BASF supports Chemistry Week

BASF plc, at its production site based at Seal Sands near Middlesbrough, has a recognised established community programme within the North East area, which includes activities in education..

During Chemistry Week, 4th - 13th November 2005, some of these activities were co-ordinated to support the Royal Society of Chemistry in its bi-annual initiative to promote chemistry within the public arena.

The aim of the 2 projects that involved BASF was to encourage young people to take an interest in chemistry. David Ryder, Quality Assurance Technical Co-ordinator for BASF plc at Seal Sands, who is also a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, co-ordinated these events.
On 10th November David visited High Clarence Primary School at Port Clarence, which is the closest school to Seal Sands.  David provided a demonstration of visualising chemical reactions to a group of 25 pupils. They were given practical demonstrations of exothermic reactions and the development of gasses from solutions. They then participated in an activity that showed pH change with indicators and pH meters to view a reaction happening. The safe handling of chemicals, both in the laboratory and at home was reinforced while explaining how chemistry affects their everyday life.

On 11th November the BASF plc site at Seal Sands hosted a site visit for 'Gifted and Talented' chemistry students from the Billingham Campus secondary school. The students were given at introduction to the operation, including safety and environmental topics along with the basic chemistry of the production units based on the Seal Sands site.  The students had a tour of the laboratory, which included how an analytical laboratory meets the needs of a chemical production unit.  The visit concluded with a site tour to aid the students understanding of the size of the chemical production unit that had been described during their visit.

BASF plc at Seal Sands is involved with a number of other activities, which are co-ordinated with and through the Education and Skills Committee of NEPIC (North East Process Industries Cluster) to encourage involvement in chemistry as a higher education and career option.  These activities include, but not limited to a number of visits to the site from primary school pupils via the Children Challenging Industry project to 6th form students and teachers via RSC contacts.