Myths and Truth About CROHMIQ

Myth: Some materials dissipate static electricity faster than CROHMIQ.
Truth: Rate of dissipation is not a determinant of the effectiveness of static protection. CROHMIQ fabric is designed to dissipate static electricity in a controlled manner to avoid hazardous discharges. The true measure of a Type D fabric is its ability to dissipate electrostatic charge safely without being grounded and without igniting flammable powders or solvents. For CROHMIQ this is not only proven by extensive independent testing according to the latest and most rigorous international standards, but also by the long history of safety provided by CROHMIQ in industry's most challenging environments. In 15 years since its invention, CROHMIQ fabric has been used in packaging over 40 billion pounds of chemicals without any incident of fire or explosion.

Myth: D+ or CD bags are better than CROHMIQ because they can be used as Type C or Type D.
Truth: In order to dissipate static electricity at a safe rate, Type C FIBC must have a resistance to ground of less than 108 Ω. This has always been the performance characteristic that defines Type C FIBC and it is written into national and international standards. Plants that use Type C often have interlock systems on their bag stations that prevent the contents emptying unless a proper ground connection is in place with a resistance less than 108 Ω. All D+ or CD products have a resistance much higher than 108 Ω. They cannot be used on interlocked systems and do not provide the safety of true Type C FIBC. Manufacturers of D+ and CD bags specify that their bags should be grounded to eliminate the risk of causing explosions. If bags need to be grounded to be safe they are not true Type D FIBC. Unlike CROHMIQ FIBC, D+ and CD bags do not provide full safety when ungrounded and do not meet the requirements for Type C when grounded. It is, therefore, clear that D+ and CD bags are inferior to CROHMIQ FIBC and true Type C FIBC. This is why international standards written by leading safety experts do not recognize D+ or CD bags as being safe.

Myth: It is a mistake to ground CROHMIQ FIBC.
Truth: CROHMIQ FIBC are designed and engineered to be safe without the need for a ground connection. However, there is no hazard if a ground connection is made to a CROHMIQ FIBC.

Myth: CROHMIQ fabric has a special antistatic coating and will not function safely uncoated.
Truth: CROHMIQ fabric has a regular polypropylene/polyethylene coating. The static protective properties of CROHMIQ are inherent to the base fabric and both coated and uncoated fabric provides equal static protection. Coated CROHMIQ fabric is used in applications requiring the functional barrier that a coating provides. Uncoated CROHMIQ fabric is used in applications that require a "breathable" FIBC or where a liner is used inside the FIBC.

Myth: CROHMIQ is not FDA approved.
Truth: CROHMIQ fabrics comply with the US Food, Drug & Cosmetic Acts, and the EU Material & Articles in Contact with Food Regulations. Independent analysis of the component materials used in the construction of CROHMIQ fabric has concluded that:

  • the extruded coating of CROHMIQ fabric provides a functional food contact barrier against adulteration from outside agents;
  • under FDA regulations the component materials of the CROHMIQ extruded coating and base fabric are either GRAS (generally recognized as safe) or within the relevant specifications;
  • under EU regulations, none of the component materials used in the construction of CROHMIQ fabric (including the extruded coating) is on the positive list - i.e. all component materials in CROHMIQ fabric are permitted for food contact.

Myth: CROHMIQ fabric contains solid metal filaments.
Truth: CROHMIQ does not contain any metal filaments. The special static dissipative yarns woven into CROHMIQ fabric are mainly polypropylene with a small percentage of carbon.

Myth: TEXENE recognizes other companies using similar technology to CROHMIQ as being legitimate competition.
Truth: TEXENE does not recognize the legitimacy of any product that infringes upon TEXENE patents and will vigorously enforce its intellectual property rights against others who violate its U.S. and foreign patents.

MYTH: If you own a patent, it gives you the right to use make, use and sell the product or method covered by your patent.
TRUTH: Not necessarily. Owning patent does not necessarily allow an infringer to avoid violating TEXENE patents. A patent only gives you the right to exclude others. Whether you can practice the invention described in your own patent depends upon the existence of patents owned by others. Example: Company A invents the "pencil" and obtains a patent. Later, Company B decides to put an eraser on the end of the pencil and obtains a patent on the combination. But the pencil/eraser combination sold by Company B is still a pencil and its manufacture and sale would violate the original pencil patent owned by Company A.

Myth:CROHMIQ is only available in the USA.
Truth: CROHMIQ is available worldwide and CROHMIQ FIBC are manufactured in every Continent where FIBC manufacturers and ultimate end users are located.

TEXENE LLC, Textile Technologies of the 21st Century
Textile Technologies of the 21st Century


TEXENE LLC is a leading manufacturer of technical textiles focused on delivering precision engineered, safety performance products worldwide.

ARTICLES ON ELECTROSTATICS

STATIC HAZARDS USING FLEXIBLE INTERMEDIATE BULK CONTAINERS FOR POWDER HANDLING
In the early 1990's, Dr Laurence G. Britton, a highly respected process safety engineer with Union Carbide Corp. (later Dow Corp.), conducted a study of fire and explosion incidents that occurred when FIBC were ...

DANGERS OF COMBUSTIBLE DUST EXPLOSIONS, OSHA REGULATIONS, AND ANTISTATIC FIBC
Following three fatal dust explosions in 2003 alone, the US Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) launched a wide ranging study of industrial dust explosions.  This first issue of our Electrostatic Safety ...

CHOOSING SAFE STATIC CONTROL FIBC
The second issue of our Electrostatic Safety Review outlines the development of conductive Type C FIBC and the later development of CROHMIQ, the world's first truly effective Type D FIBC fabric, which provides ...

TESTING & CERTIFYING THE SAFETY OF STATIC PROTECTIVE FIBC
The third issue in our series of Electrostatic Safety Reviews describes the rigorous testing that is demanded by national and international standards such (IEC, CENELEC, NFPA, etc.) in order to prove the safety of ...

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SAFETY STANDARDS FOR STATIC PROTECTIVE FIBC
Companies that handle combustible powders in bulk bags, or empty products from bulk bags in environments where flammable solvents may be present rely on safe antistatic FIBC to prevent fires and explosions. Proving safety ...

CHEMICAL ACCIDENTS IN THE NEWS

Feb 3rd, 2012
Gas well fire extinguished in Mercer County
A compressor at a Mercer County gas well caught fire early today. The fire was ...

Feb 2nd, 2012
Chemical spill at Middleburg Academy cancels school, one adult hospitalized
Loudoun Fire and Rescue received a call this morning regarding a chemical spill at Middleburg ...

Feb 2nd, 2012
1 hurt in grain elevator explosion
The Hutchinson News ARLINGTON – One man has been taken by ambulance to a Wichita hospital ...

Feb 2nd, 2012
Plant fire extinguished in Dickson, no injuries
DICKSON, Tenn. (AP) — A fire at a Dickson automotive plant has been extinguished and production ...

Feb 2nd, 2012
Welder's spark caused blaze that destroyed Box Elder recycling plant
DEWEYVILLE — Damage may top $1 million in a Wednesday afternoon fire that destroyed a 7,500-square-foot recycling ...

Feb 1st, 2012
Man injured in explosion at Shrewsbury business
SHREWSBURY, Pa. (WHTM) - A 21-year-old man was injured when vapors in a metal drum ...

Jan 31st, 2012
Calif. salami plant to pay $700K for ammonia leak
SAN FRANCISCO The owners of a South San Francisco salami plant will pay nearly $700,000 and ...

Jan 30th, 2012
Workers escape Muskegon Co. factory before explosion
NORTON SHORES, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – On Monday dozens of workers had a very close call, escaping ...

Jan 30th, 2012
One Person Transported After Explosion at Madison Chemistry Building
The Madison Fire Department responded to the UW Madison Chemistry Building on the morning of ...

Jan 30th, 2012
Crews finish clean up of minor chemical leak at BASF Corp. in Belvidere
Crews tearing down a tower at the former BASF Corp. chemical plant in Belvidere ruptured ...

Jan 28th, 2012
Welding work sparks explosion, fire in Hyannis
HYANNIS – Welding work and a gas leak sparked an explosion Friday morning at an automobile ...

Jan 28th, 2012
Employees escape injury at Bryant Industries fire
DANVILLE — Two employees at Bryant Industries escaped injury Friday morning when a fire quickly ignited ...

Jan 27th, 2012
13 injured, exposed to carbon monoxide
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. (AP) -- Authorities say a faulty propane tank likely caused carbon ...

Jan 26th, 2012
2 sue for injuries from fire in Derry Township
Two welders claim the negligence of workers for an Oklahoma gas well drilling company resulted ...

Jan 24th, 2012
Investigation of oil well blast ongoing
Enid News and Eagle The Enid News and Eagle Mon Jan 23, 2012, 10:42 PM CST ENID — Oklahoma ...

Jan 24th, 2012
Pinellas Park warehouse evacuated due to chemical reaction
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - A Pinellas Park warehouse was evacuated after a hazardous material spilled. ...

Jan 21st, 2012
Rig explosion near Marshall injures three
Last Modified: 1/21/2012 2:27 PM MARSHALL — An oil rig explosion in northwest Logan County injured three people ...

Jan 21st, 2012
Toxics from Suncor refinery spill still seeping into water; Colorado vows to "accelerate" response
Black goo is still seeping into waterways from Suncor Energy's oil refinery north of Denver, ...

Jan 20th, 2012
3 hurt in fiery well site explosion near Pearsall
PEARSALL, Texas (AP) - Authorities say three workers have been injured in a fiery explosion ...

Jan 19th, 2012
60-gallon chemical spill triggers haz-mat response at Solutia plant in Indian Orchard
This is an update of a story that was posted at 3:41 p.m. Thursday SPRINGFIELD ...

Jan 19th, 2012
Large Fire in Plantsville
The fire is at 200 Clark St. in Southington....

Jan 19th, 2012
Cause of fire under investigation
GEORGE WEST – The cause of a tank complex fire Friday at Key Energy Services Inc. ...

Jan 19th, 2012
Scrap metal fire enters its third day
The Gazette A rubber tire particle fire at Berkeley Scrap Metal in Moncks Corner is ...

Jan 19th, 2012
Fuel tank explosion sends local man to hospital
A local man using an arc welder on an old fuel tank was sent to ...

Jan 19th, 2012
Blast burns Green River man
| Loading… CASPER, Wyo. — A Green River man was badly burned during an on-the-job explosion in ...

Jan 18th, 2012
Glass embedded in student's chest, abdomen in lab explosion
A University of Florida laboratory explosion last week caused chemical burns on a graduate student's ...

Jan 18th, 2012
Cedar Rapids water plant chlorine leak repaired
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Firefighters have stopped a chlorine leak that set off an alarm ...

Jan 17th, 2012
Spark in auto shop ignited large fire
COLUMBIA STATION — A spark from a cutting torch accidentally igniting gasoline is believed to have ...

Jan 17th, 2012
Chemical Leak At Avondale Investigated
No injuries reported Authorities are investigating the cause of a chemical leak at the Avondale ...

Jan 17th, 2012
Workers help put out fire at U.S. Steel site in West Mifflin
Production resumed on Sunday at the U.S. Steel Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant after ...