Chemical Processing Distilled

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews this month's chemical industry news, which covers a landmark tariff ruling, Dow's AI-driven layoffs, the rollback of the EPA's Endangerment Finding, BASF's India expansion and a new leader for global plastics treaty talks.

Chemical processing operators need training that mirrors real-world conditions, not idealized scenarios. The final six guidelines from Walter Schneider's research emphasize maintaining motivation through consequences, presenting complex contexts with distractions, intermixing tasks to build switching skills, and incorporating time pressure. Training should capture expert strategies that minimize workload—like focusing on key parameters rather than monitoring everything—and teach operators to triage actions during high-stress situations. By including realistic elements such as weather conditions, phone calls, and multiple simultaneous problems, training programs help operators learn what to prioritize and when. This naturalistic approach accelerates skill development for managing chemical plants' complex, fast-moving challenges.

eChem Expo, recently acquired by Chemical Processing’s parent company EndeavorB2B, returns April 7-9, 2026, in Kingsport, Tennessee. Conference Director Damon Shackelford discusses the event's evolution from a regional gathering to a comprehensive three-part experience featuring an expo floor with nearly 200 vendors, professional conference sessions and technical seminars. This year's theme, "Energizing Growth and Resilience in a Competitive Landscape," addresses critical industry challenges including workforce development, AI integration, operational excellence and safety. New for 2026: inspector recertification credits meeting API guidelines. The market-led conference builds content through 100-plus stakeholder interviews with major manufacturers like Eastman Chemical, BAE Systems and BWXT, offering affordable professional development within driving distance for attendees from Cincinnati to Atlanta.

From light-driven catalysts to EPA debates, chemical sector balances technological advances with safety, economic and environmental challenges. Editor-in-Chief digs into what the audience was reading. 

The chemical industry faces flat growth, formaldehyde regulation debate, Venezuela oil investment push, winter storm threats and a cheesy viral moment.

Global chemical regulatory ‘best guess’ for 2026 amid political shifts, litigation and evolving U.S. and European Union policies. 

Each year, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., its global consulting affiliate The Acta Group, and consortia management affiliate B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C., prepare a summary overview of things to come in the new year. We are pleased to present our Forecast 2026. Our global team of chemical experts works hard each year to summarize our collective best guess on what to expect in the new year regarding global industrial, agricultural and biocidal chemical regulatory and policy initiatives. This year's analysis was no easy feat, given the general capriciousness of the world in which we live, global geopolitical and trade tensions and the looming 2026 midyear elections.

In this Chemical Processing podcast, Traci Purdum and Dave Strobhar discuss training guidelines for operators. They cover five of 11 guidelines based on Walter Schneider's research: promoting consistent processing to build automaticity (where tasks become automatic), designing training for repeated practice of critical skills, avoiding memory overload through reference materials, varying training conditions to match real-world scenarios, and maintaining active trainee participation. Dave emphasizes practical applications like alarm recognition and emergency response training. The discussion highlights how proper training helps operators perform effectively under stress by developing automatic responses to critical situations rather than relying solely on conscious thought.

Cautiously Optimistic Despite Near-Term Headwinds

U.S. chemical sector shows resilience with long-term growth potential amid trade uncertainties and uneven recovery.

Martha Gilchrist Moore, chief economist for the American Chemistry Council, offers her predictions for the coming year. 

Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum reads the column.

You can read the article here.

Alexandra Savino explains why new data showing recycled plastics contain more hazardous substances than virgin materials is driving Extended Producer Responsibility reforms that link compliance to chemical performance.

Key Highlights
EPR now includes chemical safety, increasing scrutiny on contaminants like metals, PFAS and PAHs in post-consumer recycled plastics.

Upstream accountability is growing, with regulators and brand owners requiring chemical producers to verify product safety and recyclability data.

Proactive compliance creates opportunity, as processors that audit, reformulate and improve traceability can gain an advantage in chemically safe recycling.

Read the column here.

Welcome to the year-end edition of Distilled News. To wrap up 2025, we will review some of the top stories coming from the chemical industry over the past 12 months.