June Wrap-Up: CSB’s Bleak Future, Eastman Expands Recycling, DOE Develops Photosynthesis-Inspired Catalyst

Chemical Processing Distilled

The Trump administration has proposed to eliminate the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board by October 2026, citing fiscal responsibility and redundancy. Industry experts oppose this move, warning it would remove crucial disaster prevention oversight despite the agency's modest $14 million budget. Meanwhile, recycling advances continue: Eastman expanded molecular recycling operations to 110,000 metric tons annually in Tennessee, while BASF launched Europe's largest battery recycling plant, processing nearly 40,000 EV batteries yearly. On the innovation front, Department of Energy researchers developed a photosynthesis-inspired catalyst that selectively converts CO2 into formate using light, potentially revolutionizing industrial chemical production by avoiding unwanted byproducts that plague current conversion methods.