Universal access to drinking water: Arkema’s ongoing commitment!
COLOMBES, France – October 26, 2018 – Following the success of the Sail for Water mission, Arkema is supporting a new NGO, No-Thirst Initiative, to promote universal access to safe drinking water for people living in remote areas of Nepal.
Cast your mind back to between 2015 and 2017, when three young French people, through their association Sail for Water, sailed around the world to help local populations during their many stopovers who did not have access to drinking water.
Because water treatment is a major issue for Arkema’s research, it was quite natural for the Group to become a partner of the NGO. This partnership entailed the supply of ultra-filtration cartridges, developed jointly with the company Polymem which specializes in membrane filtration for water treatment. These filtration cartridges comprise hollow fiber membranes made from an Arkema fluoropolymer marketed as Kynar® PVDF. These membranes allow the ultra-filtration of suspended particles as well as germs and viruses present in the water, which therefore makes the water safe to drink and without any health hazard.
In total, the Sail for Water mission across the oceans distributed nearly 1,000 filters and helped some 30,000 people in 10 countries. The adventure does not stop here. In 2018, Sail for Water passes the baton to another French NGO, No-Thirst Initiative, for a new mission, also backed by Arkema.
It is in Nepal that the No-Thirst Initiative team will distribute 300 water filtration kits to people, including schoolchildren, living in remote areas of the country, northeast of Kathmandu.
The mission has only just begun and will last until December 2018.
About Bostik, an Arkema Company
Bostik is a leading global adhesive specialist in industrial manufacturing, construction and consumer markets. For more than a century, we have been developing innovative adhesive solutions that are smarter and more adaptive to the forces that shape our daily lives. From cradle to grave, from home to office, Bostik’s smart adhesives can be found everywhere. With 2014 sales of €1.5 billion, the company employs 4,800 people and has a presence in more than 50 countries.
About Arkema
A designer of materials and innovative solutions, Arkema shapes materials and creates new uses that accelerate customer performance. Our balanced business portfolio spans high-performance materials, industrial specialties and coating solutions. Our globally recognized brands are ranked among the leaders in the markets we serve. Reporting annual sales of €8.3 billion in 2017 we employ approximately 19,000 people worldwide and operate in close to 50 countries. We are committed to active engagement with all our stakeholders. Our research centers in North America, France and Asia concentrate on advances in bio-based products, new energies, water management, electronic solutions, lightweight materials and design, home efficiency and insulation. For the latest information, visit www.arkema.com.
