US imposes import ban on 2 Xinjiang-based companies

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The United States on Friday banned imports from China-based printer maker Ninestar Corp and a chemical company over alleged human rights abuses in China, according to a post for the Federal Register, said Europeansanctions.

Ninestar, whose website says it is the world’s fourth-largest laser printer manufacturer, and Xingjang Zhongtai Chemical Co Ltd, are being kept out of the US supply chain for participating in business practices that target China’s Uighurs and other persecuted groups, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.

Ninestar and its eight Zhuhai-based subsidiaries, along with Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical, were added to the list for working with the government of Xinjiang to recruit, transport, transfer, harbour or receive forced labour of Uighurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups, out of Xinjiang, according to the posting.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) trade flows within China may adjust in response to the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent ban on imports on goods produced by Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical. The DHS announced the ban on 9 June, which came into effect on 12 June. Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical is a carbide-based polyvinyl chloride (PVC) producer located in China, with 1.8m tonnes/year of PVC production capacity.

We remind, a US ban on goods from China’s Xinjiang region came into effect on Tuesday, with the potential for damage to be inflicted on the Muslim-majority area’s solar power industry.

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Reliance Industries , which operates the world's largest refining complex, has suspended exports of diesel and other oil products from India's Sikka port because of a cyclone off the west coast of the country, said Reuters.

Reliance said in a letter sent to traders that it had declared a force majeure on exports from Sikka due to the storm, which weather forecasters say could hit India's western state of Gujarat and southern parts of Pakistan this week.

The 704,000 barrels per day (bpd) Jamnagar refinery is a major exporter of diesel, particularly to Europe which has sharply increased imports from Asia since the EU imposed a ban on Russian diesel in February.

Reliance did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Force majeure is a notice used to describe events outside a company's control, such as a natural disaster, which usually releases it from contractual obligation without penalty.

We remind, Reliance Industries Ltd has turned its sights on the domestic market, offering a high-performance diesel at a lower price than fuel sold by state-owned retailers. Jio-bp, the retail fuel joint venture of Reliance and bp will sell diesel mixed with detergents and dispersants at 1 rupee cheaper per liter than gasoil sold by the state-run companies, such as, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum.

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INEOS Styrolution America LLC announces they received ISCC PLUS certification from International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its manufacturing sites in Decatur, AL, and Bayport, TX, US, said the company.

The certifications announced on 8 Jun 2023 mark a total of five INEOS Styrolution manufacturing sites in the Americas region to receive the ISCC PLUS Certification.

The company first announced ISCC PLUS Certification for its sites in Channahon, IL, Texas City, TX, US, and Altamira, Mexico in Dec 2021. These latest certifications in Decatur, AL, and Bayport, TX, US, demonstrate an important milestone in the company's commitment to a circular economy for plastics.

The certification supports the use of advanced recycling technology and bio-attributed feedstocks to produce recycled polystyrene and other styrenic products. Recycled or bio-attributed products certified by the ISCC PLUS standard, use a mass balance approach to track the amount of sustainability characteristics of circular and/or bio-attributed content within materials. This approach provides companies, brand owners and consumers with the assurance that high sustainability requirements are met when they see ISCC PLUS certified materials.

We remind, Ineos Olefins & Polymer Europe has signed a renewable power agreement with Skagerak Energitjenester to provide 100 % green energy to its Rafnes and Bamble plants in Norway, said the company.
Combined with the recently announced Ineos Inovyn deal in Norway, all of Ineos’ assets in the region are now supplied with 100 % green power generated from hydroelectric production.

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The Chemours Company has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Glycolic Acid business for USD137 M in cash to PureTech Scientific, a company founded and backed by Iron Path Capital, a private equity firm focused on lower-middle market investments across the speciality industrial and healthcare sectors, said the company.

The Chemours Company is a chemistry company with market positions in titanium technologies, thermal & specialized solutions, and advanced performance materials.

With this acquisition, PureTech Scientific is positioning itself to become the global leader in the organic synthesis of ultra-high purity alpha hydroxy acids for the life sciences and speciality chemical industries. The transaction is expected to close by 3Q 2023 subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

We remind, Chemours Company, DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and Corteva, Inc. announced they have reached an agreement in principle to comprehensively resolve all PFAS-related drinking water claims of a defined class of public water systems that serve the vast majority of the United States population.

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Can makers and coil coaters ramping up their bisphenol-free transition have a ready alternative in a new BPA-NI (Bisphenol A non-intent)* internal coating for beverage can ends, from AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings, said the company.

As a BPA-NI coating, Accelshield 700 does not use BPA or bisphenol-based epoxies as part of its manufacturing process. It complies with both Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EU regulations.

The product will help meet the surge in demand for alternative coatings that’s expected after the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) recent opinion of BPA restrictions in metal packaging of food and beverage products. Bisphenols are currently ubiquitous throughout the manufacturing industry, a situation with growing urgency for change following EFSA’s opinion.

“With today’s technological advancements, bisphenols are no longer required to create safe coatings for state-of-the-art metal can packaging,” says Chris Bradford, Industrial Coatings Marketing Director, AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings. “BPA-NI coatings are a significant innovation, marking a critical turning point for the industry. Accelshield 700 will help can makers future-proof their selection.”

The new coating has been designed for challenging foods and liquids – including those that are very acidic or require high-temperature sterilization processes, such as yogurt drinks, milk and coffee – in addition to soft drinks and beer.

Integrating easily into customers’ existing manufacturing processes, Accelshield 700 also respects the need for can makers to mitigate disruption to their production lines.

AkzoNobel’s approach to the BPA and bisphenol transition prioritizes consumer safety and sustainability with responsible material substitutions, while taking care to limit disruption to the value chain. The company is working closely with customers to help accelerate the adoption of bisphenol alternatives.

To learn more, visit the AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings’ website and download its in-depth whitepaper on the transition to a bisphenol-free world.

We remind, AkzoNobel has received approval to supply its water-based refinish products to Porsche China – currently one of the premium automotive brand’s biggest markets.

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