Safex Newsletter No.80 May 2024

Welcome to the 80th SAFEX Newsletter. A third of the year has already sped past and SAFEX has been very busy serving the industry.

  • GPG 12 has been completed and posted on our website : English version - Spanish version
  • Webinar 6 – Management of Change – was successfully hosted by EPC Groupe and an article by Thierry Rousse explains the outcome of the Webinar in this Newsletter.
  • A new eLearning Module in Conjunction with ENAEX in Chile, ‘Why we need to do Periodic Hazard Studies on existing plants’ has been developed and now been launched on the SAFEX website.
  • The date and place for the SAFEX Congress XXI was pinned down: Please note this important event, hosted by ORICA, in your calendar.
  • A new GPG on Management of Change is under preparation. The development of an ESP eLearning Module is well advanced, which will also result in the update of the current ESP GPG on the Website. Work has also been initiated on an Explosives Security GPG.

The global explosives industry plays a crucial role in various sectors, including mining, construction, and military operations. However, working with explosives also carries significant risks, which is why safety measures are of utmost importance. SAFEX International is a leading organization dedicated to promoting safety within the explosives industry. With our expertise and resources, we provide training programs, guidelines, and support to ensure that companies and individuals adhere to best practices when handling explosives. By partnering with SAFEX International, businesses can enhance their safety protocols and minimize the risk of accidents or mishaps. So, whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, SAFEX International is there to assist you in maintaining a safe work environment while maximizing efficiency and productivity.

I hope with this Newsletter that SAFEX manages to assist you to improve your safety offering to our industry !

PFAS

By Dan Reinke

You have probably heard of per- and poly-fluoro alkyl substances (PFAS), but to date this newsletter has not covered the topic and the potential impact to the explosives manufacturing industry. A caveat to start – this is a very involved topic with passionate arguments being presented on all sides and one article cannot present all points and opinions.

What is PFAS ?

PFAS is a class of chemicals with several definitions. Some regulations define them as chemicals that contain at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom. This includes liquids, gasses (such as HFC refrigerants), fluoropolymers (like PTFE, aka Teflon®) and fluoroelastomers (like Viton®). Original attention to two specific PFAS chemicals, namely perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonates (PFOS), started in the late 1960s and 1970s when these compounds were found in blood samples from the general public. Eventually these and similar compounds were found to be pervasive in the environment due to their chemical stability, leading to them commonly being called “forever chemicals”. By the 1990s there was evidence that PFOA and PFOS had adverse health effects and US manufacturers agreed to stop producing PFOA and PFOS by 2015. Other fluorinated chemicals were developed to replace PFOA and PFOS, including GenX chemicals which were developed in 2009.

US EPA has found health effects from GenX and other fluorinated chemicals, which resulted in attention to the broader family of fluorinated chemicals, dubbed PFAS. Legislators and regulators are using toxicity information from a small number of materials to seek to ban production of over 9,000 chemicals, many of which are essential to our modern lifestyle.

In 2021, the European Union proposed restrictions and an eventual ban on the use of all PFAS materials and in 2023 received over 5,600 comments on the proposal, including some from explosive manufacturers and users. Some US states have enacted or are proposing registration or bans on products containing PFAS and the US EPA has enacted regulations requiring reporting of PFAS manufacturing, import, use and releases and reducing the allowable levels of certain PFAS in surface and groundwater to as low as 4 parts per trillion (ppt).

How are PFAS Used in Energetics Manufacturing ?

There are three general categories of use of PFAS in energetics manufacturing: in process equipment, as a processing aid, and as a raw material. They are also used in peripheral materials such as packaging and PPE.

Fluoropolymers such as PTFE are an important component in chemical manufacturing operations due to their chemical resistance. PTFE uses include tubing and piping, in reactor and equipment linings, and gaskets/seals.

Some operations such as molding processes use release agents that can include fluoroelastomers.

Fluoropolymers and fluoroelastomers are used in certain products, including pyrotechnics, as a source of fluorine for chemical reactions.

In addition, water resistant coatings, such as those used in fire-fighting gear, often use PFAS-chemicals. PFAS coatings can be used to provide water- and chemical-resistant liners to packaging for raw materials and finished products. Aqueous Fire Fighting Foams (AFFF) contain PFAS chemicals, although PFAS-free foams are being developed.

What would be the impact of a PFAS ban on our industry ?

It is hard to envision a company that would not be impacted to some extent. If bans were to be promulgated it may not be possible to continue manufacturing some energetic materials.

Comments submitted in response to the EU proposed ban noted the significant impact of the proposal on a wide variety of essential industries, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals, electricity production and transmission, semiconductors and computers, aerospace and chemical processing.

What can you do?

If you are not already engaged you need to be, individually or through trade associations. Track government proposals. Evaluate the feasibility of any PFAS alternatives and direct R&D efforts to explore options. Ensure your legislators and customers understand the impact of proposed product bans on the ability to continue operations.