If we’re to take one positive from the devastating pandemic that has stretched across the globe these past few months, it’s the fact that those who were previously unaware or skeptical about the importance of chemistry may now be starting to recognize the vital role it plays in our everyday lives. Since the start of lockdown when chemical companies were deemed essential critical infrastructure, NACD members have played no small part in keeping the economy moving, and helping to ensure their local communities and emergency services are suitably protected with hand sanitizer, cleaners and PPE.
ChemEdge has long served as an operational roadmap and gathering place for chemical distributors to share the best of what we know to the people that make our work matter. This has been a difficult year for everyone, and I’m sure we’ve all had to make changes to protect the businesses we run and the employees that power them. After weeks of assessing the latest COVID-19 information from public health authorities and government officials, NACD and the ChemEdge Committee have decided to move forward with a solely virtual event for ChemEdge 2020.
As any chemical distributor will tell you, it can literally take a village to comply with all the regulations facing your company. While NACD Responsible Distribution® offers the backbone and infrastructure needed to demonstrate your commitment to continuous performance improvement in every phase of chemical storage, handling, transportation, and disposal, it takes a dedicated professional in every company to make sure these guiding principles are woven into the fabric of your company.
NACD’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Regulatory Workshop is now in its third year and is going virtual for the first time! The workshop will be held August 11-13, 2020 — the week before our annual ChemEdge trade show and conference. Here are a few of the topics we'll be highlighting to give distributors up-to-date information on the implementation of changes to TSCA.
As chemical distributors and other businesses around the country begin to ramp up onsite operations and return to more normal routines, there are precautions that we must all take if we are to resume operations in a safe yet effective manner.
For years, ChemEdge has served as a premier forum for chemical distributors to educate themselves on important regulatory issues, gain awareness of the latest products and services available to our industry, and connect with experts and peers to discuss new and innovative solutions to the evolving challenges we face every day. While COVID-19 has required that we make some changes to this year’s format, we’re excited about the ways we plan to ensure that, while your experience at ChemEdge may be different this year, the impact of the event on our industry remains unaltered.
As chemical distributors, so much of the important work we do in getting Americans the products they rely on every day happens behind the scenes in warehouses, blending facilities, and other onsite locations. While chemical distributors are all perfectly aware of the hard work that goes into ensuring these facilities are run efficiently and safely in accordance with NACD Responsible Distribution®, key stakeholders like our federal representatives often don’t fully “get it” until they see our operations first-hand.
It’s not the first time a decision to extend the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program has gone down to the wire – and it may not be the last – but at least the latest agreement is some positive news amid a cloud of uncertainty during the current COVID crisis.
In the coming weeks, Houston, TX, would have hosted its first national final of the You Be The Chemist® Challenge – a competition for 5th–8th grade students that highlights the importance of chemistry and encourages a future career in science. Regrettably, the coronavirus outbreak forced the decision to cancel the event. Yet, while we won’t have an overall champion crowned this year, we can still celebrate the achievements of those who advanced through the early rounds to become state winners.
This is the final post in a two-part series on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and the chemical industry. Part one looked at how the crisis has impacted companies so far and what their response has been. Here, we’ll cover how organizations are adjusting to remote work and look to what the future might hold.