Washington leaders visited the accident site on the two-year anniversary of a train derailment that contaminated air, soil and water. A landmark step toward promoting sound science and advancing U.S. competitiveness has also been taken. LyondellBasell’s Houston refinery, in operation for over a century, is closing due to high maintenance costs and shifting market dynamics.

Job analysis is a crucial component of instructional system design that identifies essential skills and knowledge needed for a job, moving beyond inefficient shadowing methods. However, it's often poorly executed or skipped entirely. Effective analysis should focus on specific behaviors, consider environmental factors, and adapt to technological changes like automation.

"Teamwork matters. Teamwork saves lives." That’s the battle cry from Eduardo Salas, the Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline chair professor in Rice University’s psychological sciences department, and Scott Tannenbaum, president at The Group for Organizational Effectiveness Inc.

This episode uncovers the ways teams can save lives. The deadly Pemex chemical leak serves as an example.

Work that began in the 1800s is still going strong with the help of a teacher, Motörhead and hypothetical, superheavy elements yet to be discovered.

In this news roundup, Executive Editor Jonathan Katz highlights significant policy shifts, with Trump's energy initiatives reversing environmental protections and renewable energy commitments. Chemical industry regulations face changes with TSCA reform and EPA appointments of former industry executives. Additional developments include expanded PFAS reporting requirements, biofuel research funding and Covestro's U.S. manufacturing expansion.

In this episode of Distilled, CP’s Editor Traci Purdum chats with David Strobhar,  founder and principal human factors engineer for Beville Engineering. Dave is also the founder of the Center for Operator Performance. The two discuss Instructional System Design, a systematic training approach developed by the Air Force to create efficient, measurable, and effective training programs across diverse industrial workforces.

In today’s episode, Chemical Processing’s Editor-in-Chief, Traci Purdum, will be reading this year’s Chemical Industry Outlook, written by Martha Gilchrist Moore, chief economist and managing director of the American Chemistry Council, Washington, D.C. 

Martha and the ACC have been offering Chemical Processing a glimpse into their economic crystal ball for several years. Here is what’s in store for 2025.

Welcome to our first episode of Chemical Processing's Distilled podcast in 2025. This podcast and its transcript can be found at chemicalprocessing.com. I'm Traci Purdum, editor-in-chief of CP.

I, like many folks, use the new year to reflect on the past year and find inspiration for the next 365 days during the “Bermuda Triangle” time between the holidays and New Year. You know those days that all mesh together, and you don't know whether it's Tuesday or Saturday, and you've just had a handful of cookies for breakfast? Well, I decided to listen to past episodes of Distilled. I came across many auditory pearls of wisdom, and I whittled them down to four things I plan to work on this year. Maybe you'd like to join me.

In his final news roundup of the year, Executive Editor Jon Katz highlights: Global plastic pollution treaty stalls amid negotiations. DuPont loses lawsuit secrecy bid. EPA closes PFAS chemical review loopholes. Bhopal lessons persist. Chemical facilities warned about winter safety risks.

As a technical expert in a chemical facility, your knowledge is the backbone of operations. However, as your responsibilities increase, transitioning from a purely technical role to one in leadership can be challenging. Developing an inclusive approach not only strengthens team cohesion but also boosts overall performance.

Here are five tips for how to evolve from a technical expert into an inclusive leader.

Based on a column from Lauren Neal “Technical Expert to Inclusive Leader: How to Evolve Your Leadership Style”

Read by Traci Purdum, editor-in-chief, Chemical Processing