A U.S. judge on Wednesday granted the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a preliminary injunction blocking chemical maker Tronox’s pending acquisition of Saudi Arabian peer Cristal’s titanium dioxide business.
The FTC, which filed a complaint in July, first objected to the deal last year, saying the merger would reduce competition in the market.
Tronox and Cristal, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Tasnee, are two of the three top suppliers of chloride process titanium dioxide, used to make paint, plastic, paper and other products, the FTC had then said.
Tronox said on Wednesday that it intends to appeal and will request an expedited hearing.
The company will also consider whether to proceed with the divestiture of Cristal’s Ashtabula, Ohio, two-plant titanium dioxide production complex.
Tronox’s shares were up marginally at $15.61.
By Karan Nagarkatti
Source: Reuters
The US State of New York is introducing two new bills to combat over-packaging, poor recycling rates and litter issues, including an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program requiring companies such as McDonald’s and Amazon to pay for the cost of packaging disposal and recycling.
The new organization’s mission is to redesign the critical steps of the plastics sorting and recycling system for post-consumer lightweight packaging (LWP) to speed up circularity, born from a need to meet the rising market demand for high-quality recyclates for use in high-end plastic applications.
Starbucks and Hubbub have launched a £1 million (US$1.22 million) “Bring It Back Fund” to increase the uptake of reusable packaging in the F&B industry. The funding will go toward innovative ideas that make it easier for customers to use alternatives to single-use packaging by supporting pilot projects that help shift consumption habits.
