Glyphosate manufacturers must overcome technical challenges to transform their products

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Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a joint announcement stipulating that, starting from February 25, the registration of glyphosate aqueous solutions with an active ingredient content of less than 30% will be discontinued. For glyphosate aqueous solutions that have obtained approval certificates for field trials of pesticides and are approved for registration, those with an active ingredient content of less than 30% must have their active ingredient content modified by December 31, 2009. At present, the glyphosate aqueous solution market in our country is dominated by products with low concentrations, 90% of which are solutions containing 10% active ingredient. This means that many manufacturers of glyphosate aqueous solutions with low concentrations must embark on a path of upgrading and transformation. 　　 “We are already aware of this announcement; it has a significant impact on us manufacturers of 10% glyphosate aqueous solutions. ”On March 16, a responsible official from Zhejiang Jiemaa Chemical Co., Ltd. said anxiously in an interview with reporters. 　　 China is a major country in traditional agriculture. The 10% glyphosate aqueous solution is highly favored by farmers due to its low price, low application cost, and its effectiveness in controlling weeds. China is also the only country in the world that produces and sells 10% glyphosate aqueous solutions, with an annual usage of over 250,000 tons. According to the China Pesticide Information Network, hosted by the Pesticide Testing Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture, there are over 150 domestic manufacturers of glyphosate aqueous solutions whose active ingredient content is below 30%, while only 2 companies hold pesticide registration certificates for glyphosate aqueous solutions with a 30% active ingredient content. Therefore, most manufacturers of glyphosate aqueous solutions must face product transformation. 　　 According to the announcement, an important reason for the withdrawal of low-concentration glyphosate aqueous solutions from the market is environmental concerns. 10% glyphosate aqueous solution is generally prepared by using a mother liquor with a concentration of 2%–4%, which is a byproduct of the production of glyphosate powder, to which 6%–8% of glyphosate powder is added. It not only processes the mother liquor (wastewater) but also makes it convenient for farmers to use. However, this aqueous solution contains a high amount of sodium salts, and the production process involves impurities such as formaldehyde; long-term use can lead to soil salinization and compaction. 　　 Industry experts believe that for domestic glyphosate manufacturers, producing glyphosate aqueous solutions with an active ingredient content of over 30% requires overcoming two challenges. On the one hand, using existing technologies, glyphosate aqueous solutions with an active ingredient content of over 30% cannot be prepared from the by-product mother liquor; instead, glyphosate powder must be used along with additives to formulate such solutions, which increases the cost of the product. Moreover, since there are no mature treatment techniques available for this by-product mother liquor, it cannot be reused, forcing a reduction in the production of glyphosate powder ； On the other hand, companies must apply for a pesticide registration certificate for glyphosate aqueous solutions with an active ingredient content of over 30%. This means that if companies do not actively seek out technologies for treating mother liquor and methods for formulating 30% glyphosate aqueous solutions, they will have to shut down once the regulations come into effect. 　　 It is understood that Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Group Co., Ltd., the leading company in glyphosate production across the country, began researching ways to remove impurities such as sodium salts and formaldehyde from glyphosate solutions three years ago, and has made certain advancements in this area. Well-known glyphosate manufacturers such as Fujian San Nong Group Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Jiemaa Chemical Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Liwei Chemical Co., Ltd. have also taken action to develop mother liquor treatment technologies, and are actively applying for pesticide registration certificates for 30% glyphosate aqueous solutions. However, since mother liquor treatment technology is still in the research phase, it will not be possible for all companies to master this technology and build industrial-scale facilities even by the end of the year. 　　 “The production of 30% glyphosate aqueous solution requires mixing the pure powder with additives, which is costly and may be unaffordable for farmers. Only by utilizing glyphosate wastewater for concentrated and environmentally friendly treatment, and then mixing it with the pure powder to produce products, can glyphosate aqueous solutions with a concentration of over 30% become cost-competitive. However, domestic glyphosate manufacturers do not yet possess this mature technology. ”A glyphosate-producing company in Jiangsu said helplessly. 　　 The reporter also spoke by phone with Xu Wei from the Planning Department of China Chemical Industry News. She said that they have already received calls from some companies that attended last year’s \"China Glyphosate and Its Upstream Industries Summit Forum\", which are eager for the conference organizers to include these topics as important items for discussion at this year’s conference. She made it clear that experts from relevant institutions have been invited to attend this year’s conference to provide a detailed explanation of the regulations, as well as to discuss integrated treatment technologies for glyphosate-containing wastewater within enterprises, thereby helping 10% of the companies that produce glyphosate solutions to complete the transition to producing 30% glyphosate solutions as soon as possible.