Chemical Processing Distilled

Earth Day — Lax Regulations Burn Rivers

This Earth Day, the chemical industry finds itself at a crossroads in an era of deregulation.

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, you learn early on all the things that put the city on the map. Two local cartoonists, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, gave the world Superman. The city pioneered traffic safety with the world's first electric signal in 1914, forever changing how streets operate. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calls Cleveland home, as does the house from "A Christmas Story," where the warning "You'll shoot your eye out" is synonymous with Red Ryder BB guns. And yes, our river caught fire — more than once.

The Missing Step in Operator Training? Practice

In this episode, Traci and Dave discuss the importance of practice in operator training programs. Practice is often overlooked despite being crucial. Realistic scenarios that mimic real-world conditions, including time constraints and environmental challenges, are beneficial to anchoring lessons learned. Feedback loops are also necessary to evaluate individual performance and improve training programs. The new concept of micro training, in addition to having operators teach others, helps operators continuously practice their skills.

Helping Process Manufacturers Enhance Sustainability Efforts

In a recent episode of Ear on Processing from Chemical Processing’s sister brand Processing, chief editor, Jesse Osborne, sat down with Greene Tweed’s business development manager for life sciences markets. They discussed the importance of sustainability for process manufacturers and outlined how Green Tweed’s FFKM products are assisting in that regard.  

Enjoy this bonus episode of Distilled.

Chemical Industry Wary as Trump Tariffs Take Effect

Trade organizations express concern over rising costs and supply chain disruptions. This episode takes a look at how the Trump administration's whiplash tariffs will impact the chemical industry.

EPA & ACC Battle, CSB’s Lessons from Deadly Incidents, BASF’s New CEO

A power shift is underway at the EPA as former American Chemistry Council representatives are positioned to assume key roles under the Trump administration, potentially reshaping the agency's regulatory approach. Meanwhile, safety concerns remain paramount as the U.S. Chemical Safety Board continues investigating a deadly reactor explosion at a Louisville food additive plant that claimed two workers' lives. The CSB has also released new reports analyzing recent industrial accidents to prevent future incidents. In corporate news, major chemical and energy companies including BASF, Chevron, DuPont, and Shell have announced significant executive leadership changes that could influence industry direction in the coming months.

Solution Spotlight -- Magnetic Precision: Flow Measurement Without Moving Parts

Electromagnetic flow meters are volumetric flow meters that use electromagnetic induction to measure liquid velocity. This measurement method is highly accurate at measuring water-based fluids as they pass through a pipe. They are cost-effective, long-lasting and compatible with existing technology. However, there are things to consider before investing in this technology.

Chemical Processing chatted with Joseph Incontri, director of marketing North America at Krohne, to help us understand the pros and cons.

Learning Objectives: Measurable Skills, Not Vague Knowledge

In this episode, Traci and Dave discuss how learning objectives fit into instructional system design. Learning objectives should be measurable, not subject to interpretation, and directly testable. Unlike vague goals like "understand distillation," effective objectives specify demonstrable skills.

8 Steps for Solids Equipment Selection

I’ve never seen a piece of equipment that didn’t do what it was supposed to. That doesn’t mean it did what its user thought it could do. In solids processing, we often struggle with a piece of equipment because it was a poor selection or installed improperly.

There are eight specific steps to ensure your equipment choices accurately represent your product and operations.

Column "8 Steps for Solids Equipment Selection" by Tom Blackwood and narrated by Traci Purdum.

Frozen Poop Knives Don’t Cut It

An Inuit man who was left to his own defenses in the Arctic after being exiled from his family had to fashion a knife out of his own frozen feces…. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum talks about the Ig Nobels and improbable research that makes you laugh and then makes you think.

 

Train Disaster Visit, No IRIS Act, Century-Old Refinery Shuttered

Washington leaders visited the accident site on the two-year anniversary of a train derailment that contaminated air, soil and water. A landmark step toward promoting sound science and advancing U.S. competitiveness has also been taken. LyondellBasell’s Houston refinery, in operation for over a century, is closing due to high maintenance costs and shifting market dynamics.