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

Sep 2nd, 2010
Oil Spill Seen In Gulf Platform Explosion
An oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded on Thursday, setting off ...

Sep 1st, 2010
Residents displaced by propane leak allowed to move back home
GILBOA, N.Y. -- The remaining residents displaced by last week's propane leak in Gilboa ...

Aug 31st, 2010
Chlorine leak contained at central Iowa General Mills plant
Officials are looking for the source of a small chlorine leak at a General Mills ...

Aug 31st, 2010
Explosion at BSU scares students, injures worker
BOISE -- It was quite the scare on the Boise State campus Monday as a ...

Aug 30th, 2010
Gas leak forces evacuations in Calhoun
Atlanta Gas Company works to repair the 2" gas line that was busted in downtown Calhoun. (...

Aug 30th, 2010
MUST SEE: Hydrogen fuel explosion caught on tape
ROCHESTER, NY (CNN) - Newly released surveillance video may help investigators figure out what caused ...

Aug 30th, 2010
Evacuation order cancelled for chemical leak
People, evacuated from their homes after a chemical in North Baton Rouge, are now allowed ...

Aug 30th, 2010
Ammonia leak reported at Georgia poultry plant
ROCKMART, Ga. -- Authorities say an ammonia leak at a West Georgia poultry plant sent 23 ...

Aug 30th, 2010
Tesoro: Hydrogen Attack Caused Anacortes Blast
Tesoro Anacortes Refinery announced Friday what investigators determined was the likely cause of an April 2 ...

Aug 30th, 2010
Blaze Erupts At Scrap Yard In Aliquippa
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. -- Firefighters spent early Monday morning battling a blaze that broke out at ...

Aug 29th, 2010
Long Island Man Burned In Garage Explosion
BY ADRIAN CARRASQUILLO A Baldwin man and his son were working in their detached garage ...

Aug 29th, 2010
BRIDGEPORT BLAZE: Fire hits abandoned ammunition plant
Click to enlarge Firefighters with Ladder 11 battle a fire at the former Remington Arms plant, ...

Aug 29th, 2010
Chemical Spill Sickens Dozens in Vegas
CNN that a chemical spill in the pool area of the MGM Grand Hotel in ...

Aug 27th, 2010
Eleven Treated At Possible SF Wharf Hazmat Site
SAN FRANCISCO -- A possible hazardous materials incident at a recycling facility at Pier 96 in ...

Aug 27th, 2010
Pinhole leak reported at Valero hydrocracker in Benicia
BENICIA -- Valero Energy Corp. this week reported yet another vapor release at its Benicia ...

Aug 27th, 2010
Explosion near Rochester airport deemed an accident
A fiery explosion that shook the Greater Rochester International Airport and was heard across the ...

Aug 25th, 2010
1 injured in gas compressor station explosion
at 4:18 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 4:18 p.m. SHONGALOO, La. - An explosion ...

Aug 25th, 2010
Rockmart poultry plant leak caused by faulty seal; More than 20 sent to hospitals
Floyd Medical Center employee Katie Hastey helps a Rome Fire fighter change into protective gear ...

Aug 24th, 2010
Fire does minor damage at S.D. ethanol plant
CHANCELLOR (AP) — A spokesman for Sioux Falls-based ethanol producer Poet says a fire at a ...

Aug 24th, 2010
At least 120 sent to hospitals by ammonia leak at Ala. plant; 4 in intensive care
THEODORE, ALA. — An ammonia leak at a coastal Alabama chicken distribution plant sent more than 120 ...

Aug 23rd, 2010
Weekend ammonia leak at Cutler packing plant sent six to hospital; repairs must be made before business can reopen
Six workers at the Wawona Packing plant in Cutler suffered what are believed to be ...

Aug 23rd, 2010
Worker injured in explosion inside Bryan tire plant
A factory worker was hurt seriously early Monday during an explosion inside a Bryan tire ...

Aug 23rd, 2010
Chemical leak sets off factory's burglar alarm
A burglar alarm at Moore Metal Finishing on Silica Avenue in Sylvania Township apparently wasn't ...

Aug 22nd, 2010
Plant Explosion in Beatrice
A plant explosion in Beatrice sent two men to the hospital Sunday morning now the ...

Aug 22nd, 2010
Portland Asphalt Factory Fire
Several Area Fire Departments On Scene Of Asphalt Factory... ...

Aug 21st, 2010
Gas leak in Niles
Several agencies across Michigan responded to a gasoline leak in Niles. It happened around 9 Saturday ...

Aug 21st, 2010
Fire at fertilizer processing facility extinguished
Firefighters extinguished a fire apparently started by spontaneous combustion overnight at the Sand Island Waste ...

Aug 21st, 2010
Update: Fire breaks out at Northeast auto body shop
Close to 20 firefighters responded to a blaze this afternoon at Armando's Body and Paint Shop ...

Aug 20th, 2010
Flowback spill occurs in west Flower Mound
A spill of flowback water occurred at a Williams Exploration drilling site in western Flower ...

Aug 20th, 2010
Texas men critically burned in gas well fire
LUBBOCK (AP) — Two men critically burned in a West Texas oil field accident didn't know ...