Trending news December 2024 — Chemical Safety Battles Brew: Pollution, Lawsuits, Risks

Dec. 20, 2024

In his final news roundup of the year, Executive Editor Jon Katz highlights: Global plastic pollution treaty stalls amid negotiations. DuPont loses lawsuit secrecy bid. EPA closes PFAS chemical review loopholes. Bhopal lessons persist. Chemical facilities warned about winter safety risks.

Jonathan Katz

Plastics Treaty Talks Stall, Another Negotiation Round Planned

Global efforts to combat plastic pollution reach an impasse, with critical disagreements blocking a final agreement.

DuPont Loses Bid to Seal PFAS Contamination Lawsuit Documents

Federal judge rejects company's second attempt to keep river pollution materials confidential, citing public’s right to know.

EPA Eliminates Chemical Safety Review Exemptions for PFAS

New rule ensures full safety reviews for all new PFAS and toxic chemicals, closing loopholes that previously allowed expedited manufacturing approvals.

Process Safety Lessons from Bhopal 40 Years Later

Bhopal's tragedy reveals critical flaws in inherently unsafe industrial design. What can we learn from this?

Chemical Safety Board Warns: Winterize or Risk Disaster

Federal agency highlights critical need for chemical facilities to prepare for extreme cold, prevent potentially catastrophic incidents this winter.

About the Author

Jonathan Katz | Executive Editor

Jonathan Katz, executive editor, brings nearly two decades of experience as a B2B journalist to Chemical Processing magazine. He has expertise on a wide range of industrial topics. Jon previously served as the managing editor for IndustryWeek magazine and, most recently, as a freelance writer specializing in content marketing for the manufacturing sector.

His knowledge areas include industrial safety, environmental compliance/sustainability, lean manufacturing/continuous improvement, Industry 4.0/automation and many other topics of interest to the Chemical Processing audience.

When he’s not working, Jon enjoys fishing, hiking and music, including a small but growing vinyl collection.

Jon resides in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.