Kickstart: Shutting down in Sarnia

Ineos Styrolution has begun removing benzene stored at its Sarnia, Ontario, facility as part of a previously announced decision to shut down styrene production at the site.

The facility has been in the spotlight since this spring when residents of the neighboring Aamjiwnaang First Nation complained of health issues related to high levels of benzene in the air. Benzene is converted into styrene monomer, used to make polystyrene and other materials. It's listed as a toxic substance in Canada and as a known carcinogen in the U.S.

Ineos Styrolution first shut down production in April, saying it was a temporary closure for maintenance, but in June said it would permanently end styrene production there "based on the economics of the facility within a wider industry context."

Ineos has maintained that the site operated within regulatory limits.

CBC reports some Aamjiwnaang First Nations residents living near the plant have evacuated while Ineos empties its benzene storage tanks due to concerns over an increased emissions risk.

Ineos told CBC the removal should be completed before Oct. 16, but "any elevated emissions are expected to be localized near the site boundary and are not expected to cause adverse effects to the local population."

We're getting to that time of the year — and I can't believe it's October either — when trendspotters begin telling us what to expect for next year. In this case, it's the color of the year for 2025.

Since 1999, Pantone has been the leading company to declare the top color. For 2024, it's Peach Fuzz, a light shade of orange Pantone says brings "a feeling of kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration." (In reviewing the first nine months of 2024, I have thoughts about how well that statement reflects this year, but we'll leave that for another time.)

Pantone hasn't announced the color for 2025 yet, but you should note that it has competition in the color forecasting space.

Krylon, the spray paint brand, previously declared that the color of 2024 actually was Bluebird, for its ability to evoke "joy and contentment within a space."

Compounder and color masterbatch supplier Americhem offered up a wide-ranging palette in its 2024 color trends, meant to evoke worlds it termed: ethereal, celestial, verdant and ardent.

And for 2025? Krylon announced its choice of Hammered Black on Oct. 2, calling it a "stark contrast" with previous colors of the year, aligning with "the resurgence of gothic and brutalist design aesthetics."

Fast-food chain Dunkin' is bringing back its Halloween-themed plastic buckets, just in time for trick-or-treating season.

It's been about 20 years since the company offered its Munchkin Bucket. The purple version offered up for 2024 will be available in mid-October and will be free with an order of 50 doughnut holes — branded as Munchkins at the doughnut and coffee shop — or available for $2 on its own.

The Munchkin Buckets will be available about the same time another fast-food chain, McDonald's, begins offering its Boo Buckets for Halloween with Happy Meal purchases.