Last month marked the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21). World leaders gathered in Paris, France with the goal of working out an international agreement aimed at minimizing global warming and thereby avoiding potentially catastrophic climate-related events. The negotiations resulted in a landmark agreement, with 195 countries committing to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C above pre-industrial temperatures.
The historic global accord reached in Paris has wide-reaching implications for economics, government policies and the scientific community. The ongoing efforts by scientists and engineers to reduce GHG emissions will undoubtedly get a boost. Our Newsfront in this issue, Progress to Limit Climate Change (pp. 16–19), highlights some of the technological advances that have been made in this area to date.
Recycling gains momentum
In addition to reducing GHG emissions, much more is needed for environmental sustainability. Another area that has been gaining momentum is recycling. A recent report*, released jointly by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) states that for the twenty-fifth year in a row since surveying began in 1990, the number of pounds of plastic bottles collected for recycling in the U.S. has increased. In 2014, the increase was 97 million pounds over 2013, for a total surpassing 3 billion pounds of plastic bottles collected.
Plastic bottle resins are identified by their corresponding numbers: 1) polyethylene terephthalate (PET); 2) high-density polyethylene (HDPE); 3) polyvinyl chloride (PVC); 4) low-density polyethylene (LDPE); 5) polypropylene (PP); and 6) polystyrene (PS). According to the report, the bulk of the U.S. plastic bottle market is made up of PET and HDPE, which together comprise around 97% of that market. Recycled HDPE resin is used primarily in non-food-application bottles as well as pipe and lawn products. Recycled PET resin is used mainly for fiber and food bottles. More information about recycling can be found in the report for interested parties. Also, see PET Recycling on p. 7 of this issue. Recycling of much more than plastic is, of course, also needed. See, for example, our report on New Frontiers in Metals Recycling in the April 2015 issue.
In this issue
Our Cover Story on distillation takes an in-depth look at flooded condenser control (pp. 37–49). The Feature Report on pressure-swing adsorption shows that this versatile technology can be used for more than just hydrogen purification (pp. 50–53). Our Newsfront on modular construction points out the pros and cons to this widely growing trend (pp. 20–24). Important information about bulk solids handling is in this month’s Solids Processing article (pp. 58–63), and there is much more in this issue. We hope you enjoy it. ■
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
Tackling environmental challenges
| By Chemical Engineering
Last month marked the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21). World leaders gathered in Paris, France with the goal of working out an international agreement aimed at minimizing global warming and thereby avoiding potentially catastrophic climate-related events. The negotiations resulted in a landmark agreement, with 195 countries committing to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C above pre-industrial temperatures.
The historic global accord reached in Paris has wide-reaching implications for economics, government policies and the scientific community. The ongoing efforts by scientists and engineers to reduce GHG emissions will undoubtedly get a boost. Our Newsfront in this issue, Progress to Limit Climate Change (pp. 16–19), highlights some of the technological advances that have been made in this area to date.
Recycling gains momentum
In addition to reducing GHG emissions, much more is needed for environmental sustainability. Another area that has been gaining momentum is recycling. A recent report*, released jointly by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) states that for the twenty-fifth year in a row since surveying began in 1990, the number of pounds of plastic bottles collected for recycling in the U.S. has increased. In 2014, the increase was 97 million pounds over 2013, for a total surpassing 3 billion pounds of plastic bottles collected.
Plastic bottle resins are identified by their corresponding numbers: 1) polyethylene terephthalate (PET); 2) high-density polyethylene (HDPE); 3) polyvinyl chloride (PVC); 4) low-density polyethylene (LDPE); 5) polypropylene (PP); and 6) polystyrene (PS). According to the report, the bulk of the U.S. plastic bottle market is made up of PET and HDPE, which together comprise around 97% of that market. Recycled HDPE resin is used primarily in non-food-application bottles as well as pipe and lawn products. Recycled PET resin is used mainly for fiber and food bottles. More information about recycling can be found in the report for interested parties. Also, see PET Recycling on p. 7 of this issue. Recycling of much more than plastic is, of course, also needed. See, for example, our report on New Frontiers in Metals Recycling in the April 2015 issue.
In this issue
Our Cover Story on distillation takes an in-depth look at flooded condenser control (pp. 37–49). The Feature Report on pressure-swing adsorption shows that this versatile technology can be used for more than just hydrogen purification (pp. 50–53). Our Newsfront on modular construction points out the pros and cons to this widely growing trend (pp. 20–24). Important information about bulk solids handling is in this month’s Solids Processing article (pp. 58–63), and there is much more in this issue. We hope you enjoy it. ■
* 25th Annual National Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report, available on http://plastics.americanchemistry.com/Education-Resources/Publications/2014-National-Post-Consumer-Plastics-Bottle-Recycling-Report.pdf
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.