Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Executive Summary Sodium Silicate Direct Use Chemical Na20 (Si02)x (liquid, solid) Inputs to Manufacturing Process: Silica Sodium Carbonate Sodium Hydroxide J* Derivative Water Treatment Chemicals: * None % of Total Domestic Consumption Attributed to Water Sector: Less than 6% Understanding Chemical Supply Chains Map of Suppliers & Manufacturers A. Product Family: Silica CAS No.: 1344-09-8 2 Shelf Life: 12 Months — RISK OF SUPPLY DISRUPTION (Assessed in 2022) RISK RATING: Moderate-Low ,e(ate-Low Mo derate, RISK DRIVERS Distributed domestic man- ufacturing provides some resilience to supply disrup- tions. However, a key in- put, sodium carbonate, though domestically pro- duced in large quantities, is only produced in two geographic locations. RISK PARAMETERS Criticality: High. Essential for corrosion control and coagulation. Likelihood: Low. The water sector did not experience sodium silicate supply disruptions between 2000 and 2022. Vulnerability: Moderate-Low. Strong domestic manufacturing and distribu- tion, however domestic production of a key input, sodium carbonate, is geo- graphically limited. MANUFACTURING PROCESS Silica Sodium Carbonate Sodium Hydroxide Input End Use Sodium Silicate Water Treatment Applications • Coagulation • Corrosion control Other Applications Cardboard construction Detergents and cleaning products Adhesive DOMESTIC PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE Domestic Manufacturing Locations (2015): 25, distributed throughout the U.S. (^) International Trade (2019) PrimaryTrading Partner (Imports): Canada PrimaryTrading Partner (Exports): Canada Domestic Consumption (2019): 155 M kg ¦ Domestic Production (131 M kg) ¦ Imports for Consumption (45 M kg) ¦ Export of Domestic Production (20 M kg) &EPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Full Profile Product Description Sodium silicates (Na20-(Si02)x), are a class of alkaline salts with varying formulations widely used across a variety of industries. Sodium silicates are used in water treatment for corrosion control and as a coagulant aid. Sodium silicate is widely used for cardboard construction and formulation of cleaning products and detergents. Use in Water Treatment Sodium silicate is used directly in water treatment as a component of activated silica coagulant aids, for corrosion control, and for iron and manganese stabilization (AWWA, 2008). Use as a Precursor to Other Water Treatment Chemicals Sodium silicate is not used as a precursor in the commercial manufacture of other water treatment chemicals. Other Applications Sodium silicates are most commonly used in detergent and cleaning product formulations and cardboard construction. Other applications include use in hydraulic fracturing well stabilization, soil stabilization, concrete manufacturing, silica gels, paints and coatings, as an adhesive, and as a food additive (NCBI, 2021; PQ, 2004a; PQ, 2021). Primary Industrial Consumers Cardboard construction and detergent and cleaning product formulations are the primary applications of sodium silicates. Use as an adhesive and as a drilling fluid and well stabilizer are other significant applications. Water treatment, including industrial water treatment, is estimated as 6% of overall sodium silicate consumption (NCBI, 2021). Manufacturing, Transport, & Storage Manufacturing Process A significant quantity of sodium silicate produced in the U.S. starts with silica and sodium carbonate and utilizes the furnace process. The other significant production method utilizes sodium hydroxide instead of sodium carbonate in order to produce alkali silicates. Sodium silicate is a generic term for a variety of compounds containing silicon, oxygen, and sodium. Sodium silicate compounds are represented by the formula Na20-(Si02)x, where x is the ratio of silicon dioxide (Si02) to sodium oxide (Na20) by weight. The ratio determines the physical and chemical properties of the product, resulting in various applications for sodium silicate. The commercial ratio for liquid sodium silicates ranges from 1.8 to 3.75 and the commonly used ratio for sodium silicate in water treatment is 3.2 (AWWA, 2008; PQ, 2021). The most common sodium silicate manufacturing process proceeds in several steps, the overall equation for this process is outlined in Figure 1. Measured proportions of silica sand and sodium carbonate are fused in a furnace at high heat. The product from the first phase, which is an amorphous glass called sodium silicate lumps or cullet is dissolved in water at elevated temperature and pressure to produce a silicate solution. The silicate solution is then filtered to yield the final product. The ratio may be adjusted at this stage by adding sodium hydroxide to obtain the desired ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium oxide (Fawer et al., 1999; PQ, 2004b). EPA 817-F-22-049 | December 2022 f/EPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Full Profile Sodium Carbonate + Silica —> Sodium Silicate + Carbon Dioxide Na2CC>3 + xSiC>2 —^ Na20*(Si02)x + CO2 Figure 1. Chemical Equation for the Reaction to Manufacture Sodium Silicate Product Transport Sodium silicate, primarily supplied as a solution but also available as a solid or powder, is widely transported in container and bulk by truck, rail, barge, and ship. When transported as a solution, transportation costs due to high water content may increase the cost of the delivered product (PQ, 2004a; PQ 2021). Storage and Shelf Life Sodium silicate, should be stored in a tightly closed container and kept in a cool place away from direct sunlight. When stored properly, sodium silicate can have a shelf life of approximately 12 months, depending on storage conditions and size of storage container (PQ, 2004b). Domestic Production & Consumption Domestic Production Production data was collected from the 2020 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) for the year 2019, while trade data was collected from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) Dataweb, as shown in Table 1. Both production and trade data are specific to sodium silicate. Table 1. Sodium Silicate Production and Trade Data Sources Production and Trade Data Category Data Source and Date Identifier Description Domestic Production 2020 TSCA Chemical Data Reporting CAS No.: 1344-09-8 Sodium Silicate Imports and Exports U.S. International Trade Commission HS Code: 2839.19 Sodium Silicate Total U.S. domestic manufacturing of sodium silicate reported under the CDR was approximately 155 million kilograms (M kg) in 2019 (EPA, 2020). Evonik indicated production of approximately 64% of total domestic production, though a considerable number of manufacturers claimed confidential business information for production volumes, including leading domestic manufacturer PQ Corporation. The number of domestic manufacturing locations shown in Figure 2 represents operating facilities as of 2015 (EPA, 2016). Supply of NSF/ANSI Standard 60 certified sodium silicate for use in drinking water treatment is distributed throughout the U.S. (NSF International, 2021). For a more current listing of manufacturing locations and supplier locations, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Chemical Locator Tool (EPA, 2022a). 2 f/EPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - hull Profile o "7 ¦L 1 o m V • -—.-ysspw 1 .. J <%T [ CiudAa;.! o 0 dSo ~ 0 o o -, • o Qd o r O O O o o' Domestic Supply and Manufacturing of Sodium Silicate O 47 NSF/ANSI Standard 60 Certified Suppliers (NSF International, 2021) 25 Domestic Manufacturing Locations (EPA Chemical Data Reporting, 2016) ¦ T 2S z.*\ Ji Figure 2. Domestic Supply and Manufacturing of Sodium Silicates Domestic Consumption U.S. consumption of sodium silicate in 2019 is estimated at 155 M kg. This includes production of 131 import of 45 M kg, minus export of 20 M kg (EPA, 2020; USITC, 2022a), as shown in Figure 3. M kg, Domestic Consumption (2019): 155 M kg P Domestic Production (131 M kg) ¦ Imports for Consumption (45 M kg) ¦ Export of Domestic Production (20 M kg) Figure 3. Domestic Production and Consumption of Sodium Silicate in 2019 3 SEPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Full Profile Trade & Tariffs Worldwide Trade Worldwide import and export data for sodium silicate are reported through the World Bank's World Integrated Trade Solutions (WITS), as sodium silicates. In 2021, the U.S. ranked 14th worldwide in total exports and third in total imports of sodium silicates. In 2021, China ranked first worldwide in total exports and South Korea first in total imports (WITS, 2022), as shown in Table 2. Table 2. WITS Worldwide Export and Import of Sodium Silicates in 2021 2021 Worldwide Trade Sodium Silicates (HS Code 2839.19) Top 5 Worldwide Exporters Top 5 Worldwide Importers China 309 M kg South Korea 126 M kg Poland 207 M kg Netherlands 121 M kg Germany 121 M kg United States 100 M kg Egypt 60 M kg France 90 M kg Ukraine 52 M kg Japan 62 M kg Domestic Imports and Exports Domestic imports and export data are reported by USITC in a category specific to sodium silicates. Figure 4 summarizes imports for consumption1 and domestic exports2 of sodium silicates between 2015 and 2020. During this period, the overall quantity of exports and imports varied with no clear pattern. Over this five-year period, Canada was the primary recipient of domestic exports and the primary source of imports (USITC, 2022a). h o o Q. Q. C X C LU 2020 Figure 4. USITC Domestic Import and Export of Sodium Silicates between 2015 and 2020 1 Imports for consumption are a subset of general imports, representing the total amount cleared through customs and entering consumption channels, not anticipated to be reshipped to foreign points, but may include some reexports. 2 Domestic exports are a subset of total exports, representing export of domestic merchandise which are produced or manufactured in the U.S. and commodities of foreign origin which have been changed in the U.S. Domestic Trade of Sodium Silicate HTS Code 2839.19 1. 1 ll ll ll 1 1 2 Imports Ln Exports 2 Imports cn Exports 2 Imports Exports o Q. £ 2018 o o Q. Q * F jj c 20] ID Exports ¦ Imports from Canada ¦ Exports to Canada ¦ Imports from Netherlands ¦ Exports to Japan Imports from Other Countries Exports to Other Countries 4 f/EPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Full Profile Tariffs There is a 1.1% general duty for import of sodium silicate and an additional 25% duty on imports from China (USITC, 2022b), as summarized in Table 3. Table 3. 2021 Domestic Tariff Schedule for Sodium Silicates HS Code General Duty Additional Duty - China (Section 301 Tariff List) Special Duty 2839.19 1.1% 25% Free (A, All, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)3 Market History & Risk Evaluation History of Shortages There were no identified sodium silicate supply chain disruptions between 2000 and 2022. Risk Evaluation The complete risk evaluation methodology is described in Understanding Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chains and the Risk of Disruptions (EPA, 2022b). The risk rating is calculated as the product of the following three risk parameters: Risk = Criticality x Likelihood x Vulnerability Criticality Measure of the importance of a chemical to the water sector Likelihood Measure of the probability that the chemical will experience a supply disruption in the future, which is estimated based on past occurrence of supply disruptions Vulnerability Measure of the market dynamics that make a chemical market more or less resilient to supply disruptions The individual parameter rating is based on evaluation of one or more attributes of the chemical or its supply chain. The ratings and drivers for these three risk parameters are shown below in Table 4. 3 Symbols used to designate the various preference programs and trade agreements. A full list of special trade agreements and associated acronyms can be found at https://help.cbp.eov/s/article/Article-310?laneuaee=en US and the General Notes Section of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule https://hts.usitc.eov/current 5 f/EPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Full Profile Table 4. Supply Chain Risk Evaluation for Sodium Silicate Risk Parameter Ratings and Drivers ICriticality High 1 1 Likelihood Low 1 Sodium silicate is essential to the The water sector has not experienced Strong domestic manufacturing water sector for coagulation and sodium silicate supply disruptions capabilities and a distributed corrosion control. between 2000 and 2022. manufacturing base provide some resilience to supply disruptions. However, a key input, sodium carbonate, though produced in large quantities in the U.S., is limited to domestic manufacturing in only two geographic locations. Risk Rating: Moderate-Low ate-L°w Moderaf RanSe 'S/> & & 1 \ -p 3 1 00 r 1 1 References American Water Works Association (AWWA), 2008. B303, Liquid Sodium Silicate. Denver, CO: American Water Works Association. EPA, 2016. 2016 TSCA Chemical Data Reporting, retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/chemical-data- reporting/access-cdr-data#2016 EPA, 2020. 2020 TSCA Chemical Data Reporting, retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/chemical-data- reporting/access-cdr-data#2020 EPA, 2022a. Chemical Suppliers and Manufacturers Locator Tool, retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/waterutilitvresponse/chemical-suppliers-and-manufacturers-locator-tool EPA, 2022b. Understanding Water Treatment Chemical Supply Chains and the Risk of Disruptions, retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/waterutilityresponse/risk-disruptions-supplv-water-treatment-chemicals Fawer, M., Concannon, M. and Rieber, W., 1999. Life cycle inventories for the production of sodium silicates. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 4(4): 207-212. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 2020. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 23668197, Sodium silicate, retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium- silicate NSF International (NSF), 2021. Search for NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals, retrieved from https://info.nsf.org/Certified/PwsChemicals/ 6 f/EPA ------- Sodium Silicate Supply Chain - Full Profile PQ Corporation (PQ), 2004a. Applications of PQ® Soluble Silicates, retrieved from https://www.pqcorp.com/products/ PQ Corporation (PQ), 2004b. Sodium and Potassium Silicates - Versatile compounds for your applications, retrieved from https://www.pqcorp.com/products/ PQ Corporation (PQ), 2021. 2020 Annual Report, retrieved from https://investor.ecovyst.com/sec-filings/all- sec-filings U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), 2022a. USITC DataWeb, retrieved from https://dataweb.usitc.gov/ U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), 2022b. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Search, retrieved from https://hts.usitc.gov/current World Integrated Trade Solutions (WITS), 2022. Trade Statistics by Product (HS 6-digit), retrieved from https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/countrv-bvhs6product.aspx?lang=en#void 7 f/EPA ------- |