Disclosure of Interest Declarations - TEAP Flexible and Rigid Foams Technical Options Committee (FTOC) - As of February 2011

Mr. J. Christopher (Chris) Bloom

Mr. Chris Bloom, Member of the Foams Technical Options Committee (FTOC) since 2008.

Mr. Bloom has worked in the area of Environmental Science since 1985 and is currently employed (15 years) with The Dow Chemical Company at the Midland, Michigan corporate site. Mr. Bloom currently holds the position of Sr. EH&S Product Stewardship Manager within the Dow Building & Construction business.

As a foam expert, Mr. Bloom serves as member of the FTOC and is also a board member for the Alliance for Atmospheric Policy located in Washington, D.C. Mr. Bloom is currently co-author of the college textbook ‘Managing Hazardous Materials’.

Costs associated with travel, communication, and others related to participation in the TEAP, FTOC and relevant Montreal Protocol meetings are paid by Mr. Bloom’s employer, The Dow Chemical Company.

Mr. Bloom owns stock in The Dow Chemical Co., which is now or has previously been a producer of ozone-depleting substances and products made with or containing ozone depleting substances and their substitutes and alternatives. Mr. Blooms´s spouse and dependent children have no proprietary interest in alternatives or substitutes to ODSs, do not own stock in companies producing ODSs or alternatives or substitutes to ODSs, and do not consult for organizations seeking to phase-out ODSs.

Mr. Roy Chowdhury

Roy Chowdhury is a chemical specialist in the polyurethane industry and is currently responsible for International Business Development for Australian Urethanes Systems based in Sydney, Australia. 

He has over 15 years of technical and consulting experience in the rigid and flexible polyurethane industry.  Since 1987 he has been involved in technical and management roles with GFL a major blowing agent and refrigerant gas manufacturer. Roy then worked for a Bayer Systems house in the Middle East in management and technical role towards the development and support for polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, and foam systems

In 2005 Mr. Chowdhury began extensive involvement in research and development activities with ecomate® (methyl formate) blowing agent in the laboratory and application stage.  He is responsible for the technical development of systems for end users, introducing ecomate technology and providing technical advice to foam enterprises in developing countries to encourage industrial conversion in an environmentally responsible manner.  By invitation of the UNDP and other UN agencies he provides technical information on ecomate technology to support the development of HCFC Phase-out Management Plans in some developing countries.
Mr. Chowdhury has been a member of the UNEP Foam Technical Options committee (FTOC) since 2009 and has Post-graduate degrees in Chemistry from India and Business Administration (MBA) from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management.  The cost of his participation in FTOC related activities are covered by Foam Supplies Inc USA, a company committed to the elimination of polyurethane products that contain or contribute to Low-level Smog (VOC’s), Ozone Depletion, and Global Warming

Mr. Kiyoshi Hara

Kiyoshi Hara is working as a part time advisor in Japan Polyurethane Industries Institute (JUII) after retiring from Asahi Glass Co in 2002. He was a member of F-TOC since 1999 and TF of foam E-o-L as a representative of Polyurethane and Phenolic Foam industries in Japan. He was a member of a project “Investigation of CFC recovery from the construction” sponsored by METI. He was Secretary General of Japan Industrial Conference for Ozone Layer Protection (JICOP) from 1994 to 2002 dispatched from Asahi Glass. He had 40 years experience in Fluorocarbon applications, 35 years in Chlorinated Solvent applications and 30 years in Polyurethane Foam technologies. He worked in Asahi Glass from 1961 to 2002.  He received 1997 Stratospheric Ozone Layer Protection Award by US-EPA. He owns stock of Asahi Glass which now and previously manufactured ODSs . His travel expense for F-TOC was paid by JUII.

Mr. Kiyoshi Hara
Japan Polyurethane Industries Institute
Yakumo Bldg. 3F
2-17-1 Nishishinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 105-0003
Tel 81-3-6402-1252   Fax 81-3-5401-2264
E-mail  hara-kt@xx.catv-yokohama.ne.jp 

Dr. Mike Jeffs

Mike Jeffs retired from Huntsman (Europe) NV in March 2008. He now works as a part time consultant to the chemical industry in Europe and on ozone and climate issues for foams for UNEP, UNDP, IPCC, European Commission and The World Bank.

Mike Jeffs has no proprietary or commercial interest in alternatives or substitutes to ODS and does not own shares in companies producing ODS or alternatives or substitutes to ODS, or products or equipment containing them.

• UNEP/IPCC Experience:
  • UNEP Foams TOC 1990 onwards – Lead Author rigid foams 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
  • TEAP Task Force 1999 – Implications to the MP of the Inclusion of HCFCs and PFCs in the Kyoto Protocol – Task Force Member
  • UNEP TEAP 2002 Task Force on Collection, Recovery and Storage – Task Force Member
  • UNEP TEAP Task Force 2005 Report on Foam EoL Issues – Task Force Member
  • UNEP TEAP/IPCC Special Report on Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System 2005 – contributing author
  • IPCC 2006 IPCC Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Inventories – contributing author
• 992-2006 and 2008 -> member of The World Bank’s Ozone Operations Resource Group (OORG) – foams representative advising on CFC and HCFC replacement options and projects

He pays his own travel and accommodation expenses to attend Foams Technical Options Committee meetings.

Mr. Candido Lomba

Candido Souza Lomba Neto, Foam TOC Member since 1997, is an Economist working at the industry association ABRIPUR as a consultant. His responsibilities include legal issues, financial issues, marketing issues, technical support to the industry for Environmental Programs, Quality Assurance Programs, Export Programs, Participation in National and International Exhibitions and any other activity to improve the business of ABRIPUR members. Relating to Montreal Protocol his most relevant activities have been as collaborator in the Brazilian Ozone Layer Programme and in-country consulting for various Implementing Agencies under the Montreal Protocol. His work assisted more than 200 companies to phase-out CFCs as blowing agents for foam processes. He is currently helping the Brazilian Government in the preparation of HPMP and the companies to choose the right technology to phase-out the HCFC-141b as a blowing agent. Candido’s time for participation in FTOC activities is funded by ABRIPUR, whilst his travel costs and other expenses are supported through the UNEP's Ozone Secretariat.

Mr. Yehia Lotfy

Yehia Lotfy  has been educated in the Jesuits School  1950 -1963 and graduated from Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering  as Chemical Engineer 1963 

Year 1980 – 1992 :
YL worked for Imperial Chemical Industries –ICI Technical liaison office in Egypt as responsible for the promotion and technical services of the POLYURETHANES SYSTEMS  for the different sectors such as (Flexible foam ,rigid foam for insulation ,automotive ,appliances ,construction ,footwear coating and adhesives )    ; SPECIALITIES  CHEMICALS  , SOLVENTS  and  REFRIGERANTS  in  Egypt

Year 1992 till Present :
Y.Lotfy established his private business -Technocom co. acting as commercial and technical representative in Egypt for
- ICI polyurethanes for all polyurethane systems and raw materials in the different industrial sectors year 1992 to 1999
 -Huntsman Polyurethane  for all polyurethane systems and raw materials  in the differences industrial  sectors from year 1999  till present
 - European  and Asian chemical companies(Marbo Italia – Sinochem , Fist chemicals –China .....) producing chemicals and additives related to Polyurethane industries such as Release Agents –Blowing agents – Catalyst for flexible foams – Pigments for Elastomer and Integral Skin Polyurethanes  systems .
-machines related to polyurethanes industries
   . Cutting Machines for Flexible and rigid PU foam blocks (Fecken-Kirfel –Germany )
   . Discontinuous Presses and continuous Laminator for panel  productions (Simimpianti –Italy ) 
   .PU soles production lines -machines and moulds ( Nova Ama Gusberti –Italy )
   .Spray foam machines (Tec Mac – Italy )
   .PU Foaming machines and related equipments ( OMS –Italy )
   .Vacuum and Refrigerants Charging equipments for the refrigeration and air condition industry  (Galileo- Italy )

Year 2009  till present  :
Y. Lotfy established  Technocom for Chemical Industries ,a Joint Venture System House with Huntsman Polyurethane to produce Polyols for Polyurethane systems in Egypt and  acting as Chairman

Years 1990-2005 :
Y.Lotfy  has been appointed as local consultant by UNDP and UNIDO  for the implementation of ODS phasing-out projects in the Foam  (UNDP) and Refrigeration  sector in EGYPT (UNIDO).

Year 2009 till present :
Y.lotfy has been appointed by UNIDO as local consultant to assess the NOU-Ministry of State for the Environment  to prepare the HPMP for the foam and refrigeration sectors .

Y.Lotfy  does not work for any organization that have any interest in Montreal Protocol , Cost associated with travel and accommodation to attend the FTOC meetings (A5 country ) are paid by the UNEP ozone secretariat. Personally and Family members have no proprietary Or any interest with any company producing any alternative or substitute to any ODS

Mr. Christoph Meurer
Mr. Christoph Meurer, member of the Foams Technical Options Committee since 2005, is an employed by Solvay Fluor GmbH, Germany. His current position is Global Marketing & Business development Manager. Mr. Meurer has been working in the field of ODS replacement products through his career at Solvay which started in 1996. Mr. Meurer holds a process engineering degree from the University of Hannover, Germany with a major in refrigeration technology. He held various positions in the field of technical service and development for refrigerants, foam blowing agents and solvents before moving to a marketing position in 2007. Solvay manufactures HFC365mfc – a 3rd generation liquid PU blowing agent.

Mr. Meurer was a member of the UNEP task force of ODS destruction technologies (2001/2002).
Mr. Meurer is the author of various technical / scientific publications in the field of Polyurethane blowing agents.    
Costs associated with travel, communication, and others related to participation in FTOC meetings are paid by Solvay Fluor GmbH.
Mr. Meurer owns no stock in any company that is now or has previously been a producer of ozone-depleting substances and products made with or containing ozone depleting substances and their substitutes and alternatives.

Mr. Meurer´s spouse has no proprietary interest in alternatives or substitutes to ODSs, does not own stock in companies producing ODSs or alternatives or substitutes to ODSs, and does not consult for organizations seeking to phase-out ODSs.

Mrs. Francesca Pignagnoli                                                                            

Francesca Pignagnoli is working full time in the DOW Chemical Company Energy Efficiency Formulated Systems Business in the current role of Global Business Development Leader.

She has 13+ years of experience in R&D in Polyurethane Systems in DOW, where she made experience of blowing agent evolutions from HCFCs into HFCs and water blown technologies, plus starting screening on new fluoroolefins, and experience in insulation and fire performance of products across PUR and PIR foams. Francesca led for some years in DOW a global development team across multiple locations in Europe and NAA. She is specialized in Rigid Formulated Systems for thermal insulation across the whole range of applications.  Along the years in DOW she has authored patents, given various papers at conferences and participated temporarily in associations like Panama and BING (ex-PU Europe) as DOW representative. Before DOW she worked for short time in Parmalat dairy food company in Quality Control lab. 

Francesca holds a Bachelor of Science in Organic Chemistry from University of Parma, Italy, and a specialization in food technology at same university.
She owns stocks of the Dow Chemical Company, which is now or has previously been a producer of ozone-depleting substances and products made with or containing ozone depleting substances and their substitutes and alternatives.
She is currently the DOW representative in ANPE national Polyurethane Association in Italy.
Francesca’s participation in FTOC is financed by DOW Formulated systems.

Dr. Ulrich Schmidt

Dr. Ulrich Schmidt, member of the FTOC since 2001, is employee of Haltermann Products, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, based in Germany. He is Doctor of Chemistry, graduated at the Dortmund University in 1977. He has been working for Haltermann Products for 23 years, starting in R&D, moved over to TS&D (Technical Service and Development) in 2000. He looks back on some 20 years of experience in the manufacture and application of n-Pentane, Isopentane and Cyclopentane in various applications, including PU and PIR foaming.

He has been appointed as a consultant to the OORG advisory group in the area of foams by the World Bank in 2008 and 2009.
His participation in the FTOC is sponsored by Haltermann Products. There is no personal or proprietary interest, neither by himself or his wife or dependent children, in any activities related to blowing agents or ODSs.

Dr Enshan Sheng

Dr Enshan Sheng obtained his PhD in 1992 from the Institute of Polymer Technology and Materials Engineering at Loughborough University of Technology in Britain. He continued in the same university with a 3-year post-doctoral research project on interfacial study of multifunctional additives in carbon black reinforced rubber.

Dr Sheng started his industry career in 1995 as a Technical Service Specialist with Huntsman Polyurethanes (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd in Singapore. He relocated to Shanghai in 1998 as a Technical Development Manager until July 2004. He was appointed as Marketing Manager, Greater China, Huntsman Polyurethanes from 2004 to 2005. During 2005-2006, he was Deputy General Manager, Huntsman Polyurethanes (Shanghai) Ltd. He was appointed as the Country Manager of Huntsman Polyurethanes (China) Ltd in Sept 2006. Dr Sheng assumed the role of Technical Director, Asia in Jan 2010. He is a Fellow of Britain’s Royal Society of Chemistry. Dr Sheng is a member in the editorial board of China’s journal “Polyurethane Industry”, and also a member of UNEP’s Foam Technical Options Committee.

Costs associated with travel, communication, and others related to participation in the FTOC meetings are paid by UNEP’s Ozone Secretariat. Dr Sheng´s spouse and dependent children have no proprietary interest in alternatives or substitutes to ODSs, do not own stock in companies producing ODSs or alternatives or substitutes to ODSs, and do not consult for organizations seeking to phase-out ODSs.

Mr. Tom Werkema

Thomas E. Werkema is currently a member of the Foams Technical Options Committee.  He previously contributed to the 2004 special report  Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System: Issues Related to Hydrofluorocarbons and Perfluorocarbons. Since 1993, Mr. Werkema has infrequently attended Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meetings and is a frequent attendee for UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Mr. Werkema is employed by Arkema Inc (Philadelphia), the North America subsidiary of Arkema SA (Paris) as the Vice President of Government Activities.  Arkema previously manufactured most ODS in facilities around the world.  It currently manufactures ODS as allowed by the Montreal Protocol and is the global leader of HFC production, used as alternatives to ODS.  Arkema is also developing HFO, low GWP alternatives.

Mr. Werkema has a BS in chemical engineering and an MBA and has built chemical plants, been manufacturing manager and run chemical businesses up to about $200M annual sales.  He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the International Climate Change Partnership and The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy. He also participates in the Center for Polyurethane Industries, Air Conditioning-Heating-Refrigeration Institute, US Council of Industry and Business and the Global Fluorochemical Manufactures Forum.

He is a member of the World Bank Ozone Operations Resource Group, specializing in the Production Sector.

Mr. Werkema was awarded a Distinguished Service Award by ASHRAE, a 2007 Climate Protection Award by US EPA, and acknowledged for his role in the special report (noted above) by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.  His work is totally financially supported by his employer and no member of his family is similarly employed.  He owns stock in his employer and, thru mutual funds, in various companies participating in the Montreal Protocol process.  His employer has recently introduced Paladin® (dimethyl disulfide) used to replace methyl bromide in many applications.  

Mr. David J. Williams has been a member of the Foams Technical Options Committee since 1996. Since 1994, Mr. Williams has worked at Honeywell’s Buffalo Research Laboratory in Buffalo New York, USA in the fluorocarbon blowing agent technology group and since 1998 has been the manager of this group.  In this role, Mr. Williams is responsible for the development and technical support of Honeywell’s fluorocarbon blowing agents used in the production of rigid polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, and phenolic foams and in extruded thermoplastic foams.  Prior to this, Mr. Williams worked for 20 years for The Dow Chemical Company/The Upjohn Company in various roles related to the development and technical support for polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, and extruded polystyrene foams or foam systems.  He holds over 20 patents on various blowing agent technologies and has authored or co-authored several papers on the subject of foam blowing agent.  Mr. Williams holds a BS degree in Chemistry from the University of New Haven, New Haven, CT.  He owns stock in companies that now or previously manufactured ozone-depleting substances and products made with or containing ozone-depleting substances and their substitutes and alternatives.  Participation of Mr. Williams in FTOC related activities is funded by Honeywel

Mr. Wentao Allen Zhang 

Allen Zhang, member of the UNEP Foam Technical Options Committee since 2005, works as Manufacturing/Supply Chain Director of Owens Corning China. 

He has been working on XPS foam manufacturing area since 1997,  and has been a member of China National Plastics Standard Committee since 2002.  He was author in the chapter on XPS Foam UNEP FTOC 2006, 2008 and 2010 Report . As Chapter Author on XPS foam, he was also involved in the activities for the Task Force on Decision XX/8 and Task Force Decision XXI/9.

He occasionally is a consultant for small tasks to industry and World Bank OORG.

Allen Zhang has no proprietary or commercial interest in alternatives or substitutes to ODS and does not own shares in companies producing ODS or alternatives or substitutes to ODS, or products or equipment containing them.

Costs associated with travel, and others related to participation in the TEAP, FTOC meetings are paid by UNEP’s Ozone Secretariat.