental policies of other candidates aside from Clinton and Dole. INSET: Campaign '96 policy spotlight..

Describes the proposed toxics use reduction (TUR) laws in several states. Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; New Hampshire; New Jersey; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; West Virginia.

The article looks at the vision of the European Commission (EC) of a sustainable future that is based on the establishment of a common framework that promotes the "circular economy: a zero-waste program for Europe." A definition of the circular economy is given, along with its process from the consumption of resources to the recycling of the products. The legislative proposal adopted by the EC to review recycling and other waste-related goals in the European Union is discussed.

Information on the United Nations (UN) climate summit held in Lima, Peru is presented. Topics discussed include the call for climate action and the draft text for the 2015 global climate change agreement, the issue on how various countries will participate in climate protection, and the 2015 climate deal in Paris, France. The insights of Barbara Hendricks, federal German minister for the environment, regarding the summit are also discussed.

Reports on the lobbying efforts of chemical industry and environmental groups in New Jersey to reverse the environmental policies passed under the administration of former Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Protests of the industry against the regulatory relief and streamlining of permit approvals processes; Setback for environmental groups during the Whitman administration.

Reports that the ACC failed to convince automobile manufacturers in 2000 that Responsible Care and its management system verification (MSV) program meet or exceed the performance standards set down by ISO 14001. Task force formed by the ACC; Why automobile makers objected to the MSV process; Three principal reasons companies seek ISO 14001-certification.

Presents news briefs related to the environmental policy of the U.S. as of May 26, 2004. Failure of the U.S. Congress to ratify the Stockholm treaty which requires the banning of persistent organic pollutants; Testimony of Jeffery Holmstead, assistant administrator for air and radiation at the Environmental Protection Agency, regarding the New Source Review program of U.S. President George W. Bush.

Focuses on a report issued by the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology's Superfund subcommittee which provides recommendations for managing the future of the Superfund program for site remediation in the U.S. Limitation of the advisory council's report; Actions taken by environmental groups and activists in response to the report; Stand of the oil and chemical industries on cleaning up orphan sites.

Reports on the disagreement between environmentalists and chemical producers regarding the reform of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Action done by the Canadian Chemical Producers Association; Reason for the policy on defining virtual elimination; Comments from Bruce Anderson, principal with Earnscliffe Research & Communications.

Focuses on the enforcement by the Labour Party of an environmental policy to chemical producers in Britain. Details on the environmental policy; Information on pollution taxes; Views of German producers on a similar policy in Germany.

Focuses on the enforcement of environmental regulations for Brazil's chemical industry. Adherence of multinational corporations to the country's environmental standards; Environmental projects for municipal water treatment; Site remediation in the private sector.

Focuses on the call for environmental deregulation of the chemical industry in Germany. Self-improvement initiatives developed by the industry; Participation of chemical companies in the European Union's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS); Proposals of energy intensive industries to voluntarily reduce emissions of carbon dioxide; Importance of EMAS in environmental reporting and permitting procedures.

Reports on the readiness of the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Standard to debut in 1994. Conditions of the standard; Drawbacks of the standard; Issues and questions raised.

Reports on American and European Community (EC) regulatory agencies' development of voluntary plans to formalize environmental management and auditing to push companies beyond legislative compliance. Probable effect to the way companies do business; International Standardization Organization's (ISO) development of an environmental management standard; Proposals for the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Leadership Program.

Discusses China's environmental protection policies. Ministry of Chemical Industry (MCI) decree for construction applications to have environmental assessment reports; National framework of fines, regulations and emission standards; Protection of inefficient plants by local governments; Government projects; Pollution control measures.

Deals with the enforcement of the United Nations' Aarhus Convention environmental treaty in Europe. Purpose of the treaty; Issues of creating a Toxics Release Inventory in Europe.

Focuses on the environmental policy reform in European Union. Promotion of the European Parliament on the reform; Details on the concerns of the industry; Priorities of European Union policy Views from industry officials and oppositionists.

Presents environmental policy proposals from the Enquete Kommission of the German parliament for the protection of man and environment. Introduction of comprehensive product-cycle management; Eco-tax for chemical industry; Endorsement of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Opinion. Comments on White House Office of the Environmental Policy director Kathleen McGinty's role in the formulation of executive orders on the environment. Reputation for inaccessibility; Administration's plan for Superfund reform; Intentions of the Responsible Care program.

Reports on the reactions by industrial and business groups to President Bill Clinton's environmental policy making by executive order. Request for House and Senate committee investigations; Chemical Manufacturers Association, United States Chambers of Commerce and others; Accusations of shutting off debate.

The article reports on a study conducted by Standard & Poor's and the World Resources Institute (WRI) which found that federal climate action may not pose a major credit risk to chemical companies in the U.S.

This article focuses on the plan of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review labeling and other guidelines for flea and tick products.

The article reports on the plan of India to reduce its carbon emission intensity voluntarily by 2020. According to the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MOEF), the country will reduce this intensity by 20-25% by 2020 from 2005 levels. However, MOEF Minister Jairam Ramesh said that India will not accept legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission cuts at the climate change summit being held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ramesh added that the ministry plans to impose a series of policy measures and strict emissions regime through new laws.

The article reports on the agreement of Invista, a subsidiary of Koch Industries to pay a civil penalty and spend up to $500 million to correct self-reported environmental violations at sites acquired from DuPont in 2004 as part of an agreement reached with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department. It cites Invista's disclosure of more than 680 violations after auditing 12 facilities it acquired from DuPont in 2004. The company maintains that DuPont is responsible for costs associated with correcting the violations.

This article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide, contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare, a finding that is a major step toward enabling the agency to regulate GHGs as pollutants using existing Clean Air Act authority. EPA is proposed the "endangerment finding," based on "rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis" of six gases. It also presents the concerns of the chemical industry to the proposal by EPA.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend its National Environmental Performance Track program to evaluate and refine it further. With the help of the said program, some regulatory requirements were removed covering companies that agreed to reduce energy use. The program has received both positive and negative feedbacks from industry groups with some claiming that it is an example of beneficial cooperation between regulated firms and regulators while others stating that it is poorly managed.

This article reveals that Australia has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions five to 15% by 2020 compared with 2000 levels. The main feature of the program is an emissions trading scheme (ETS), due to start in mid-2010, covering 75% of Australia's emissions of carbion dioxide equivalent. About 1,000 companies will participate in the ETS with emission permits purchased at auction or allocated free of charge. Australia's is the biggest emission-reduction scheme to be announced by a government outside Europe.

This article reports on the final policy recommendations released by California for its landmark green chemistry program which aims to reduce the use of toxic substances in products and manufacturing processes. Efforts by states to overhaul chemical management are too costly and require a confusing set of conflicting or overlapping policies, says American Chemistry Council President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cal Dooley. California has passed two laws that will implement its first two recommendations.

The article reports that the first mandatory U.S. cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electric utilities took effect in September 2008 for 10 Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. The program is not expected to have an immediate impact on facility operations, however, due to a miscalculation of anticipated emissions, sources say. Officials who drafted the program expected current emissions to be higher than they are, so few utilities are expected to need to purchase emission allowances.

The article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed an interim policy that offers reduced penalties to companies that have recently acquired regulated facilities, providing that the new owners conduct audits and disclose any environmental violations. EPA says its current policy offers reduced penalties to companies that self-audit their facilities, promptly disclose any violations, and take steps to prevent future violations.

The article reports that the European Commission has proposed revisions to the European Union's (EU) regulations for restricting ozone-depleting substances. The revisions would align the EU's regulations with recent changes to international agreements, including the expedited phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) under the Montreal Protocol. The proposed revisions would clarify procedures for product exemptions and import-export restrictions.

The article focuses on the proposals announced by the European Commission to reduce global warming gas (GWG) emissions across the European Union (EU), under which the heaviest polluters would bear the biggest financial responsibility. The proposed measures include a requirement that the EU chemical, fertilizer, and aluminum industries cut their emissions of carbon dioxide and other GWGs 10% by 2020 compared with 1990 levels. The cost of implementing all of the proposed emission-reduction measures would shave 0.5% off EU GDP, the commission says.

The article reports that the U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a lower court ruling overturning a Bush administration change to the Clean Air Act's New Source Review (NSR) program. The change would have allowed facilities to replace up to 20% of certain units without installing upgraded pollution controls as long as the equipment was functionally equivalent to the old equipment. However, the NSR change will not take effect because the Supreme Court refused to hear the administration's appeal.

The article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put off a decision on whether methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and perchlorate should be included in its drinking water contaminant candidate list (CCL). The CCL is the agency's list of chemicals that are found in drinking water at levels that pose a public health concern. The CCL is a preliminary step in establishing a drinking water standard for a specific contaminant.

The article reports that the Norwegian government has taken a pro-industry stance on the use of flame retardant deca-brominated diphenyl ether (deca-BDE) in electronic products. Norwegian Environment Minister Helen Bjørnøy will allow the continued use of deca-BDE in electronic products as stipulated by a newly agreed European Union legislation dubbed Restriction of Hazardous Substances. A comparison of Norway's changed approach on deca-BDE with those of Sweden is provided.

The article reports on the emergence of product defense firms, including ChemRisk and Environ, which conduct scientific research that can be presented to regulators or in courts. Chemical companies have come to realize that these firms can be an inexpensive and effective way to delay environmental regulations. What companies have realized is that using product defense firms is successful and is more effective when the information comes from a scientist rather than a public relations person.

The article deals with the efforts of the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate the proposed Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) in April 2006. Information on Senators supporting the investigation are included. The impact of TRI on federal programs is emphasized. Changes suggested by legislators in TRI are stated.

The article presents information on the Responsible Care program in Malaysia. The program was started by the Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia in 1994. It is designed to inspire companies to enhance their health and safety standards and environmental policies and is marked by an annual awards scheme.

The article reports that Cefic calls for European Union Climate Change Policy to focus on competitiveness in March 2006. Cefic has urged the European Commission not to disregard the international competitiveness of European industry when drawing up energy legislation that includes steps to tackle climate change.

This article reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to streamline the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements as of October 2005. In its proposal, EPA will allow some companies the option to report emissions every two years instead of every year. EPA would also allow small businesses to forgo some reporting requirements, under the proposal. Senator Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) said the proposal will gut an environmental statute that has been successful in encouraging companies to reduce toxic emissions.

This article reports on the concern of public right-to-know activists about the National Environ Mental Policy Act (NEPA) in the U.S. NEPA requires the government to determine and make public the anticipated environmental impact of any taxpayer-funded development project. Right-to-know advocacy group OMB Watch claims, however, that the public hearings have sought input primarily from industry, and that the details about the hearings' time and location have not been made public until the last minute. Environmental groups maintain that NEPA helps protect vital national resources, such as requiring that highways be built away from wetlands areas. It says the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has already been chipping away at NEPA, including a 2001 executive order that required all NEPA reviews for energy-related projects be expedited.

This article reports on the mercury emission regulations being proposed by Pennsylvania regulators as of September 14, 2005. The proposed mercury regulations will be stricter than the federal standards proposed in 2004 by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. The federal standards, which establish a cap-and-trade program for reducing mercury emissions 70 percent by 2018, took effect in July 2004. The state's upcoming mercury emissions standards, due out in 2006, will establish a technology-based emissions standard that applies to chemical facilities as well as electric utilities, and would reduce the state's emissions by about 90 percent. The federal standards encourage utilities to switch from bituminous coal to subituminous coal, which is mined in the Western U.S., and therefore is disadvantageous for Pennsylvania's economy. Public right-to-know group OMB Watch says Pennsylvania's own regulations are necessary to protect citizens from mercury hot spots that would occur near plants that buy mercury emission credits under the cap-and-trade program.

Presents information on the results of a report conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the proposed emissions trading program for in 2005. Preparation for a mercury emissions reduction rule by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with the report; Inadequacy of the analysis conducted by EPA on the costs and benefits of the program; Views of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on the GAO report.

Reports on the proposed Significant New Use Rule of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that requires manufacturers or importers of penta- and octapolybrominated flame retardants to notify EPA prior to manufacture or import effective January 1, 2005. Information on the flame retardants; Coverage of the rule; Reason EPA is monitoring the production of the flame retardants.