Best chemicalprocessing Podcasts (2026)

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EPR and Recycled Plastics: Why Chemical Safety Is the Next Compliance Frontier 10:00

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3h ago10:00

10:00

Alexandra Savino explains why new data showing recycled plastics contain more hazardous substances than virgin materials is driving Extended Producer Responsibility reforms that link compliance to chemical performance. Key Highlights EPR now includes chemical safety, increasing scrutiny on contaminants like metals, PFAS and PAHs in post-consumer re…

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Chemical Processing Distilled News: 2025 in Review 10:04

2h ago10:04

10:04

Welcome to the year-end edition of Distilled News. To wrap up 2025, we will review some of the top stories coming from the chemical industry over the past 12 months.By chemicalprocessing

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Fail-Safe Pump Technology Wins Vaaler Award 13:27

6d ago13:27

13:27

This episode of Distilled features the final 2025 Vaaler Award winner: Flowserve's INNOMAG TB-MAG Dual Drive. This sealless pump technology provides secondary containment through the pump itself rather than the motor, unlike canned motor pumps. The system prevents catastrophic leaks of toxic and corrosive fluids while handling up to 30% solids. Nic…

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AI Technology Autonomously Optimizes Complex Chemical Processes 26:23

13d ago26:23

26:23

Yokogawa's Vaaler Award-winning reinforcement learning algorithm reduces implementation time, balances plant objectives and achieves rapid learning in trials. Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming, or FKDPP, a reinforcement learning AI developed by Yokogawa and the NARA Institute of Science and Technology and applied by Yokogawa to process in…

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Corrosion Under Insulation is 86’d by Sherwin-Williams 21:57

26d ago21:57

21:57

Vaaler Award winning technology allows operators to forgo traditional insulation systems and all the associated labor, materials, inspection, and maintenance expenses in favor of a spray-applied coating that retains process heat, protects personnel, and eliminates corrosion under insulation. Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum chats with Neil Wilds, globa…

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Chemical industry braces for turbulent year ahead -- November 2025 News 8:25

1M ago8:25

8:25

Deloitte forecasts 0.2% production decline as industry faces "confused sea state," German sentiment plummets, and environmental groups challenge Trump's chemical plant exemptions. Welcome to Distilled News, where Jonathan Katz, executive editor of Chemical Processing, looks back at the top stories each month on Chemicalprocessing.com.…

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Flow Measurement Technology Fosters Safer, Efficient Plants 16:17

2M ago16:17

16:17

There are many things to consider with flow measurement technology, including prioritizing safety features for hazardous processes and remote locations. Additionally, the proper instrumentation prevents leaks and environmental incidents while supporting efficiency and operations. To help us better understand all things involved, Chemical Processing…

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Leadership Potential Isn’t Fixed, It’s Shaped by Who’s Looking 6:22

2M ago6:22

6:22

Two years ago, an operator was told she wasn’t “management material.” But only six months later – new manager, new opportunity – she was leading a cross-site safety improvement project. Her potential didn’t change. The lens did. In chemical facilities, we monitor pressure to the decimal. We track every deviation in flow, temperature and system resp…

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Halloween Edition of Chemical Industry News Roundup 8:32

2M ago8:32

8:32

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz gets all spooky with this month's news. Major chemical companies accelerate development using artificial intelligence and robotics, even as economic pressures force European plant shutdowns and project delays.By chemicalprocessing

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Solving Corrosive Flow Measurement 35:00

2M ago35:00

35:00

In this sponsored Solutions Spotlight, KROHNE experts discuss flow measurement technologies for chlor-alkali processes, covering mag meters, Coriolis meters, entrained gas management and safety integrity levels. Three Key Takeaways Virtual reference technology eliminates leak paths in mag meters by using a non-wetted grounding methodology, reducing…

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6 Training Myths that Sabotage Operator Performance 18:43

2M ago18:43

18:43

In this episode, Traci Purdum and Dave Strohbar explore why traditional training approaches fail operators in chemical processing plants. They examine misconceptions about practice, simulator fidelity, motivation, accuracy versus acceptable performance, early assessment reliability, and the gap between theory and practical skills.…

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Crawl, Walk, Run: AI Transforms Materials Discovery 25:22

3M ago25:22

25:22

This episode discusses how AI accelerates materials discovery in the chemical industry. While challenges exist—messy data, black box models, and skills gaps—AI enables simulations that once took days on supercomputers to run in seconds on laptops. Young advocates a "crawl, walk, run" approach for implementation, starting with low-stakes trials befo…

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Jungle Fumble - The Ecuador Lawsuit Against Texaco/Chevron 34:56

3M ago34:56

34:56

Environmental consultant Dave Russell recounts his involvement in the Ecuador lawsuit against Texaco/Chevron over Amazon rainforest contamination. Hired in 2003 to assess cleanup costs, Russell produced a $6.1 billion estimate based on unverified assumptions—a "SWAG" (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) that helped secure a $9.5 billion judgment. However, h…

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The Lowdown on Electromagnetic, Ultrasonic and Coriolis Flowmeters 12:25

3M ago12:25

12:25

In this bonus episode, which was originally recorded for Chemical Processing's sister brand, Processing, KHRONE's Joe Incontri, director of marketing, discusses the company’s flow meter lineup. This episode is sponsored by KROHNEBy chemicalprocessing

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EPA Targets Dissent, Regulatory Changes, Breaking Research 7:06

3M ago7:06

7:06

EPA fires staff over dissent letter while industry groups push for faster chemical reviews before 2026 TSCA reauthorization deadline are among the top news stories in September 2025. Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews all you need to know.By chemicalprocessing

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Oversupply and Policy Shifts Squeeze Chemical Producers 6:55

4M ago6:55

6:55

With 5 million tons of new polyethylene capacity hitting saturated markets and Trump's legislative agenda threatening green investments, chemical firms are scrambling to adjust, says Maine Pointe's Stephen Ottley.By chemicalprocessing

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Radar Level Measurement: Challenges, Benefits and Innovations 14:01

4M ago14:01

14:01

Joe Incontri from KROHNE explains how radar level measurement devices work using high-frequency time measurement technology. He covers radar's advantages over ultrasonic alternatives, including better resolution and smaller antennas, while addressing challenges like density measurement limitations and interference from dust or agitated surfaces. Th…

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Workforce Matters: Who Protects the Protectors? 6:42

4M ago6:42

6:42

Consider safeguarding senior leaders from burnout in high-stakes projects as an extension of design for safety. In Case You Missed It brings the written word to life. In today’s episode, Chemical Processing's Editor in Chief, Traci Purdum, will be reading an article from Lauren Neal, CP’s Workforce Matters Columnist. Who Protects the Protectors? Wh…

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August 2025 News Roundup: Chemical Setbacks, Breakthroughs Reshape Industrial Landscape 7:21

4M ago7:21

7:21

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews the top news for August 2025: Eastman Chemical faces setbacks as it appeals the Trump administration's cancellation of $1.2 billion in funding for its Texas plastic recycling facility, while seeking alternative locations for its methanolysis technology. International climate efforts stalled when UN plastics tr…

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Troubleshooting Sticky Solids: Solutions for Particulate Flow Problems 6:47

4M ago6:47

6:47

If you spend enough time dealing with particulate solids, you’ll encounter very sticky solids and end up spending countless hours cleaning out a plugged distributor, opening a discharge chute or banging on the vessel to get the solids to flow. There are many reasons solids clump or stick to surfaces. Let’s face it: sticky solids need special attent…

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Plant Insights: Bubble-Cap Tray Trade-offs 5:49

5M ago5:49

5:49

While bubble-cap trays excel in low-leakage and turndown applications, operators should also be aware of additional challenges such as vapor blowing that can occur at high vapor rates and low liquid rates.By chemicalprocessing

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Navigating the PFAS Maze 28:10

5M ago28:10

28:10

This episode discusses the complex challenge of managing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals amid evolving regulations. Phil Molé from Velocity EHS explains that companies struggle to identify PFAS in their inventories due to vague product names and changing chemical compositions. PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative toxins that re…

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ExxonMobil, Honeywell Discuss 50 Years of Distributed Control System Evolution 18:13

5M ago18:13

18:13

In a recent episode of Amplified from Control magazine, host Keith Larson interviews Brian Reynolds (Honeywell CTO), Alicia Kempf (Honeywell Director Offering Management), and David Patin (ExxonMobil TDC Modernization Program Lead Engineer). The discussion took place at the 2025 Honeywell User Group meeting, celebrating 50 years since the first Hon…

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EPA Shakeups, Ethane Carrier Christened and Dow Shutters Three Plants 6:23

5M ago6:23

6:23

This week's episode includes exclusive, unpublished content related to Trump administration's R&D cuts within the EPA and their potential effects on environmental research priorities. Recent chemical industry developments highlight regulatory tensions and operational changes. EPA workers are protesting new leadership under Zeldin, with 139 employee…

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Why Protective Coatings Damage Metal Artifacts — and How to Fix It 6:27

6M ago6:27

6:27

Using new 3D fluorescence imaging, scientists have identified how aging polymer coatings generate corrosive compounds, leading to improved preservation strategies for cultural artifacts. In today’s episode, Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum will be reading a column from editor-at-large Seán Ottewell – “Why Protective Coatings Damage Metal Artifacts — an…

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Outlook of the Chemical Industry: Confused Sea State 13:47

6M ago13:47

13:47

Get your sea legs ready. The economy is getting choppy, according to Martha Gilchrist Moore, chief economist and managing director, economics and statistics at the American Chemistry Council (ACC).By chemicalprocessing

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Why Chemical Plants Are Burning Cash Instead of Recovering Heat 6:18

6M ago6:18

6:18

Are you leaving $7.7 million on the table? A single chemical plant identified annual energy savings worth that much through an analysis that took just months to complete. The payback period? Less than two years. The solution? None other than your chemical engineering 101 heat integration through pinch analysis and heat exchanger network optimizatio…

1
June Wrap-Up: CSB’s Bleak Future, Eastman Expands Recycling, DOE Develops Photosynthesis-Inspired Catalyst 7:53

6M ago7:53

7:53

The Trump administration has proposed to eliminate the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board by October 2026, citing fiscal responsibility and redundancy. Industry experts oppose this move, warning it would remove crucial disaster prevention oversight despite the agency's modest $14 million budget. Meanwhile, recycling advances contin…

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Celebrating International Women In Engineering Day 24:47

6M ago24:47

24:47

Did you know that today — June 23 — is International Women in Engineering Day (INWED)? Launched by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in the UK in 2014, the event has since grown into an internationally recognized awareness campaign celebrated by various organizations, institutions, and individuals around the world. Each year, INWED adopts a spe…

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Turn Training Hopes Into Measurable Success 18:49

7M ago18:49

18:49

In this episode, Traci and Dave focus on training evaluation as the final component of instructional system design. Dave explains that evaluation has two aspects: specific (assessing whether students learned what was taught in a particular course) and global (determining if training improves actual job performance). The key insight is that evaluati…

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Small Acts, Big Impact: How Micro-Behaviors Shape Teams 5:41

7M ago5:41

5:41

In Case You Missed It brings the written word to life. In today’s episode, Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum will read an article from Lauren Neal, Chemical Processing’s Workforce Matters columnist. This column “Small Acts, Big Impact: How Micro-Behaviors Shape Teams” was published to our website June 4, 2025 You know that feeling. You’re in a team meet…

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Trump Cuts, EPA Restructures, ExxonMobil Expands 7:18

7M ago7:18

7:18

In this episode, Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews the top news stories for May 2025. Trump's budget cuts and EPA changes reshape the chemical industry amid expansion.By chemicalprocessing

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Operator Training Inefficiency Costs Millions 21:09

7M ago21:09

21:09

In Chemical Processing's Distilled Podcast, we discuss flaws in operator training, focusing on "time to train." Companies can waste millions of dollars by not optimizing training duration, often using fixed-length programs regardless of trainees' prior experience. Feedback loops to adjust training time based on individual competency and learning ob…

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9 Best Practices for Reliability and Maintenance 6:11

8M ago6:11

6:11

This episode from Chemical Processing's Distilled podcast shares industry best practices for chemical plant reliability and maintenance. Key recommendations include understanding equipment failure modes through predictive maintenance techniques like vibration analysis and thermography, developing balanced preventive maintenance programs that avoid …

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Chocolate: From Theology and Processing to Functional Food 6:26

8M ago6:26

6:26

With Easter just behind us and chocolate consumption hitting its second-quarter 2025 peak, it’s a good time to reflect on the theological and processing developments that have got us where we are today. In this In Case You Missed It Episode, Chemical Processing's Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum brings the written word to life, and Seán Ottewell, edito…

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Environmental Policy Shifts Reshape Chemical Industry Landscape 11:28

8M ago11:28

11:28

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz highlights the news of April 2025. Trump's EPA eases regulations while confusion stalls recycling innovation and Dow delays climate investments.By chemicalprocessing

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Why Advice Alone Won’t Get You Promoted in the Chemical Industry 6:28

8M ago6:28

6:28

Olivia followed all the right steps. As a chemical engineer at a major manufacturing plant, she had a mentor – a senior colleague who gave her great advice on career growth, technical skills and workplace challenges. She networked, took on projects and worked hard. Yet, after years of effort, she was still in the same role, watching others get ahea…

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Earth Day — Lax Regulations Burn Rivers 9:11

8M ago9:11

9:11

This Earth Day, the chemical industry finds itself at a crossroads in an era of deregulation. Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, you learn early on all the things that put the city on the map. Two local cartoonists, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, gave the world Superman. The city pioneered traffic safety with the world's first electric signal in 1914, f…

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The Missing Step in Operator Training? Practice 21:04

9M ago21:04

21:04

In this episode, Traci and Dave discuss the importance of practice in operator training programs. Practice is often overlooked despite being crucial. Realistic scenarios that mimic real-world conditions, including time constraints and environmental challenges, are beneficial to anchoring lessons learned. Feedback loops are also necessary to evaluat…

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Helping Process Manufacturers Enhance Sustainability Efforts 18:11

9M ago18:11

18:11

In a recent episode of Ear on Processing from Chemical Processing’s sister brand Processing, chief editor, Jesse Osborne, sat down with Greene Tweed’s business development manager for life sciences markets. They discussed the importance of sustainability for process manufacturers and outlined how Green Tweed’s FFKM products are assisting in that re…

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Chemical Industry Wary as Trump Tariffs Take Effect 7:44

9M ago7:44

7:44

Trade organizations express concern over rising costs and supply chain disruptions. This episode takes a look at how the Trump administration's whiplash tariffs will impact the chemical industry.By chemicalprocessing

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EPA & ACC Battle, CSB’s Lessons from Deadly Incidents, BASF’s New CEO 7:07

9M ago7:07

7:07

A power shift is underway at the EPA as former American Chemistry Council representatives are positioned to assume key roles under the Trump administration, potentially reshaping the agency's regulatory approach. Meanwhile, safety concerns remain paramount as the U.S. Chemical Safety Board continues investigating a deadly reactor explosion at a Lou…

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Solution Spotlight -- Magnetic Precision: Flow Measurement Without Moving Parts 29:50

9M ago29:50

29:50

Electromagnetic flow meters are volumetric flow meters that use electromagnetic induction to measure liquid velocity. This measurement method is highly accurate at measuring water-based fluids as they pass through a pipe. They are cost-effective, long-lasting and compatible with existing technology. However, there are things to consider before inve…

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Learning Objectives: Measurable Skills, Not Vague Knowledge 17:38

10M ago17:38

17:38

In this episode, Traci and Dave discuss how learning objectives fit into instructional system design. Learning objectives should be measurable, not subject to interpretation, and directly testable. Unlike vague goals like "understand distillation," effective objectives specify demonstrable skills.By chemicalprocessing

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8 Steps for Solids Equipment Selection 8:12

10M ago8:12

8:12

I’ve never seen a piece of equipment that didn’t do what it was supposed to. That doesn’t mean it did what its user thought it could do. In solids processing, we often struggle with a piece of equipment because it was a poor selection or installed improperly. There are eight specific steps to ensure your equipment choices accurately represent your …

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Frozen Poop Knives Don’t Cut It 5:54

10M ago5:54

5:54

An Inuit man who was left to his own defenses in the Arctic after being exiled from his family had to fashion a knife out of his own frozen feces…. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum talks about the Ig Nobels and improbable research that makes you laugh and then makes you think.By chemicalprocessing

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Train Disaster Visit, No IRIS Act, Century-Old Refinery Shuttered 5:02

10M ago5:02

5:02

Washington leaders visited the accident site on the two-year anniversary of a train derailment that contaminated air, soil and water. A landmark step toward promoting sound science and advancing U.S. competitiveness has also been taken. LyondellBasell’s Houston refinery, in operation for over a century, is closing due to high maintenance costs and …

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Job Analysis Flaws and How To Fix Them 16:21

11M ago16:21

16:21

Job analysis is a crucial component of instructional system design that identifies essential skills and knowledge needed for a job, moving beyond inefficient shadowing methods. However, it's often poorly executed or skipped entirely. Effective analysis should focus on specific behaviors, consider environmental factors, and adapt to technological ch…

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Life-Saving Science of Teamwork 9:24

11M ago9:24

9:24

"Teamwork matters. Teamwork saves lives." That’s the battle cry from Eduardo Salas, the Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline chair professor in Rice University’s psychological sciences department, and Scott Tannenbaum, president at The Group for Organizational Effectiveness Inc. This episode uncovers the ways teams can save lives. The deadly Pemex chemical…

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Celebrate National Periodic Table Day 7:59

11M ago7:59

7:59

Work that began in the 1800s is still going strong with the help of a teacher, Motörhead and hypothetical, superheavy elements yet to be discovered.By chemicalprocessing

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