The consumption of powder stabilizers supplied in a simple powder form has fallen significantly over the past five years. This change is not surprising given the many problems associated with powders, ranging from health and safety, to transport, storage and feeding issues. However, although there has been an increase in the use of granulated products, the growth in the use of No Dust Blends (NDBs) has been particularly significant. Brian Johnson, Klaus Keck-Antoine, Robert Lee and Corrado Callierotti of Great Lakes Chemical Corporation discuss the reasons for this by presenting an overview of the technical and commercial benefits associated with the use of NDBs. There are some obvious benefits and others less obvious and more difficult to quantify. They propose that the use of NDBs instead of powders or even granules can lead to significant productivity benefits.
A major change in the European polyolefin market during recent years has been the growth of No Dust Blends (NDB) of additives. Pioneered by Great Lakes (EniChem) in the early 1990s 1-3, this physical form can replace more traditional physical forms such as individual powders, powder blends and granules.