SIA news

The guest presenter was led by Norbert Hannig, Senior Manager of ESIG/Cefic. Norbert gave an update on the work of ESIG as well as a reminder to the SIA members on how the group is structured.

He explained that ESIG is also working on an initiative to simplify extended SDS for commodity chemicals, which can be very extended indeed! Effective chemical communication is not really achieved by adding multiple exposure scenarios, which often do not apply, to the back of an SDS.

Norbert also covered the European emissions inventory and the aims to further reduce VOC emissions. This may end up being achieved by a loss of capacity and indeed the second part of his presentation moved onto the challenges that the solvents industry is facing in Europe in trying to remain competitive. These issues are of course known to many SIA members and as an industry, we know that we have a challenging time ahead.

Professor Leigh Hoath of Leeds Trinity University then delivered a very thought-provoking presentation titled “Education and Industry – The good, the bad and the ugly”. She outlined some typical stereotypes in science. She explained that a group of children were asked to picture and draw a “scientist”. You can probably guess the typical outcome – an older man in glasses with wild hair! However once children had been through an initiative designed to improve diversity and inclusion (including working with companies like BASF), they then realised that a scientist could indeed be any of them, in time.

The next speaker, Mick Loughran, was someone who talked about their challenging past as well as their continuing challenges in the future. It is fair to say that anyone who was present during his talk will not forget it. He captivated his audience (taking a dim view of anyone seen scrolling on a mobile phone!) with describing how he had to come to terms with a  decision he made in a split second, as a young apprentice on a building site on the 6 May 1983.

One act, which he and others had done many times before, which was to try and remove a paper wrapper from within a moving cement mixer, changed his life. The title of his talk was “But we always do it like this” and his premise is that this is how he ended up making this mistake. He talked about his lack of thought and understanding of the potential consequences of his action and the underappreciation we all in-fact have of true risk. That mistake has had life-changing consequences for Mick. As food for thought goes, it was a seven-course banquet.

Alex Gazulla of Tradebe, representing the European Solvent Recycler Group, was given the almost impossible task of following Mick. Nevertheless, it wasn’t one that he – appropriately enough –allowed to go to waste.

ESRG is the European based trade body representing the wider interests of organic chemicals solvent recyclers and it is very much a developing market, as he explained. ESRG has developed a series of lifecycle analyses, demonstrating the carbon footprint savings of recovered material versus virgin products, for the broad solvent types.

The challenges, including lack of harmonisation of regulations and how they are sometimes interpreted, was a message not unfamiliar to many in the audience. This was also evidenced in the questions posed to him after his presentation. As he said, they do not choose to compete with virgin suppliers but to compliment them.

In the evening session, several awards were given. It was also an opportunity to formally bid thanks and a fond “farewell” (we hope he continues to be a friend to us) to the SIA’s outgoing Chief Executive, Andrew Norman.

One of Mark Cottrell’s first tasks as the new chair was to lead the worthy testimonials for the long and distinguished service that Andrew Norman has given to the SIA. Andrew was presented with an engraved quaich – a two-handled, shallow drinking cup that is meant to symbolise friendship. It was originally used to toast the arrival or departure of a visitor. This was not the last of the gifts.

Norbert had enlisted Bill in some subterfuge to procure some Belgian beer to go with the chocolate he brought with him to remind Andrew of many pleasant evenings in Brussels.

Lastly, there was an online card, a physical card and a photo album, which had been signed by many of those present – as well as absent friends. Many colleagues – including from ESIG – had signed this and also made contributions to the online collection that totalled over £900. Andrew is already putting it to good use for his new campervan, we hear!