Document zQ0ygbQXjvd5rmDz67wMyj6Mz

NEWSUNITED STATES/AMERICAS PVC, chlorine makers urged to prepare for 'sea changes' The latest prediction for a bleak fu ture for chlorine comes from a consult ing service that prepared an economic report for the Chlorine Institute (Wash ington) earlier this year. Despite in dustry's economic and scientific argu ments, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pack aging and other chlorine uses will be restricted, says Charles River Associ ates (CRA; Boston) v.p. Ronald Whit field. Companies must shake their ''de nial" to prepare for a market change, he says. CRA's report (CW, April 28, p. 12) estimates costs of a chlorine phaseout at $102 billion annually, plus S67 bil lion in capital investment. While chlo rine replacement in pharmaceuticals would cost S53.6 billion, PVC and other uses with lower phaseout costs are in for a "sea change," says Whit field. His comments at a New York chapter meeting of the American Chem ical Society spurred a flurry of calls from Wall Street analysts to chlorine and PVC makers. Although it is stable and nontoxic, PVC is a target for phasedown because of organochlorines potentially emit ted during its production and destruc tion. It is also under attack in anti chlorine initiatives. The International Joint Commission (IJC; Windsor, ON), a U.S.-Canadian organization, proposed virtual elimination of chlorine from the Great Lakes at its last bienniel meeting. MOST VULNERABLE. Top phasedown can didates, says Whitfield, include PVC products and the use of chlorine in pulp bleaching, chlorinated solvents, water disinfection, and agricultural chemicals. PVC packaging--at less than 10% of PVC use--is one of the "most vulnerable, hardest to defend," says CRA senior associate Fran Brown, since relatively cheap substitutes are avail able. Whitfield predicts the IJC will propose PVC restrictions at its Octo ber meeting. Whitfield envisions a combination of product bans, taxes, building code changes, labeling, and reporting re quirements that could pressure use reductions. ``They're not going to be successful" in banning PVC, says Vi nyl Institute (Wayne, NJ) executive directqr Robert Burnett, because'the industry will challenge the "artificial environmental concerns." "Once you educate people," agrees Geon manager of environmental solu tions D'Lane Wisner, restrictions will be defeated. Wisner says the industry is pushing recycling and improving PVC's image. He points to the continued pres ence ofonce-embattled styrofoam as an example of industry success. PVC packagingand construction have already come under fire in Europe. The packaging industries in Sweden and Denmark have voluntarily agreed to reduce the amount of PVC in packag ing. Switzerland banned PVC in miner al water bottles, but, says Burnett, that is mainly to prevent sales of French mineral water. ELISABETH KIRSCHNER DOWNSIZING DILEMMA! EXPAND TOUR DATA SOURCES! Chemical Market Associates, Inc. Offers REGISTER OF U.S. PETROCHEMICAL COMPANIES U.S. PETROCHEMICAL DATA HANDBOOK i Analyzes over 60 Petrochemical Producers Corporate Organizational Charts Capacity information (U.S. units/metric tons) Marketers & Trader information Terminal & Transportation data Product flow diagrams 12 Years historical prices; 30 petrochemicals Raw Materials, LPG and Refined Products Prices Three years supply/demand balances on 22 products Production, ImporVExport data for 66 products M Diskette included W. EUROPE PETROCHEMICAL PRICE BOOK 10 years historical prices on over 25 products Producing locations Key personnel Contract prices provided in DM/Ton and $/Ton Historical Exchange Rates - DM/US $ Spot prices provided in $/Ton Diskette included Excellence & Experience In Petrochemical Consulting ________________ Houston: (713) 531-4660 (713) S31-9966 - fax London: (4431) 505-3332 (443i) 559-0126 - fax Houston - London September 22, 1993 CHEMICALWEEK 13 R&S 144240