Incentivising vaccines
As C&I went to press in early December, current affairs discussions focused on the welcome news that the UK government has authorised the first Covid-19 vaccine following approval by the independent medicines agency MHRA for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, expected to be made available before Christmas.
Getting ready
Harry Swan, CEO of UK chemical manufacturer Thomas Swan, is urging businesses to act now to be ready for new trading rules between the UK and EU. He says his firm has already taken action to prepare for the end of the Transition period on 31 December 2020, and he’s calling on others to do the same. Read the comment in C&I magazine.
Cultured meat
As the regulatory framework for cultured meat evolves, we can expect stringent biosafety standards to emerge and, if inventors are able to obtain patents ... they could be in a strong position to license their portfolio for significant royalties. Read the comment in C&I Magazine.
AI to measure emissions
In-house resources with the relevant capacities are lacking in most companies, and the process is both time and resource consuming. When outsourced, most often to consulting houses, the process generally proves expensive and lengthy. Read the comment in C&I magazine.
Industry outlook
The future companies will look drastically different from today. Companies that do not evolve and invest in sustainability initiatives and digital transformation will not survive the change. Read more in C&I Magazine.
Accelerating decarbonisation
Decarbonisation of industry – responsible for nearly one quarter of total carbon emissions – is crucial to meet the UK’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Read in C&I Magazine.
Balance and transparency
Mass balance is a mechanism to help phase out the large scale use of fossil raw materials. It is about mixing fossil raw materials together with recycled or renewable raw materials in existing systems and processes, while keeping track of their quantities and allocating them to specific products. Ultimately, the goal will be to deliver a chemical industry that has been fully converted to using recycled and renewables.
Weather dependant plastics
Polyolefin plastics in commodity packaging are the major source of land pollution. Waste plastic on land undergoes weathering degradation, normally generating microplastics, with subsequent soil biodegradation, depending on environmental conditions.
Covid’s energy impact
The past year has been unprecedented, with Covid-19 having an immediate impact on all aspects of the energy sector. Despite the consequences for the global economy, the energy transition will be accelerated by several years. Read more in C&I magazine.
Cocrystal for CBD
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, has proven medicinal effects and is one of the major chemical constituents of the cannabis plant. A 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) report declared CBD to have ‘no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…[and]…no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD. Read the article in C&I Magazine.