The “BOR” War Has Begun

The “BOR” War Has Begun. The European Union is preparing to ban hygiene products such as cosmetics and detergents containing boron. While AKA (European Chemicals Agency) is working on the implementation of the ban, Bursa Boron Research and Development Commission has started preparations for anti-reports. Commission President İlker Duran said, “We will launder pipes with a scientific report that will explain the effects of the pipe”; İKMİB President Murat Akyüz, on the other hand, advises manufacturers to 'use substitute products or change their markets' in case the ban is implemented.

Bursa Boron Research and Development Commission Chairman İlker Duran stated that the first move in terms of more intensive use of boron in the industry came from Eti Maden, and said that a great success was achieved with the production of detergents, of which 80 percent consists of boron. Emphasizing that their efforts are to replicate these examples with other sectors, Duran said:

“While making such efforts as a commission, the EU is trying to impose a ban on products using boron mine within the framework of REACH decisions. AKA, which inspects product compliance within the scope of REACH, is creating an anti-boron lobby, claiming that boron is a carcinogenic substance. It is trying to ban hygiene products that contain boron, touch hands, cosmetics and detergents. We gave our priority to the preparation of a report to prove that boron is not a carcinogenic substance. Related to this, we started a research in Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology. In this context, we will remove the stain on the boron mine, present scientific data and present the value it deserves to our mine. We will announce the results of the research to the public.”

Emphasizing that the EU's attitude towards boron mining is not correct, Duran said, “I think that if 73 percent of these reserves were in Europe, the same would not be done. We will seek our rights in this matter,” he said.

Detergent lobby is uncomfortable with Eti Bor
Claiming that there is a large detergent lobby around the world, İlker Duran said, “This attack by Eti Maden obviously disturbed some cartels. Detergent produced from boron has many advantages over other detergents, and boron is used at rates of 80 percent in detergents. In order to compete in this field, they have to obtain boron from Turkey. Anti-boron lobbies, who did not want this, claimed that boron causes skin cancer and closely followed some hygiene products and cosmetics, especially detergents. Duran said, “Here, not only the interests of the manufacturer or companies, but also the country is in question. As a commission of 15 people, we started our anti-work against these works of the agency that prepared the REACH regulation.”

The producer will either use substitutes or change the market.
Noting that there is no restriction for boron compounds within the scope of the Regulation on Detergents No. 648/2004, which is currently in force in the EU, Istanbul Chemicals and Products Exporters' Association (İKMİB) Chairman of the Board Murat Akyüz said, “Within the scope of REACH Regulation, sodium perborate used in detergents, etc. If the derivatives are included in the candidate list and then in the List of Substances Subject to Authorization, it will not be possible to introduce the products to the EU market without obtaining permission for the relevant areas of use by the manufacturers of these chemicals.” Stating that 13 percent of the exports in cleaning products and 20 percent of exports in cosmetics are made to the EU, Akyüz emphasized that all of these products do not contain boron derivatives. Akyuz said:

“Substitutes such as percarbonates are also used instead of perborates in detergents, and in case of a restriction on boron derivatives, our companies continue to sell to the EU market by using substitutes for these substances or change their market. There are some restrictions on boric acid in cosmetic products. In addition, new boron compounds are currently being prepared to be included in this restriction. However, it is also known that the use of boron in cosmetic products is limited, and our companies continue their exports to the EU in accordance with the restrictions.”

Murat Akyüz also informed that İKMİB has approximately 6 thousand members.

Turkey has a 73% share in the world market
While Turkey ranked first with a share of 1.3 percent in the amount of world boron reserves, which reached 73 billion tons last year, it was followed by Russia with 8 percent and the USA with 6 percent. The world boron production capacity is 5.2 million tons, the actual boron production is around 4.3 million tons, and 73 percent of this need was met from Turkey. The world obtained 47 percent of its boron demand on quantity basis from Eti Maden, 25 percent from RT Borax, 28 percent from other producers, thus from Turkey. Glass (insulating glass fiber, textile glass fiber, borosilicate glass), ceramic-frit, agriculture and detergent sectors constituted 81 percent of the consumption areas of boron products. Reaching the position of world boron leader with a share of 47 percent in terms of both production and market share, Eti Maden's boron sales in 2013 were 1.8 million tons (862 thousand tons B2 O3) on amount basis and 826 million dollars on value basis.

Source : the ekoayrint

ZEHRA FASTING / WORLD

📩 04/08/2014 14:46