Recently, the French Food and Occupational Health and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (ANSES) in a document that titanium dioxide commonly used in coatings, building materials and other industrial and consumer goods, according to its findings, it is recommended to pass through the possible Carcinogenic substances that cause cancer, this proposal will be formally adopted in writing or after the September meeting. The news exploded in the industry. Titanium dioxide business views. Titanium dioxide in the end is not carcinogenic substances, the human health in the end there is no potential harm? Interviewed a few titanium dioxide industry, they are so to say.

“Titanium dioxide is not a carcinogen and has no effect on human health,” said Fu Yijiang, deputy secretary general of the China Coatings Industry Association ‘s Titanium Dioxide Branch. “This document in France is simply classified as a category that could cause cancer.

“Titanium dioxide production has a history of nearly 100 years, if the cause of cancer, the community should have long been a reaction to the industry agreed that titanium dioxide will not cause cancer, it is a non-toxic and harmless substances that it is inhaled carcinogens, And dust inhalation confused, a little far-fetched. Some things are difficult to prove, such as radiation, who can not tell. Titanium dioxide as a potential carcinogen, if this pass will be far-reaching. Not only the titanium dioxide industry Itself, titanium dioxide downstream industry will be affected, at least labor safety protection, labor disputes and other issues will follow, and even consumption level, but also a significant impact.

“Titanium Dioxide is a non-toxic substance that has worked in the titanium dioxide industry for more than a decade and has not heard of a case of cancer because of titanium dioxide.” If titanium dioxide is a carcinogen, the affect is too great”

Is titanium dioxide safe?

Titanium dioxide is carcinogenic material has no practical evidence. First of all, the whole thing is only a proposal by the French Food Environment and Occupational Health and Safety Council, and it can be further regulated if it can become a statute.

Second, the French Food Environment and Occupational Health and Safety Bureau is only recommended to use titanium dioxide as a class of carcinogens that may cause cancer by inhalation. In the relevant journal documents have shown that there have been relevant institutions in the United States DuPont titanium dioxide production plant 2477 employees in the follow-up survey, the results show that direct contact with titanium dioxide does not significantly increase the workers of lung cancer, chronic respiratory Disease, pleural disease and other related diseases.

In addition, there are a variety of similar findings show that titanium dioxide does not cause exposure to the crowd increased lung cancer incidence. Data from the International Cancer Research Institute also show that there is currently no sufficient evidence to evaluate whether titanium dioxide can cause cancer in humans. Titanium dioxide is widely used but no substitute

Titanium dioxide has been widely used in various areas of life, its role is broad, people have long been inseparable from it.

The apparent consumption of titanium dioxide in China increased from 770,000 tons in 2005 to 2.48 million tons in 2016, corresponding to about 11.2% of GAGR. The output of the same period increased from 700,000 tons to 2.6 million tons, corresponding to about 12.7% of GAGR. Demand growth, and the growing importance of the export market. The following are the same as the ”

In 2016, the paint and coatings industry accounted for 57.4% of the global sales revenue of titanium dioxide industry, in addition to titanium dioxide products are also widely used in plastics, paper, ink and other areas of expertise, these industries are expected to grow in the next few years to actively promote the global Titanium dioxide market development. Titanium dioxide consumption in the second largest area of ​​plastic industry, 2016 income contribution accounted for 23.2%, mainly benefit from the titanium dioxide pigment excellent thermal stability. Titanium dioxide industry’s third largest user in the paper industry, the global sales revenue contribution rate of 10.4%.

According to the latest market research, due to the growing demand in the fields of papermaking, paint and coatings, cosmetics and plastics, it is expected that the global market price of titanium dioxide will reach US $ 27.99 billion by 2024.

In addition, in the pharmaceutical field, the pharmaceutical preparation, titanium dioxide can be used as a white colorant preparation film coating suspension, sugar coating and gelatin capsules, can also be mixed with other colorants used in skin preparations, but also Replacement of starch as an excipient for pharmaceuticals. In the food industry, for the candy coating, cool fruit, jelly, chewing gum, no sweetness-based solid beverage and concentrated solid drinks, milk drinks, puffed food. Candied fruit, jam, salad dressing, mayonnaise and other need to whiten the food, even the birthday cake cream contains titanium dioxide, is the world’s best performance of a white pigment. There are cosmetics, foundation, powder, sunscreen, eye shadow, lipstick, lipstick, toothpaste, talcum powder, prickly heat powder, cream, white soap are added with titanium dioxide. Pink powder only by adding 5% -8% of the titanium dioxide can be a permanent white, so that spices are more creamy, with adhesion, absorption and hiding power.

Also, titanium dioxide is widely used in paper making and printing of banknotes. If titanium dioxide is carcinogenic, how will people face these banknotes?

ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) commented that titanium dioxide was a substance suspected of causing cancer through inhalation, based on existing science and classified by CLP regulations.

The comments will be adopted in writing or after the September meeting. The Risk Assessment Committee classifies the criteria for the potential carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide, strengthens the regulation of labeling and packaging (CLP), and considers the available scientific data. The conclusion is that titanium dioxide is classified as suspicious by inhalation

The committee also concluded that there is insufficient evidence that titanium dioxide is a carcinogenic substance.

Upon adoption, the opinion will be normally reviewed prior to submission to the European Commission for final decision. At the same time, it will be published on the website of the European Chemicals Agency.

Recently, the Indian Fertilizer Department announced that in order to reduce the burden of imported urea subsidies, will try to bag the weight of urea from the current 50 kg to 45 kg.

According to Indian fertilizer officials, the Indian farmers now use the bag as a unit to calculate the amount of urea needed for planting, rather than the weight of the unit to calculate, indicating that the weight of bagged urea is limited to 45 kg can be India’s urea Demand is reduced by 10%.

The officer further noted that the mandatory use of neem coating on urea could increase fertilizer use efficiency and would make 45 kg of urea per bag comparable to the 50 kg of urea used in the previous bag. Neem paint will no longer be used only in the industrial field, but is used in agricultural production of high-subsidized urea.

A 10% reduction in fertilizer consumption is expected to reduce India’s subsidy by 2017 to 2018 by Rs 70 crore at about $ 1.1 billion at current exchange rates.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said last Friday (June 2) that if the OPEC and its partner countries do not extend the cut-off agreement until March next year, oil prices may fall more than it is now The

Since the OPEC and other oil-producing countries, including Russia, May 25, Vienna agreed to extend the cut agreement for nine months, Brent crude oil prices have fallen by nearly 8%. Monday (June 5) Asian session, Brent crude oil futures rose more than 1% to $ 5.05 a barrel.

As a major negotiator of the cut agreement, Novak said in an interview at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum last week, “If we do not extend the cut agreement, I believe we will see that not only oil prices will fall by 8%, but probably 50% “He stressed that production growth in other countries will not undermine the agreement or target.

Novark also pointed out that “despite the extension of 9 months is the ‘best choice’, but if necessary, the State party has the means to extend or shorten the agreement.Our task is not the price, our task is to inventory.

“The $ 50 per barrel of oil is good for the market, and the price range will increase by $ 50 to $ 60 as demand increases and inventories fall,” he said.

However, the continued increase in US crude oil production has offset OPEC’s efforts to cut inventories to five-year averages. According to the US government data, last week the country’s crude oil production reached 9.34 million tons / day, since August 2015 the highest level since.

Analysts said OPEC is facing more market share to the US shale oil producers risk, which may lead to OPEC second half of the implementation rate of decline in production.

Earlier on Friday, Russian oil company chief executive Igor Sechin said the agreement would stimulate US shale oil production growth, but destined for long-term decline in oil prices.

Against the support of summer’s demands on fertilizer, urea prices rose slightly steady. At present, Shandong mainstream urea prices in the 1550-1560 yuan / ton, Henan mainstream price of 1,600 yuan / ton. Industry sources said that with the summer fertilizer demand from south to north gradually, urea prices are expected to be further support.

Operating rate remained low

This round of price increases since May, mainly by the seasonal demand and supply to reduce the common role. At present, the demand for agricultural fertilizer in the south is strong, and demand in the north is still dominated by industrial demand, but the supply is significantly reduced. It is understood that the current operating rate of about 50% in Shandong, the southern region in about 30%, southwest and northeast of the operating rate is also at historically low. In addition to the reduction in supply, many integrated coal chemical enterprises in order to protect the overall profitability of enterprises, compressed urea production capacity. Some enterprises will switch to urea production capacity of methanol and other products. Part of the small business due to unbearable loss of pressure, choose to stop or exit.

This year, environmental pressures soared to accelerate the withdrawal of small businesses. Some medium-sized large enterprises also need to cut production at a specific time or temporarily stop production, supply is limited.

Price recovery has attracted some of the port export supply back. During the Dragon Boat Festival, India ended the import of urea tender, the tender offer the West Coast minimum price of 211.25 US dollars / ton, the East Coast minimum offer 212.25 US dollars / ton. Taking into account the east coast freight 12 US dollars / ton, VAT 15 yuan / ton and other factors, set the price of less than 1,400 yuan / ton. This price is clearly not enough to attract, because some of the port supply back.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Department of Materials Industry Deputy Director Pan Aihua in 2017 China Plastics Industry Conference revealed that in order to curb the nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer industry capacity of the blind expansion, and guide the industry orderly transfer and layout optimization, will be in the nitrogen, phosphate fertilizer industry capacity replacement Program research. Has commissioned the petrochemical industry and petrochemical planning institute research capacity replacement program.

Analysts pointed out that with the urea industry to accelerate production capacity, coupled with the industry is still not in the overall profitability, the urea industry operating rate is difficult to return to the past high level.

Many factors affect the price trend

Urea industry has been a serious excess capacity. However, the market conditions by the demand, transportation and coal costs, environmental protection and other factors, the price trend is more complex.

According to the business monitoring data show that in 2016, the beginning of the manufacturers offer 1430.8 yuan / ton, the end of the average price of manufacturers to maintain at 1665.4 yuan / ton, urea prices rose 16.4%.

1 – 8 months, the downstream demand is weak, urea market continued weak operation. August by the “overrun transport vehicles driving road management regulations”, freight continued to rise, while coal prices continued to rise, environmental protection led to the operating rate continued low operation, urea market showed up to 300 yuan / ton increase, rally in November Slightly retreated, in December and showed a more substantial rise in the end of the year gradually rose gradually flat.

Into 2017, urea prices show a “N” -type trend, the lowest price in April, the manufacturers offer the basic average of 1,500 yuan / ton, the performance of related listed companies improved significantly.