Enerkem has inaugurated its first full-scale municipal waste-to-biofuels and chemicals facility in Edmonton, Alberta. This announcement was shared by Enerkem’s CEO, Vincent Chornet, Mayor Don Iveson from the City of Edmonton, and the Honourable Robin Campbell, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, and Government House Leader, representing the Government of Alberta.
“Our breakthrough technology uses garbage instead of fossil sources for the production of chemicals and liquid transportation fuels. We are proud of the inauguration of our first full-scale biorefinery facility as it is the culmination of more than 10 years of disciplined efforts to scale up our technology from pilot and demonstration, to commercial scale, said Vincent Chornet, President and CEO of Enerkem. The completion of this game-changing facility is by far one of the most significant development the waste and biorefinery sectors have seen yet. We are thrilled that it is becoming a model for many communities and industries around the world.”
This facility, operated by Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, is among the world’s first commercial facilities to be built for the production of renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels. During its construction, more than 600 direct and indirect jobs were created for the modular manufacturing of the facility’s systems and their on-site assembly.

“The City of Edmonton is a world leader in sustainable waste management and the opening of the waste-to-biofuels and chemicals facility demonstrates our commitment to finding innovative solutions to harness the value in waste, said Mayor Don Iveson. This type of leading edge innovation demands a team approach and we’re proud of our partnership with Enerkem and Alberta Innovates – Energy and Environment Solutions.”
“This game-changing facility provides clear environmental benefits as it converts waste into value-added products, said Honourable Robin Campbell, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, and Government House Leader for the Government of Alberta. This is another great example of Alberta innovation at work, helping to diversify our economy through new, leading-edge technology.”
This industry breakthrough is a collaboration between Enerkem, the City of Edmonton and Alberta Innovates – Energy and Environment Solutions. The pioneering facility will have a production capacity of up to 38 million litres per year, will help the City of Edmonton increase its residential waste diversion rate to 90%, and is expected to generate net economic spending in the local area of nearly C$ 65 million annually.
The start-up of the biorefinery follows a rigorous commissioning plan which is nearing completion. Biomethanol production will begin progressively during the start-up. A module converting the biomethanol into advanced ethanol will be added by the end of 2015.
About Enerkem
Enerkem makes biofuels and renewable chemicals from waste. With its proprietary technology, Enerkem converts non recyclable municipal solid waste into methanol, ethanol and other widely used chemical intermediates. Headquartered in Canada, Enerkem operates both a demonstration plant and a pilot facility in Quebec and has inaugurated Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, its first full-scale commercial facility. The company is developing additional biorefineries in North America and globally, based on its modular manufacturing approach. Enerkem’s technology and facilities help diversify the energy mix and make greener everyday products while offering a sustainable alternative to landfilling and incineration. www.enerkem.com

GH Chemicals has been awarded the world’s first Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) License to manufacture and sell pharmaceutical grade zinc oxide (USP) serving as an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API).

BASF Canada recently completed a comprehensive re-design of its website, www.basf.ca.
Created with user-experience firmly in mind, the new website offers improved navigation and includes links to interactive videos, podcasts and photos. It also features a searchable product finder which allows visitors to quickly and easily find information on BASF’s portfolio.
Visitors to the site can also learn how BASF is creating chemistry for a sustainable future, stay informed of the latest company news, and explore solutions for a wide range of industries.
“BASF Canada’s online presence is an important part of our customer service and community engagement strategies,” said Carles Navarro, president of BASF Canada. “As our company continues to innovate and evolve, it’s important that our website reflect this growth. By improving user-experience, we also aim to enhance our open dialogue and connection with our Canadian stakeholders.”
Visitors also have the option to share content that interests them through their social media accounts and connect with the company on Twitter @BASFCanada. For BASF Canada’s new online experience, visit www.basf.ca .

BASF’s sales in North America increased 1% for 2013 to €14,573 million, compared to 2012. Sales grew considerably in the agricultural solutions segment, thanks to the first all-year inclusion of the Becker Underwood businesses as well as to strong business with herbicides and fungicides. The company posted a decline in sales in the performance products segment and in Other. In local-currency terms, sales in the region grew by 4%. Income from operations before special items increased by 49% to €1,539 million compared with the previous year. This was mainly the result of the significantly higher contribution from the chemicals segment due to improved plant availability and higher margins in the petrochemicals division. The functional materials & solutions and agricultural solutions segments were also able to considerably improve their earnings. BASF said it made progress in implementing their regional strategy for North America. An even stronger customer and market orientation plays a key role here. It continues to focus on innovation, attractive market segments and cross-business initia-tives in order to ensure profitable growth. At the same time, they are increasing operational excellence through ongoing improvements. BASF is boosting investments in the region and will start up several new plants in 2014, such as production facilities for formic acid and dispersions. The company is also exploring a joint investment in a world-scale ammonia production plant with Yara on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Company acknowledged for its commitment to sustainability

BASF Canada has successfully completed a third party re-verification of its Responsible Care management systems. This was the company’s sixth successful verification and recognizes its commitment to protecting the health and safety of its employees, communities and the environment.
Developed by the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) in 1985, Responsible Care is a United Nations-recognized sustainability initiative which is practiced in more than 60 countries around the world. It takes into consideration all aspects of a company’s business, including operations, product stewardship and environmental, health and safety
performance.
“Responsible Care is fundamental to how we conduct our business and operate our facilities. It represents our commitment to sustainability and transparency,” said Carles Navarro, President of BASF Canada. “We are very pleased with the results of this year’s verification. It identified opportunities to improve our processes and also highlighted areas in which we have demonstrated industry leadership.”
As part of the 2013 re-verification process, the independent re-verification team, comprised of industry experts, public advocates and local community representatives, assessed BASF Canada’s Responsible Care management systems, interviewed community stakeholders and visited the company’s facilities in Toronto, Cornwall, Mississauga, and Maryhill, Ontario. Its findings were documented in a detailed verification report which is available on the CIAC website.