The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Clariant its New Chemicals Program P2
Recognition Project Award for the company’s Exolit®OP
560, a new-generation, non-halogenated flame-retardant. The product is
manufactured by Clariant’s Pigments & Additives Division for polyurethane
foams in automotive, furniture and consumer applications.
This marks the second time in two years that Clariant has won the EPA honor,
given to products that offer innovative chemistry and significant pollution
prevention potential. Clariant’s Paper business received the P2 Recognition
Project Award in 2008 for Cartaspers PSM, a product used in paper
manufacturing.
EPA gave only four P2 Recognition awards this year. Award winners are selected
from among all new chemicals submitted to the agency for registration and for
which manufacturing or import commenced in the U.S. during 2008. Exolit OP 560 is
a product of Clariant’s Pigments & Additives Division.
The award-winning chemicals are identified through EPA's New Chemicals Program,
which screens up to 2,500 chemicals a year through the Pre-Manufacture Notice
(PMN) P2 screening process, as well as during more detailed new chemical
reviews. In selecting products to recognize under the program, EPA says it
looks for products that promote source reduction as well as safety goals.
In recognizing Clariant’s Exolit OP 560, EPA specifically cited its halogen-free
“unique chemistry (that) allows maximum flame retardant efficiency without the
release of potentially toxic gases into the atmosphere when combusted or the
production of dangerous halogenated by-products upon degradation or
combustion.”
For more information, visitwww.clariant.com.