ICIS Blogs : children

Canada plans to ban phthalates

Green Chemicals — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:02:44 GMT

Last week Friday, Canada's Minister of Health announced their planned proposal to ban phthalates in soft vinyl toys and child-care articles as well as further reduction limits of lead in consumer products. Canada is proposing regulations to prevent...(read more)

Koala bears at ICIS

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:09:59 GMT

Nel tells me that her daughter had to write a piece for school last week on endangered species, and went to find a nice picture of a koala bear on Google Images . She was astonished to find that the Number One picture of koala bears was from ICIS.com...(read more)

Plastics guys are human too

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:30:58 GMT

Tucked away at the bottom of the new weekly online newsletter from the US plastics industry trade association, SPI's Inside Edge , I see that they have some links to their own " In the Hopper " blog which has some cutesy chemicals human...(read more)

Best steak in England

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:55:05 GMT

On Saturday night I had the best steak I've ever had in England. It was at Harry's Grill Bar in Exeter, Devon, and it was really up to Texan standards . For proud parents visiting their student offspring at Exeter University (oh yes that's...(read more)

A celebration of new life

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:04:38 GMT

It's Spring, and the petrochemical industry's thoughts have turned to .... babies. From the fertile loins of the industry come babies in droves. The Blog's inbox is constantly on the verge of crashing from the weight of baby photo attachments...(read more)

The perfect thank you letter

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:51:21 GMT

Look at this perfect chemical thank you letter from the Blog's nephew Matthew. Click here for more Lego interest . Read More......(read more)

Passing the koala bear test

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:33:56 GMT

Do you always choose the cheapest product on offer, if buying the more environmentally or ethically superior product is more expensive? My fellow blogger John Richardson in Singapore wrestles briefly with the dilemma in this endearing blog posting about...(read more)

Alert: Kids in the Office

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:15:44 GMT

In the last few days before the holidays, office buildings are strangely full of small children. They are brushed and clean and curiously similar to people you work with, only shorter and cuter and more fresh-faced. In the mornings they are bashful and...(read more)

ICIS Children say Yes to Physics

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:11:26 GMT

There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the UK about the lack of students taking sciences, particularly physics . But ICIS offspring are bucking the trend in a truly cavalier fashion. After this summer's exam successes, we have a total haul...(read more)

True confessions: Julia is a 4x4 driver

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:00:48 GMT

My colleague Julia confesses to her weakness for a powerful motor ... I am a 4x4 driver. Actually, I'm now a non-4x4 driver since the cost of driving has become astronomical. A Mercedes ML 320 is good-looking beast, drives like a dream and is safe...(read more)

Protecting our heroes with plastics

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:01:15 GMT

These chemical advertisers know how to tug on your heartstrings. The Blog's eye was caught by this heroic fireman rescuing a cute child with the aid of Bayer's "high-tech plastic with extremely high break resistance and impact strength (making...(read more)