This has certainly been a year to remember, and as 2020 comes to an end this month, I expect we are all looking forward to the new year with hope. There are encouraging signs for better days to come. While at the time of this writing, the coronavirus is taking a strong hold again this fall, we have also received welcome news about effective vaccines on the horizon. And for the chemical process industries (CPI), third quarter financial reports are showing signs of recovery. Kevin Swift, chief economist at the American Chemistry Council (ACC; www.americanchemistry.com) says that “With six consecutive months of gains, the October CAB [Chemical Activity Barometer] reading remains consistent with recovery in the U.S. economy.” The CAB is a leading economic indicator created by the ACC. For an update on the economic outlook, join us this month as Kevin Swift presents the latest information in a webcast, scheduled for December 15. Details can be found on www.chemengonline.com.
Technology trends
While the CPI include a wide variety of processes and products, there are a number of common trends that we expect to continue to grow in the coming year and beyond.
Digitalization. By creating situations that called for quick response times to changing production and supply needs, along with the need for more remote activities, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies. The use of virtual and augmented reality, digital twins, data analytics and more is growing. Robotics, for example, which have been used to carry out mundane repetitive tasks in discrete manufacturing, are now increasingly being used for tasks where safety is a concern, such as in tank inspections and more. And with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics are finding applications in much more advanced tasks in the CPI. See our Newsfront on robotics in this issue for more on this.
Sustainable chemistry. The CPI have been reporting on sustainability goals for some time, and focus in this area is intensifying as concerns about climate change and the environment by consumers, investors, governments and corporations grow. The CPI are involved in many sustainability initiatives, just one example of which is the “Carbon Partnership Report 2020: Sustainability through Sports” issued by Dow (www.dow.com) last month. Several areas with high activity include the following:
Alternative energy sources. The CPI are active in the overall energy transition, including work on energy storage and other contributions to renewable energy efforts, such as materials for solar panels. And as reported in this column last month, there is a strong push to develop green hydrogen as well as carbon capture technologies.
Alternative raw material and process routes to the traditional petroleum-based routes.This month’s cover stories explore some of the best practices and advances in bioprocessing, which is one route companies are taking toward a circular economy.
Recycling technologies. Attention to the impact that plastic waste is having on our environment has fueled advances in recycling technologies that include new approaches to mechanical and chemical recycling. Numerous alliances and collaborations have formed to address recycling challenges.
As technologies in these and other areas continue to advance, we look forward to continuing to bring this information to you in the new year.
Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
Featured Conference
November 9-11, 2026Irving Convention Center | Dallas, TX
Explore this topic and more — live at Clean Americas. Join environmental, health, safety, and emergency response professionals tackling the industry's most urgent hazards. View Conference Program →
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
Speaking
Scott Andrews (Trans Mountain Canada Inc., Manager Emergency Management)
Kelly Codlin , MSPH, CIH (Marathon Petroleum Company, Emergency Preparedness Director)
Nick Hickson (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Hazmat Training Manager)
Josh Dubach MSc, CEM (Onterris, Senior Response Management Consultant)
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
Speaking
Steve Pepper, Ph.D., (Onterris, Director of Response Management)
Charles Maguire (Railroad Commission of Texas, Advisor, Oil and Gas Division)
Prof. Shane Walker Ph.D. (Texas Produced Water Consortium, Director)
Ray Cheatham (Onterris, Energy Sector Leader)
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
Speaking
Robert W. May PG (Clean Harbors, Senior Vice President, Branch Services and Sales)
Crosley Welch (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State On-Scene Coordinator)
Samuel Cheek , CSP, RRPT (U.S. EPA, Region 6, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
Christopher Myers (U.S. EPA, Region 9, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
Speaking
James Hanzalik (Clean Gulf Associates, Vice-President)
Gordon Staples (MDA Space Ltd., Senior Radar Applications Scientist)
Grant Coolbaugh (Applied Research Associates / Ohmsett, Mechanical Engineer)
Speaking
Allyson Purcell MEP, CEM (ConocoPhillips, CMER Director)
Michael Delio (Maxum Petroleum, EHS & SECURITY MGR)
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.
Speaking
Mark Steadman (The Battery Network, Program Manager)
Environment, Health, Safety & Security
Looking ahead
| By Dorothy Lozowski
This has certainly been a year to remember, and as 2020 comes to an end this month, I expect we are all looking forward to the new year with hope. There are encouraging signs for better days to come. While at the time of this writing, the coronavirus is taking a strong hold again this fall, we have also received welcome news about effective vaccines on the horizon. And for the chemical process industries (CPI), third quarter financial reports are showing signs of recovery. Kevin Swift, chief economist at the American Chemistry Council (ACC; www.americanchemistry.com) says that “With six consecutive months of gains, the October CAB [Chemical Activity Barometer] reading remains consistent with recovery in the U.S. economy.” The CAB is a leading economic indicator created by the ACC. For an update on the economic outlook, join us this month as Kevin Swift presents the latest information in a webcast, scheduled for December 15. Details can be found on www.chemengonline.com.
Technology trends
While the CPI include a wide variety of processes and products, there are a number of common trends that we expect to continue to grow in the coming year and beyond.
Digitalization. By creating situations that called for quick response times to changing production and supply needs, along with the need for more remote activities, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies. The use of virtual and augmented reality, digital twins, data analytics and more is growing. Robotics, for example, which have been used to carry out mundane repetitive tasks in discrete manufacturing, are now increasingly being used for tasks where safety is a concern, such as in tank inspections and more. And with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics are finding applications in much more advanced tasks in the CPI. See our Newsfront on robotics in this issue for more on this.
Sustainable chemistry. The CPI have been reporting on sustainability goals for some time, and focus in this area is intensifying as concerns about climate change and the environment by consumers, investors, governments and corporations grow. The CPI are involved in many sustainability initiatives, just one example of which is the “Carbon Partnership Report 2020: Sustainability through Sports” issued by Dow (www.dow.com) last month. Several areas with high activity include the following:
Alternative energy sources. The CPI are active in the overall energy transition, including work on energy storage and other contributions to renewable energy efforts, such as materials for solar panels. And as reported in this column last month, there is a strong push to develop green hydrogen as well as carbon capture technologies.
Alternative raw material and process routes to the traditional petroleum-based routes. This month’s cover stories explore some of the best practices and advances in bioprocessing, which is one route companies are taking toward a circular economy.
Recycling technologies. Attention to the impact that plastic waste is having on our environment has fueled advances in recycling technologies that include new approaches to mechanical and chemical recycling. Numerous alliances and collaborations have formed to address recycling challenges.
As technologies in these and other areas continue to advance, we look forward to continuing to bring this information to you in the new year.
Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
Featured Conference
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.