Regulatory News:
Arkema (Paris:AKE), the world's largest producer of thiochemicals,
has been granted registration by the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for Paladin®,
an innovative, pre-plant soil fumigant that is very effective against
nematodes parasites, weeds, and soil-borne plant pathogens.
Developed by Arkema's R&D teams, Paladin® is a new
and effective soil fumigant based on dimethyl disulfide
(DMDS) - a substance derived from sulfur which is naturally present in
the environment - for substitution of methyl bromide, which is being
gradually banned as part of the Montreal Protocol.
Paladin® soil fumigant has no ozone depletion
potential, a low global warming potential, and is short-lived in the
atmosphere. It is registered for pre-plant use for tomato, pepper,
eggplant, cucumber, melon, strawberry, ornamental and forest nursery
crops. It will be marketed in the United States through United
Phosphorus Inc. (UPI). UPI has partnered with Arkema during the
registration process, and provided field trial management and training
during three years of field trials in Florida, Georgia and North
Carolina under an EPA-issued Experimental Use Permit (EUP).
«The successful registration of Paladin® was made
possible by the effective teamwork within Arkema and UPI. Since 2004,
extensive R&D studies and over 250 field trials in 15 countries have
been carried out to assess the potential impact of Paladin®
on the environment and human health as well as its efficiency. Paladin®
opens doors to new prospects for Arkema's Thiochemicals » said
Philippe Chartres, General Manager, Thiochemicals business unit.
With Paladin® expected to have worldwide
application in soil fumigation, registration is being sought in
Argentina, Turkey, Morocco, and Mexico. Just weeks ago, Israel issued a
temporary registration for Paladin®, the first
country to do so.
Paladin® has been shown to be very effective
on its own in the control of parasitic nematodes. Co-applied with
chloropicrin, Paladin® effectively controls
most soil-borne plant pathogens and a wide range of weeds, including
yellow and purple nutsedge.
A global chemical company and France's leading chemical producer,
Arkema consists of three business segments: Vinyl Products, Industrial
Chemicals, and Performance Products. Present in over 40 countries with
13,800 employees, Arkema achieved sales of 4.4 billion euros in 2009.
With its seven research centers in France, the United States, and Japan,
and internationally recognized brands, Arkema holds leadership positions
in its principal markets.
Paladin® is a registered trademark of
Arkema. More information on www.paladin.com
ARKEMA www.arkema.com
420, rue d'Etienne d'Orves F-92705 COLOMBES Cedex
Standard : +33 (0)1 49 00 80 80 - Fax : +33 (0)1 49 00 83 96
Société anonyme au capital de 612 793 970 euros
445 074 685 RCS Nanterre
Investor Relations:
Sophie Fouillat Tel. : +33 1 49 00 86 37 sophie.fouillat@arkema.com
Jérôme
Raphanaud Tel : +33 1 49 00 72 07 jerome.raphanaud@arkema.com
or
Press
contacts:
Sybille Chaix (Europe) Tel. : +33 1 49 00 70 30 sybille.chaix@arkema.com
Stan
Howard (US) Tel. : +1 215 419 70 27 stan.howard@arkema.com