Banner image:Chemistry chair Wei Zhang (right) and Graduate Research Assistant Zepeng Lei study plastic materials in the Zhang Lab. (Credit:Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

One day in the not-too-distant future, the plastics in our satellites, cars and electronics may all be living their second, 25th or 250th lives.

New research from CU Boulder, published in Nature Chemistry, details how a class of durable plastics widely used in the aerospace and microelectronics industries can be chemically broken down into their most basic building blocks and then formed once again into the same material.

Its a major step in the development of repairable and fully recyclable network polymers, a particularly challenging material to recycle, as it is designed to hold its shape and integrity in extreme heat and other harsh conditions. The study documents how this type of plastic can be perpetually broken down and remade, without sacrificing its desired physical properties.

We are thinking outside the box, about different ways of breaking chemical bonds, said Wei Zhang, lead author of the study and chair of the chemistry department. Our chemical methods can help create new technologies and new materials, as well as be utilized to help solve the existing plastic materials crisis.

A detail of recycled plastic.Photo by Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder.

The PCN film directly peeled off from the glass substrate shows high transparency and flexibility. Photo by Zepeng Lei.

Their results also suggest that revisiting the chemical structures of other plastic materials could lead to similar discoveries of how to fully break down and rebuild their chemical bonds, enabling the circular production of more plastic materials in our daily lives.

In the mid-20th century, plastics were ubiquitously adopted in almost every industry and part of life as they are extremely convenient, functional and cheap. But half a century later, after exponential demand and production, plastics pose a major problem to the health of the planet and to people. The production of plastics requires large amounts of oil and the burning of fossil fuels. Disposable plastics create hundreds of millions of tons of waste every year, which ends up in landfills, oceans and even in our bodies, in the form of microplastics.

Recycling, therefore, is key to reducing plastic pollution and fossil fuel emissions this century.

Conventional recycling methods mechanically break down polymers into powders, burn them or use bacterial enzymes to dissolve them. The goal is to end up with smaller pieces that can be used for something else. Think shoes made from recycled rubber tires or clothing made from recycled plastic water bottles. Its not the same material anymore, but it doesnt end up in a landfill or the ocean.

But what if you could rebuild a new item from the same material? What if recycling didnt just offer a second life to plastics, but a repeat experience?

Thats exactly what Zhang and his colleagues have accomplished: They reversed a chemical method and discovered they can both break and form new chemical bonds in a particularly high-performance polymer.

This chemistry can also be dynamic, can be reversible, and that bond can be reformed, said Zhang. We are thinking about a different way to form the same backbone, just from different starting points.

They do this by breaking the polymerpoly meaning manyback into singular monomers, its molecules, a concept of reversible or dynamic chemistry. Whats especially novel about this latest method is that it has not only created a new class of polymer material that, like Legos, are easy to build, break apart and rebuild over and over, but the method can be applied to existing, especially hard-to-recycle polymers.

These new chemical methods are also ready for commercialization and can plug and play with current industrial production.

It can really benefit future design and development of plastics to not only create new polymers, but its also very important to know how to convert, upcycle and recycle older polymers, said Zhang. By using our new approach, we can prepare many new materialssome of which could have similar properties to the plastics in our daily life.

This advance in the closed-loop recycling of plastics is inspired by the natural world, as plants, animals and human beings alike are currently part of a planetary-level, circular system of recycling, said Zhang.

Why cant we make our materials the same way?

Additional authors on this publication include: Zepeng Lei, Hongxuan Chen, Yicheng Rong and Yiming Hu, Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder; Chaoqian Luo and Kai Yu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Denver; Yinghua Jin, RockyTech, Ltd. Boulder, Colorado; and Rong Long, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder.

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Plastics of the future will live many past lives, thanks to chemical recycling - University of Colorado Boulder

THE HAGUE, Netherlands27September 2022The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical (OPCW), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), organised an analytical chemistry course held in Hyderabad, India from 5 to 16 September 2022.

The course enhanced the chemical analysis skills of chemistry professionals from OPCW Member States with economies that are developing or in transition. Experts delivered comprehensive briefings on the provisions and implementation of the Chemical Weapons (CWC). During the two-week training, participants gained theoretical skills and practiced techniques to analyse chemicals that are subject to the CWC. In particular, the chemistry professionals received advanced insights on analytical techniques such as gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and derivatisation. The training also covered methods for sample preparation.

The Chairperson of the Indian National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention, Ms Neel Kamal Darbari underlined in her opening remarks that: The skill enhancement on the analysis of CWC-related chemicals to analytical chemists from Member States is highly essential for the better implementation of CWC at national level and helps in extending scientific collaborations for the peaceful use of chemistry across the world.

The course was attended by 20 participants from 16 OPCW Member States: Algeria, Brazil, Chile, India, Iraq, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Suriname, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

OPCW analytical development courses assist chemists to acquire practical experience in the analysis of chemicals subject to the CWC. The objectives of these courses are to: equip specialists with the skills to analyse chemicals subject to the CWC; enhance the capacities of industry, academia, and laboratories to implement the CWC at a national level; disseminate best practices in chemical analysis; and broaden the global pool of qualified chemistry professionals.

Article XI of the CWC, Economic and Technological Development, provides international cooperation for the economic and technological development of States Parties.

As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Conventions entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.

Over 99% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.

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St. James Parish, located on a stretch of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans dubbed Cancer Alley due to the high concentration of petrochemical plants, is home to the countrys largest producer of polystyrene the foam commonly found in soft drink and takeout containers.

Now, the owner of that plant wants to build a new facility in the same area that would break down used foam cups and containers into raw materials that can be turned into other kinds of plastic. While theres limited data on what kinds of emissions this type of facility creates, environmental advocates are concerned that the new plant could represent a new source of carcinogens like dioxin and benzene in the already polluted area.

The proposed plant comes as the U.S. federal and state governments and private companies pour billions into chemical recycling research, which is touted as a potential solution to anemic plastics recycling rates. Proponents say that, despite mounting restrictions on single-use packaging, plastics arent going away anytime soon, and that chemical recycling is needed to keep growing amounts of plastic waste out of landfills and oceans.

But questions abound about whether the plants are economically viable and how chemical recycling contributes to local air pollution, perpetuating a history of environmental injustices and climate change.

Skeptics argue that chemical recycling is an unproven technology that amounts to little more than the latest PR effort from the plastics industry. The Environmental Protection Agency is deciding whether or not to continue regulating the plants as incinerators, with some lawmakers expressing concerns last month about toxic emissions from these facilities.

Theyre going to be managing toxic chemicalsand theyre going to be putting our communities at risk for either air pollution or something worse, Jane Patton, a Baton Rouge native and manager of the Center for International Environmental Laws plastics and petrochemicals campaign, told EHN of the proposed new plant in Louisiana.

The air of St. James Parish, where the new plant will be located, has among the highest pollution levels along the Mississippi River corridor dubbed Cancer Alley. A joint investigation in 2019 by ProPublica, The Times-Picayune and The Advocate found that most of the new petrochemical facilities in the parish including the recycling plant will be located near the mostly Black 5th District.

In the U.S., less than 10% of plastics are actually recycled. Credit: Hans from Pixabay

When most of us picture recycling, we picture what industry insiders call mechanical recycling: plastics are sorted, cleaned, crushed or shredded and then melted to be made into new goods.

In the U.S., though, less than 10% of plastics are actually recycled due to challenges ranging from contamination to variability in plastic types and coloring. No flexible plastic packaging can be recycled with mechanical recycling the only real plastic that can be recycled are number one and number two water bottles and milk jugs, George Huber, an engineering professor at the University of Wisconsin and head of the multi-university research center for Chemical Upcycling of Waste Plastics, told EHN.

Enter chemical recycling processes that use high heat, chemicals, or both to break used plastic goods down into their chemical building blocks to, in theory, make more plastics. Proponents say that chemical recycling can complement more traditional recycling by handling mixed and harder-to-recycle plastics.

An advantage of advanced recycling is that it can take more of the 90% of plastics that arent recycled today, including the hard-to-recycle films, pouches and other mixed plastics, and remake them into virgin-quality new plastics approved for medical and food contact applications, Joshua Baca, vice president of the plastics division at the American Chemistry Council, told EHN.

The technology has actually been around for decades, with an initial wave of plants built in the 1990s, but it didnt take off then because of operational and economic challenges. Huber said some factors have changed, like a significant increase in plastic use and Chinas refusal to accept other countries waste, that make chemical recycling more viable this time around.

Yet a 2021 Reuters investigation found that commercial viability remains a major challenge for chemical recyclers due to difficulties like contamination of the incoming plastic, high energy costs, and the need to further clean the outputs before they can become plastic.

It's one thing in theory to design something on paper it's a whole huge challenge to build a plant, get it operational, get the permits and for it to perform like you think it would, Huber said.

Tracking down just how many chemical recycling plants operate today in the U.S. is tricky and depends in part on what one counts as recycling.

Most of the plants in the U.S. are pyrolysis facilities, which use huge amounts of energy to heat plastics up enough to break their chemical bonds, raising concerns about their climate impacts if that energy comes from burning fossil fuels. An analysis from Closed Loop Partners found that, depending on the technology, carbon emissions from chemical recycling ranged from 22% higher to 45% lower than virgin plastics production.

It's a very promising technology to tackle the problem of (plastic) waste, but if you don't concurrently tackle the challenge of where the energy is coming from, there's a problem, Rebecca Furlong, a chemistry PhD candidate at the University of Bath who has conducted life cycle assessments of plastics recycling technologies, told EHN.

A life cycle assessment study prepared for a British chemical recycling company found that chemical recycling has a significantly lower climate impact than waste-to-energy incineration but produced almost four times as many greenhouse gas emissions as landfilling the plastic.

The American Chemistry Council, or ACC, says that there are at least seven plants in the U.S. doing plastics-to-plastics recycling, although many of those facilities also turn plastics into industrial fuel. For example, according to records reviewed by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, or GAIA, in 2018 a facility located in Oregon and owned by one of the companies planning to build the Louisiana plant, converted 216.82 pounds of polystyrene into the plastics building block styrene, sending roughly the same amount to be burned at a cement kiln.

The ACC, European Union regulators and Furlong and her advisor, Matthew Davidson, say plastics to fuel shouldnt count as recycling. Clearly digging oil out of the ground, using it as a plastic, and then burning it is not hugely different from digging it out of the ground and burning it, Davidson, director of the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies at the University of Bath, told EHN.

Depending on the type of plastic waste the facilities are processing, the plants can generate hazardous compounds.

Depending on the type of plastic waste the facilities are processing, the plants can generate hazardous compounds. Credit: Frauke Feind from Pixabay

Chemical recycling saw a boost under the Trump administration, including a formal partnership between the federal Department of Energy and the American Chemistry Council, which lobbies on behalf of the plastics industry, to scale up chemical recycling technologies.

Theres limited information, however, on the environmental health impacts of chemical recycling plants. Furlong said she had not included hazardous waste generation in her life cycle assessments because of a lack of data. Tangri said there have been few studies outside the lab, in part because there are relatively few chemical recycling plants out there. Additionally, the ones that do exist are either too small to meet the EPAs pollution reporting threshold, or are housed within a larger petrochemical complex and so dont separately report out their air po
llution emissions.

Earlier this year, the Natural Resources Defense Council released a report looking at eight facilities in the U.S. The environmental group found that one facility in Oregon sent around half a million pounds of hazardous waste, including benzene and lead, to incinerators in Washington, Colorado, Missouri and three other states. Hazardous waste incinerators can release toxic air pollution to nearby communities. Additionally, some hazardous waste incinerators in the U.S. have repeatedly violated air pollution standards and the EPA has recently raised serious concerns about a backlog of hazardous waste piling up due to limited incineration capacity.

The Oregon facility, which is supposed to break down polystyrene into styrene, also sent more than 100,000 pounds of styrene in 2020 to be burned in waste to energy plants rather than recycled back into new plastics, according to the Natural Resources Defense Councils report.

Plastics contain a range of additives, like phthalates and bisphenols, that have serious health concerns. The European Chemicals Agency expressed concerns in a 2021 report about the extent to which chemical recycling could eliminate these chemicals, especially legacy additives like lead-stabilized PVC that the EU no longer allows, and prevent them from showing up in new plastic products.

The agency also cautioned that, depending on the type of plastic waste the facilities are processing, pyrolysis and gasification plants can generate hazardous compounds such as dioxins, volatile organic compounds and PCBs. Dioxins are considered highly toxic by the EPA as they can cause cancer, reproductive issues, immune system damage and other health issues. Volatile organic compounds can cause breathing difficulties and harm the nervous system; and some, like benzene, are also carcinogens. The agency noted that companies are required to take measures, like installing flue gas cleaning systems and pre-treatment of wastewater, to limit emissions.

Additionally, experts interviewed by the EU highlighted an overall lack of transparency about the kinds of chemicals used in some of the chemical recycling processes.

The American Chemistry Council, or ACC, says that emissions from most chemical recycling plants are too low to trigger Clean Air Act permits, citing a recent report from consultant Good Company and sponsored by the ACC that found that emissions from four plants in the U.S. were on par with those from a hospital and food manufacturing plant.

The trade group claims the plants are designed to avoid dioxin formation with many interventions, the primary one being that the plastic material is heated in a closed, oxygen-deprived environment that is not combustion, and that the facilities would be subject to violations or operating restrictions if dioxins were formed.

As the EPA decides what to do about chemical recycling plants, 20 states including Louisiana, where the new plant could be built have already passed laws that would regulate the facilities as manufacturers rather than solid waste facilities, according to the American Chemistry Council a move that environmental advocates say could lead to less oversight and more pollution. Whenever I see a big push for exemptions from environmental statutes, I get a little concerned, Judith Enck, director of the anti-plastics advocacy group Beyond Plastics, told EHN.

Advocates in Louisiana fear the new law will exempt the new facility from being regulated by the state Department of Environmental Quality, something the ACC says wont happen. However, it is unclear in the text of the law which state agency will oversee its environmental impacts (the state Department of Environmental Quality didnt respond to our question).

In a recent letter to the EPA, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and more than 30 other lawmakers requested that the agency continue to regulate pyrolysis and gasification plants as incinerators. Additionally, they also urged the EPA to request more information from these facilities on their air pollution and climate impacts.

Communities located near these facilities need to know what chemicals they are being exposed to, and they need the full protection that Congress intended the Clean Air Acts incinerator standards to provide, wrote the lawmakers.

The American Chemistry Council contends that chemical recycling plants take in plastics waste that is already sorted, and that regulating these facilities as solid waste facilities, with measures like odor and rodent controls, does not make sense. The ACC adds that, like other manufacturing facilities, chemical recycling plants would still be subject to air and water pollution and hazardous waste regulations.

Tangri, from GAIA, said that the U.S. should also follow in the footsteps of the EU and not count plastics to fuel as chemical recycling.

Overall, environmental advocates would prefer to see stronger measures taken to reduce plastic use and require that manufacturers take more responsibility for plastic packaging a concept known as extended producer responsibility. Enck suggested that there be mandatory environmental standards for packaging similar to auto efficiency standards. We really need to move to a refillable, reusable economy, she said. Do we need all these layers of packaging on a product? Do we need multi-material packaging?

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Farmington Hills Mercy sophomore Jillian Collins attempts to block a shot from Bloomfield Hills Marian senior Ella Schomer.

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FARMINGTON HILLS A mix of senior leadership, chemistry and pure talent is a dynamic trio that continues to be a recipe for success for one Farmington Hills volleyball team.

Recognized for their 2019 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division One State Championship and decade-long success rate, Farmington Hills Mercy (21-5) continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the Division One.

Currently ranked No. 3 in Division One according to the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association, Mercys 20-2 record this season showcases a team prepared to make a run in the playoffs.

I think we just have that kind of program, Mercy coach Loretta Vogel said. Every year, we teach the skills from the time theyre freshmen, so its just the skills they continue to build on themselves.

Led by seniors Ella Shields (outside hitter), Erin Kline (setter), Lauren Mullan (middle hitter), and Julia Pallozzi (defensive setter), Mercys senior leadership has been a key part in its success this year. Shields was an all-State honorable mention honoree last season.

For all us seniors this year, we really got everyone closer this year, and it really helps us on and off the court, Kline said.

Along with the four seniors are two upperclassmen leaders in junior outside hitter Angie Butler and junior outside/middle hitter Lana LaFontaine.

Mercys highest numbers this season come from its sophomore class, led by star setter and third team all-State honoree Campbell Flynn. Juniors Jillian Collins (outside hitter), Kaitlyn Pallozzi (outside/middle hitter), Keira McNutt (defensive setter) and Ava Fitzgerald (outside hitter) have made significant contributions this year for Mercy.

While a mixed bag in age, the team chemistry remains Mercys biggest strength.

I think last year, there were a lot of new people on the team, and this year, I feel were a lot closer and we play well together and work together, Shields said. I think were more of a team this year than last year.

The chemistry and continuity has been at an all-time high this year, and Vogel said its everywhere, from the players to the coaching staff.

Many of us have been at Mercy for years together, Vogel said. That continuity is helpful, without a doubt.

Mercys coaching staff consists of Mallory Kopa, Angela Kalczynski and Andrew Thompson.

Mercys chemistry has paid off on the offensive and defensive ends, but the offensive unit has been especially dominant this season.

Were very tall, and I think we run the offense really well, Campbell said. If its a 6-2 or 5-1, I think we distribute the ball really well.

While Mercy continues its successful season, it will undoubtedly have to deal with Bloomfield Hills Marian in its run for a state title. Marian, who has won back-to-back Division One state championships, has bested Mercy in each of their last two playoff meetings.

Marian got the better of Mercy this season in a three-set sweep on Sept. 28, but it will be a different atmosphere and a different Mercy team, come playoff time.

Mercy has done it before when they beat Marian on their way to a state championship title in 2019, and theyre ready to do it once more.

Its been a rivalry for so many years, Shields said. Its like, Oh, its Marian. Its always a huge game.

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Just for show! Dancing With the Stars contestants are often asked whether their onstage chemistry indicates an offscreen romantic connection.

I gotta know are those your acting skills or was that real? cohost Alfonso Ribeiro asked Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater after their Rumba to Elvis Presleys Always On My Mind during a September 2022 episode.

If youre really doing a good job acting, it all comes from the truth so theres something real in every performance, Donovan replied. Slater, for her part, was silent.

During that nights post-show interview, the U.K. native told Us Weekly she was so glad the 90210 alum had answered Ribeiros question for them.

I couldnt believe it. I was like, That question! Like, wow, just out the blue, Slater said. We really do get on and have great chemistry, which made this dance so much easier. But then when Alfonso asked that question, I was so glad you answered because I was like, I cant.

The Hallmark Channel star, for his part, explained that his acting experience prepared him for having a strong connection with his dance partner.

A lot of the movies I do, its [the] romantic lead and you have at least a couple scenes that are intimate scenes. And youre with someone who [could] very well be married or that you just met or youre not in a relationship and so you have to create that and luckily, weve had a few weeks of getting to know each other to become friends and break down that wall and be comfortable with it. I just answered as truthfully as I could, and it is the truth, he said.

In August 2022, Us confirmed that Slater had split from her husband and fellow DWTS pro, Sasha Farber. Theyve been apart for many months now, a source said at the time. They both have not been wearing their wedding rings and are each leading a single life.

The insider noted that although the duo had not filed for divorce, they were figuring out what their lives looked like without each other.

Its been a difficult time since they really care about each other and have been together for so long, the source said. Slater and Farber exchanged vows in 2018 after dating on and off since 2011.

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Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst's message to frustrated fans

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst's message to frustrated Badger fans

Mark Stewart, Wochit

MADISON The constant is change.

That has been the story for Wisconsins offensive line this season. Due to injuries, illness and the growing pains of building the unit, coach Bob Bostad has not employed the same five players from one week to the next through the first four weeks of the season.

Are we getting closer to what the final product might look like?

With left tackle Jack Nelson set to return after an illness sidelined him for the Ohio State game, the Badger coacheswill get an extensive look at their retooled line when they play host to Illinois at 11 a.m. Saturday.

While it would have been nice see how the group fared last week against the third-ranked team in the nation, this game with Illinois is more important in the scheme of the season. The path for the Badgers to regainprominence in the Big Ten starts with taking care of business in the West Division.

I think theyre battling. I think weve got some good pieces up there. But those guys five have to play as one, UW offensive coordinator Bobby Engram said. I think Bo is doing a great job of having guys ready to go play, sub in and rotate when needed.

Eight linemen have started in the first four games for the Badgers. Three of those players made their first career start this season. Combine that inexperience with steady changes in the lineup and the unit is one of many for UW that has a high ceiling for growth during the final two months of the season.

More: An approach that has served us well: Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh will be patient with Paul Chryst through these tough times

More: Wisconsin receiver Skyler Bell driven by missed opportunities at Ohio State as he and the Badgers prep for an 'aggressive' Illinois defense

More: 'I just hope you guys are there to see it': Linebacker Nick Herbig hints UW will be ready for Illinois after an ugly loss last week

Saturday's projected starting lineup of center Joe Tippmann, Nelson, left guard Tyler Beach, right guard Tanor Bortolini and right tackle Trey Wedig will be Wisconsins fourth in five games. When you consider the mid-game change against New Mexico State that saw Michael Furtney make way for Bortonlini and Logan Brown make way for Wedig, the unit has basically been different every week.

The switch to Bortonlini, who missed a significant portion of camp due to a knee injury, and Wedig, who worked at center and right guard before returning to right tackle, the position he played in high school, provided an immediate boost to the offense two weeks ago. Last week, under the spotlight of a nationally televised game on the road, the two were solid despite the lopsided final score.

I thought there were some good points in it, Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said. Im not trying to sound like a broken record, but there are some areas that weve got to be better on this, but I thought they both handled the situation. … I thought they handled the noise, handled going against the players. Were in the Big Ten now, conference play and youre going to see really good players."

Junior Logan Brown filled in for Nelson last week but Chryst confirmed Thursday that Nelson, a redshirt sophomore from Stoughton, will be back on the field Saturday,

Hell anchor a line facing an Illinois defense that has allowed a touchdown or less in three games.

Nellie is a guy that certainly brings an energy to us, Chyrst said. We feel like he is a talented player. There is a reason he was a starter for us. Hopefully the week continues to go in a positive trend. … He s a guy we all trust.

Wisconsin ranks 10th in the Big Ten in total offense with the only times it moved the ball consistently coming against Illinois State, an FCS team,and New Mexico State, which is 1-4.

With right tackle Riley Mahlman, the Game 1 starter, out indefinitely due to a right leg injury, what we see Saturday could be the Badgers' No. 1 unit for the foreseeable future. After being sidelined for a month, Bortonlini, who started five games last year, is getting better each week. Wedig, meanwhile, said he feel growing confidence after playing extensively the past two games.

The value of allowing a group to jell isn't lost on Chryst.

You are in as close a space and there arent many things a lineman doesnt do that doesnt entail another individual, he explained. If its a run play, typically there are one or more combination blocks, and if you look at pass protection there arent many times where youre just getting flat-out straight rush up the field and youre just blocking your guy.

Ask the Badgers about the effects ofthe constant changes to the line and theyll downplay them. Beach, the Port Washington native, and Bortolini, said there are enough other times during camp and practice when different combinations are used that lineup changes arent a big deal. Wedig echoed those thoughts, saying that if you gave him a week of preparation hed feel comfortable playing next to anyone.

They're focused on getting the season back on track against Illinois.

New opponent. New stuff. New defense, Beach said. I think the biggest thing is bringing over the corrections from last week and any confidence we gained as a group, carry that over to next week.

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We essentially created from nothing a product ready to go into clinical testing, says Daniel Fitzgerald, chief executive of UK-based Halo Therapeutics about his companys pan-coronavirus antivirals.

The biotech launched at a challenging time in the middle of the pandemic. We had an [active pharmaceutical ingredient, API] to begin with, explains Fitzgerald. What we needed to do was formulation, chemistry, device and preparing for a clinical trial application. Instead of starting the costly and lengthy process of finding a lab space, buying in the right equipment and assembling in-house teams, we developed a drugdevice combination product entirely using [contract research organisations, CROs], up to a clinical trial application.

[Contract development and manufacturing organisations] are, in my opinion, the pharma industrys special forces unit: a highly specialised team that functions behind the scenes, doing difficult tasks in high pressure situations, says Peter DeYoung, chief executive of one such CDMO, Piramal Global Pharma, headquartered in India.

A few decades ago, drug development was often done directly by pharma companies that commanded in-house teams of thousands of scientists. Towards the mid-1990s, there was really a change, says Mark Chadwick, chief commercial officer of CRO Charnwood Molecular whose newest site in Loughborough, UK, used to be an AstraZeneca research facility employing 2000 people. Top 10 pharma companies often had many divisions of molecular biology internally, and in the last 20 years, those divisions disappeared, adds Fitzgerald. This was entirely outsourced, mostly to Asia, just because of price.

For pharma based in Europe and the US looking for low cost and high expertise, CDMOs in China have long been a major source of drug precursors, while companies in India have broadly focused on finished drug products and biologics. But salaries in some of the major hubs in Asia have gone up a lot and so has the cost of goods sold, so theres some reversal, Fitzgerald explains.

The advantage of CROs and CDMOs is that you can look globally for the precise competencies that you need.

The effects of the Covid pandemic came into play here too, says DeYoung. The markets embrace of onshoring is real and we have responded, recognising that the definition of which shore varies and depends on the vantage point of our customer and their needs.

Minzhang Chen, co-chief executive of China-headquartered WuXi AppTec, explains that its subsidiary, WuXi STA, is steadily increasing its global footprint across the US, Europe and Asia. It added a new drug product manufacturing facility in Switzerland in 2021. Another site, focusing on formulation development and manufacturing for oral solid and injectable drugs, is under construction in the US.

Piramal also acquired a US site specifically to address the needs for US-based drug products, DeYoung explains. Weve taken major steps in the area of supply chain security by becoming less reliant on China and rethinking the raw material pipeline.

I think pharma companies have turned the corner in terms of their appetite to outsource development, says Eduard Viladesau, partner and associate director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), who is the firms topic lead in contract manufacturing and external supply in the pharmaceutical industry. The scale and scope of outsourcing has changed markedly, agrees Chadwick. At the start of my career [in the early 2000s], I worked for a company called BioFocus (now Charles River) and drug discovery outsourcing was in its infancy. Now it is a global industry.

Instead of one-off project transactions, there has been a move to long-term strategic partnerships between the contractors and their clients. Particularly in the biotech sector, CDMOs are often seamlessly integrated with any in-house development and manufacturing departments. Many small and virtual pharma companies, those that consist of only few employees and few, if any, facilities, could not exist without CDMOs.

There is a traditional division between contract research and contract manufacturing organisations, CROs and CMOs, respectively. The former support pharmaceutical companies in their drug discovery and clinical research efforts, while the latter offer activities focused on manufacturing both of active pharmaceutical ingredients and entire drug products, sometimes even including packaging.

But over the last five to eight years, there has been a rise of organisations that aim to be one-stop shops for anything from early-stage research to manufacturing. Whereas eight years ago the true CDMO was a myth, I think thats not true anymore, says Viladesau. The integration between development and manufacturing is valuable even to big pharma companies, because it really greatly reduces the tech transfer and scale up risk.

The pandemic marked a turning point for the relationship between CDMOs and pharma companies, Viladesau and colleagues wrote in a BCG article. Pre-2020, pharma companies usually outsourced services on a project-by-project basis. Long-term partnerships were rare; around 80% lasted no longer than a few years. During the pandemic, CDMOs suddenly became a huge source of additional research and manufacturing capacity though it remains unclear whether this will translate to more strategic collaborations in the long run.

The relationship has become more integrated and broader, with increasing use of [contract research, development and manufacturing organisation, CRDMO] companies from the early phases through to the complete life cycle, agrees Chen, who defines WuXi STA as one such CRDMO. Partnerships have shifted from transactional to strategic. [This] requires that CRDMOs have development technologies, manufacturing capacities and proven quality systems, as well as the experience and expertise.

For biotechs, especially virtual and emerging companies, its much the same, albeit deeper, adds DeYoung. Some of those clients do not have any in-house technical infrastructure and capabilities, and definitely dont have a deep bench of talent to rely on for specific technical needs. While big pharma companies often work with a different contractor for each step of the drug life cycle, smaller firms may prefer to partner with a CRDMO that offers a wider array of research and manufacturing services, says Viladesau. This lowers the burden of having to manage a complex set of partners for each individual step.

Speed and competency are the two major components when it comes to making decisions around outsourcing, Fitzgerald explains. The advantage of CROs and CDMOs is that you can look globally for the precise competencies that you need. Its difficult to build this especially if youre a small company in one location.

The outsourcing market for biological products sugars, proteins, nucleic acids or even whole cells and tissues is growing at 1015% per year, compared with 67% growth in small-molecule drug compounds. While new chemical entities remain the largest segment of the CDMO market, DeYoung says, Biologics have been riding a wave over the last few decades and are certainly part of the change the market has experienced.

The fastest growth, however, is happening in entirely new classes of treatment: RNA therapeutics, protein degraders, cyclopeptides, antibody drug conjugates and gene therapy. They are very highly outsourced, because normally theyre very small, so for every individual pharma player it rarely makes sense to invest in building a whole plant, says Viladesau.

I cant see us going back to a situation where a pharma company employs thousands of scientists I think that world has gone.

These new modalities require a completely different set of equipment and expertise than traditional drug molecules or even biologics. Moreover, the new modalities market encompasses so many different technologies, it would be nearly impossible for a single company to develop expertise in all of them and bear all the financial risk for drugs f
ailing. But with the help of specialist CDMOs, firms can dip in and out of different therapeutic fields. Its difficult to see a trend yet, given its already heavily outsourced, Viladesau points out.

Despite this propensity for outsourcing, when one of these new products turns out to be a clear winner, originator companies will probably eventually invest in in-house manufacturing, Viladesau suggests. Because even for all the talk about CMOs being capable, there is still a preference by pharma companies to own the manufacturing capability.

Multiple, interconnected factors continue to drive growth in outsourcing services. Chadwick points to pharma firms efforts to maximise value for shareholders; Fitzgerald highlights aspects of cost and technological advancements. DeYoung notes that large firms want to reduce their assets and costs, while emerging companies want to hit milestones as quickly and efficiently as possible, even if it means failure. The average number of drug approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration almost doubled between 2011 and 2021 compared with the previous decade, and that increase is associated with more demand for outsourcing and more opportunities for deeper integration into the pharmaceutical ecosystem.

Drugs featuring complex molecules and substances require investment in new technologies, says Chen a decision that may be more easily made by a specialist CRDMO than a pharma company. WuXi STA has recently added an injectable platform for small molecules and new modalities. Piramal has added capabilities in peptide APIs and biologics. CRDMO companies will continue to evolve in the next few years, investing in cutting edge science and technologies to enable innovation, such as targeted protein degradation and photoredox chemistry, Chen says.

More generally, the pharmaceutical industry has understood that specialist companies can often be more productive than internal resources in the R&D process, says Chadwick. Specialist CROs often see many projects across a number of targets and therapeutic areas, whereas employees working in a small or large pharmaceutical company may focus on a particular area. He suggests the CDMO market will continue to grow over the next five to 15 years. I cant see that going back to a situation where a pharma company employs thousands of scientists I think that world has gone.

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An evolution in pharma outsourcing | Business - Chemistry World

HONOLULU (KHON2) A statewide ban on two chemicals in sunscreen that went into effect in 2021 is not enough, according to Maui County councilmember Kelly King.

King said banning Oxybenzone and Octinoxate to help protect Hawaiis marine ecosystem only solved part of the problem.

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Those chemical names are trademark names. So, you can take any of those chemicals, you can add a little something something to it, you can call it something else, and now its not on the list of banned chemicals, King said.

So, we just decided to go for it, make all chemicals illegal, do the most protective thing we could do.

Only mineral-based sunscreens can be used, sold or distributed on the Valley Isle starting Saturday, Oct. 1 unless the person has a prescription.

Fines run up to $1,000, but warnings are more likely to be issued through a complaint-based system with the Department of Environmental Management.

So, its not like we have the sunscreen police driving around, looking at peoples sunscreens and reading labels, King said.

She added that retailers and distributors will have to pay the most attention to the new rule.

Its highly unlikely that a tourist is going to get a warning and then be in the same place, you know, for the second warning and ever get a fine. But once we can eliminate the distribution, King said, then I think that slows it. Thatll make a tremendous difference.

Tourists will also need to be educated on the change, according to King. A similar bill is scheduled to go in effect on Thursday, Dec. 1 on Hawaii Island, but only for the sale and distribution of chemical sunscreens.

Allowing people to have that understanding that they can still use what theyd like to use, we just dont want a broader distribution and availability in our stores here, said Hawaii County councilmember Rebecca Villegas.

Lawmakers said a statewide ban on chemical sunscreens is tricky. Rep. Lisa Marten said there was pushback from health industries with concerns over skin cancer in the past.

And that is an extremely legitimate concern, you know, here in Hawaii we have very high rates of skin cancer, and if we didnt have great alternatives to the chemical sunscreens, then I wouldnt support it myself, Rep. Marten said.

Rep Marten said a statewide ban if it is proposed and passed would likely follow the Big Island model that still allows chemical sunscreens to be used but not sold.

Weird rescues, long-lost artifacts, check out Weird News here

Thats what you see at this store, thats what you buy. It wont be a big deal, I dont see any reason to go after the individual consumers, Rep. Marten said.

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Maui bans chemical sunscreens, Hawaii Island to follow - KHON2

UConn sophomore Jordan Hawkins chats with the media following Wednesday's practice at the Werth Family Center. (Gavin Keefe/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley addresses the media following Wednesday's practice at the Werth Family Center in Storrs. (Gavin Keefe/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Storrs Tristen Newton and Jordan Hawkins are more than UConn basketball teammates.

Theyre roommates, too.

It was coach Dan Hurleys idea to room the two together.

Coach did that on purpose, Newton said after Wednesdays practice. He wanted the point guard and shooter to be together. He wants us to jell together.

They both could be in the starting lineup when the regular season begins.

Newton, a transfer from East Carolina, is one of the leading candidates to fill the starting point guard vacancy while Hawkins, a shooting guard, is looking to have a breakout sophomore season.

Theyre getting along great and building chemistry on and off the court.

Hes a great dude, Newton said. At first, it was pretty rough. But now were everywhere together. You see him, youre going to see me. Its a great relationship.

Hurley is setting a tough tone during the first official week of practice. He has a lot to sort out with eight newcomers on the roster before the season opener on Nov. 7 against Stonehill.

Theres been a noticeable ramp up in the intensity this week in practice. The Huskies went for about two hours and 20 minutes on Wednesday.

The first week, youre really trying to build team toughness and a training camp type of mentality, Hurley said. Even looking past some things fundamentally that might not be exactly what you want to challenge people. Before you can play well or win, youve got to learn how to fight and fight hard and fight together and build a camaraderie through a great challenge, so we put these guys through a fire with these practice plans early to try to build a strong, together team.

The Huskies felt the effects of Wednesdays grueling practice.

My legs hurt, but Ill be alright, Hawkins said.

Hawkins, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard with a reputation as a lethal perimeter weapon, will be a key player for the Huskies. He showed flashes of potential while battling injuries last season. He earned a spot on the All-Big East freshman team, averaging 5.8 points and 2.0 rebounds.

Since the season ended last March, Hawkins has been working on his ballhandling, moves off the dribble, playmaking and defensive skills.

Im trying to become a two-way player, he said.

Hurley is in favor of that happening. He wants Hawkins to be more than just player with a sweet looking jump shot.

We need him to play both ends of the court, Hurley said. But we just want him to be as prolific a scorer/shooter as he can be this year. Anything that he gets a look at, we want him firing.

UConn lost a lot of point production with the departure of four of the teams five leading scorers from last seasons team.

Newton has the ability to light up the scoreboard.

Last year as a starter for East Carolina, Newton averaged a career-best 17.7 points to go with 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists during his junior season.

But it will be difficult to replace All-Big East first team point guard R.J. Cole.

Newton, along with the other newcomers, will have to get up to speed quickly

We need production from him, Hurley said. Obviously, we know hes a guy thats averaged a lot of points per game at a pretty good level.We know that the scoring will translate. Some of the facilitators and point guard-type of things that you have to know, the nuances of the game, were working through.

The play in and play out motor, the life or death nature of Big East basketball, were trying to get across to all these new guys that havent been in it.

Hawkins has been impressed with Newton during workouts.

Tristen has been looking really good, Hawkins said.

Hurley names team captains

Hurley usually doesnt name team captains, but felt compelled to do just that this season, picking sophomore Adama Sanogo and junior Andre Jackson, two returning starters.

For me, thats the best compliment that you give a player in your program, Hurley said. Their work ethic is off the charts. Theyve accomplished players in terms of their production and what theyve been able to do in their career. Theyre about winning. I think they can handle the burden of leadership.

News and notes

Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun watched practice Wednesday and talked to the coaching staff and team afterwards. He said I out-cursed him today, which I know is not true because Ive been up here to watch Coach work and Ive seen him in the Big East tournament and I shared the court with him when I was a player, Hurley said. I couldnt hear everything that he was saying but I know it wasnt always nice. Hurley values Calhouns advice and would like to bring the Hall of Famer back to more practices this season. Hurley on running full practice sessions: You get that long practice headache from screaming for two hours and 20 minutes, so it feels good. Freshman Donovan Clingan, who starred at Bristol Center, says hes in the best shape of his life. Ive never felt better.

g.keefe@theday.com

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Newton, Hawkins building chemistry on and off the basketball court at UConn - theday.com

The Brooklyn Nets have struggled to get close to a championship for a long time. Despite having elite stars like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets have failed to win the NBA Championship last year or even impress their fans. The Nets finished seventh in the Eastern Conference last season with a 44-38 record. They managed to reach the conference semi-finals.

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Unfortunately, the Milwaukee Bucks won the series by 4-3 ending all hopes for the Brooklyn Nets. One of the major reasons behind their lack of championship-winning performance was the lack of chemistry between players. Recently, the Nets players were spotted having dinner together in Brooklyn.

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The images of players were uploaded on the Brooklyn Nets official Twitter page. Stars like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons appear to be having a great time bonding together over dinner.

The Nets would hope to develop a more closely knit team in order to win a championship in the future. It has been a while since the Nets have done well enough to get close to a championship.

The Nets roster has faced a great deal of uncertainty during the off-season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving requested a trade during the summer. The Nets have been actively involved in trade negotiations for the NBA champs. However, the two-time NBA champ could not find the right team.

Meanwhile, Irving was involved in an exchange trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for Russell Westbrook. But, the two teams could not reach an agreement. Thus, it is highly likely that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will play the next season with the Nets.

Watch This Story: Ben Simmons blockbuster Nets debut, Stephen Curry vs Damian Lilliard, and other moments to look out for.

The Brooklyn Nets fans were quite excited about the team having a dinner night together. It was a nice initiative for the team to clear out the fog and enjoy a moment of bonding together. Here are some of the reactions from the fans.

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Fans were thrilled by seeing the Big three of Durant, Irving, and Simmons together. They wished the Nets team will make the next season count and finally win a championship for the first championship since 1976.

Share your thoughts on the Brooklyn Nets chances in the comments below.

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Creating That Chemistry: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Nets Having Fun at Dinner Has Nets Fans Excited for the Season - EssentiallySports

Who is that?

The teenage whispers around the room werent actually meant to be quiet.

That was fine with me.

I was in this strange room filled with young people because my professor said I needed observation hours, and the woman who had welcomed me into her classroom had answered the phone and said sure, come on over.

I fell in love with journalism as a 14-year-old kid. By the end of freshman year, I told everyone I wanted to be a high school newspaper adviser. Six years later, I started my observation hours in this classroom of whispering kids to make that dream come true

Shes my probation officer, but dont tell anyone, Sandra Brown, the teacher who had answered my call, whispered back to the students who asked.

Shocked, the kids looked from her to me and back. Most doubted the story but wondered if maybe, just maybe, their teacher had a secret past.

Thus began my relationship with one of the most incredible mentorships of my life.

Mentorship is defined as the act or process of helping and guiding another person to support their personal development.

Janice Omadeke, CEO and Founder of the Mentor Method, says chemistry is essential to a strong mentorship. She is absolutely correct.

I retired this year from a long, incredibly successful, and fulfilling career as a high school journalism teacher. Little did I know that the initial moment of humor by my to-be mentor set the stage for one of the main reasons I not only made it as a teacher but thrived in the classroom.

Sandra and I hit it off immediately. When I graduated with my teaching certificate and was hired by the school where Sandra taught, she asked me to take over the newspaper program. My dream, handed to me by a veteran who believed I could do the job.

Like all jobs, in teaching, there are policies, procedures, and company expectations to follow. Sandras mentorship extended far beyond the walls of my classroom and helped me learn to excel at the expectations. She challenged me to do more and be better.

More than that, her mentorship helped me through the rocky times of the job and kept me going when the simple fact is most educators dont.

Thats the magic of strong mentorship.

As that new teacher who was given a chance, I didnt understand how essential Sandras mentorship was or the work she had to do to make the mentorship work.

As Omadeke said, chemistry is essential.

Sandra and I got along immediately. But I wasnt Sandras only mentee. She understood the importance of the job, and she worked to build the chemistry that leads to a strong mentor/mentee relationship.

Sandra also introduced me to a core group of strong educators who were constantly working to improve the craft of teaching. Because of Sandra, I not only had a great mentor, I had a mentor group to help me learn the ins and outs of the job, a job that was constantly changing as emerging research showed new ways of helping students succeed.

Omadeke says the traits of mentorship center on comfortability, connection, and whether you click or clash.

Some of those elements arent always immediately obvious. As a mentor over the years, I learned it sometimes takes time to get to comfortability and connection. But if the immediate reaction you have to a person is the abrasive clash, definitely tread carefully.

A strong mentor is invaluable. A mentor you clash with can create havoc for your career. Trust your gut there. That clash feeling is also a type of chemistry, and if you feel it, for reason or not, its time to move on.

Today Sandra is one of my dearest friends. Thats not always where a strong mentorship takes you, but its great that it can. Now she can help mentor me through the weird wonderfulness that is retirement. Im looking forward to it.

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Chemistry: The key ingredient to a successful mentorship - The American Genius

Pack your bags.

That was the message wide receiverJa'Marr Chasegot from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow the morning of the 2021 NFL draft. During the 2019 season at LSU, Burrow and Chase formed one of college football's most potent combinations. When Chase got the text from Burrow on draft day, it indicated a reunion in Cincinnati might be his future.

"I don't know if that was a hint or not, but when I saw that text I said, 'OK, I'm ready,'" Chase said after the Bengals selected him with the fifth overall pick. The move paid off handsomely for Cincinnati. Chase had a record-setting year with81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chase was named the NFL's top offensive rookie. The connection between Burrow and Chase helped push the Bengals to the brink of winning the franchise's first Super Bowl last season.

Burrow and Chase aren't the only quarterback-receiver combinations who went from being college teammates to linking up in the NFL. They will face two of their former college rivals when Cincinnati hosts the Miami Dolphinson Thursday night (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video).

One pick after the Bengals drafted Chase, Miami reunited Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle with his former college quarterbackTua Tagovailoa. They're two of six NFL teams that have reunited quarterbacks with their college receivers, hoping to mimic the spark teammates showed before they turned pro.

So far, the results seem to be paying off for Cincinnati, Miami and teams that made similar moves across the NFL.

Stats together with LSU, 2018-19: 107 receptions, 2,093 yards, 23 TDs

Stats together with Bengals, 2021-22: 100 receptions, 1,641 yards, 15 TDs

The moment Chase realized Burrow was a special quarterback didn't happen on the field.

Ahead of the LSU Tigers' game against the Florida Gators in October 2019, Burrow approached Chase about watching film together. Burrow pointed out all the weaknesses he saw in the opposing defensive backs as they plotted an attack for the upcoming Saturday. Chase finished with seven catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-28 win.

The two were prolific members of one of the best college teams in recent history. LSU went undefeated and won the national championship that season. Burrow won the Heisman Trophy while Chase earned the Biletnikoff as the nation's top receiver, finishing with 1,780 yards and 20 touchdown receptions.

When Chase first arrived at LSU in 2018, the instructions from Burrow were simple but powerful.

"He was just telling me, 'Bro, if I see one-on-one, I'm going to throw it up to you,'" Chase recalled in August ahead of his second NFL season. "That right there let me know that he believes I'm a great receiver and that I can make plays. When he told me that, it's just my part to make the play and let him keep believing that I can do it."

That belief didn't waver when the pairing reunited in the pros. One year after the Bengals drafted Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, they selected Chase at No. 5. And again, it ended up being a special connection. Chase set Cincinnati's franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season and was named the Associated Press' Offensive Rookie of the Year.

That on-field connection was exemplified in a Week 17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs that clinched the AFC North and the Bengals' first playoff berth since 2015.

On a pivotal third-and-27, Burrow found Chase for a 30-yard completion down the right sideline. It worked for the same reason Burrow told him when they started playing together at LSU.

"Everybody knows the meme: 'Eff it, Ja'Marr's down there somewhere,'" Burrow said in his postgame news conference. "I'm gonna just throw it up to him and he's gonna make a play." -- Ben Baby

Stats together with Oklahoma, 2017-18: 77 receptions, 1,425 yards, 11 TDs

Stats together with Cardinals, 2022: 23 receptions, 249 yards, 1 TD

Before they became one of college football's most dynamic duos during the 2018 season, Murray and Brown forged their relationship behind closed doors in 2017 at the expense of one of college football's best teams.

While both were backups for the Oklahoma Sooners that season, they joined forces on the scout team. Over the course of the season, they built a bond, a friendship and a connection on the field that they're rekindling five years later.

The show they put on back then set the stage for 2018 and, again in, 2022.

"It was hell," former Oklahoma cornerback Jordan Thomas said. "It was almost like I'd rather play our starting offense versus our scout team."

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury can see the comfort that Murray has with Brown.

"The flashes are there," Kingsbury said. "And as the season goes on, I expect it to be a pretty good combination."

From Kingsbury's experience, which includes college football, if a quarterback and receiver work in college, "it usually has a chance -- if they're talented enough -- to continue that chemistry on the next level."

It's safe to say Murray and Brown are that type of talented. Both were first-round picks in 2019.

Murray and Brown remained close after college, working out together during offseasons. In fact, they were throwing together when Brown got the call he was traded to the Cardinals in April.

"Just knowing him on a personal level, just knowing the person like, who they really are, just helps you on the field because I know how he thinks, I know how he's wired, he knows how I'm wired, and sometimes it clicks for people and sometimes it doesn't," Brown said.

"With me and Kyler, I think it clicked know from Day 1 and then it's just something that we just got."

Brown had a career-high 14 catches in just his third game with Murray for 140 yards, the second most of his career. -- Josh Weinfuss

Stats together with Alabama, 2018: 7 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD

Stats together with Eagles, 2021-22: 79 receptions, 1,165 yards, 6 TDs

Hurts and Smith are both electric on the field, but it's their unspectacular lifestyles off of it that helped forge their initial bond.

Hurts was Smith's host when Smith took his visit to the Alabama Crimson Tide's campus. Asked what they did together outside of the obligatory functions, Smith said: "We didn't do nothing. I went back to my hotel room. We didn't hang out or nothing like that. That's just the type of guys we are. We don't want to be out. We just want to keep to ourselves."

It's all about business for both of them. When one wanted to meet up to get extra reps in, the other was always game. It became clear pretty quickly that they were like-minded when it came to their serious approach to their crafts.

"I always kind of draw towards a guy that's willing to put the work in because I know I'm going to put the work in," Hurts said. "I was able to build a relationship with DeVonta just because he was willing to work. We didn't like to party much or do too much -- we'd hang out with our friends and do things like that -- but we were about the grind. There's a few guys I remember being willing to do that: Minkah Fitzpatrick being one of them, DeVonta being one of them. We were able to build a great relationship just through our work ethic, and kind of tracked ourselves back here to Philly."

Hurts and Smith were teammates at Alabama during Smith's freshman and sophomore years (2017-18), when Smith was sharing the field with other standouts like Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III. Smith and Hurts connected for 12 receptions, 207 yards and two touchdowns during their time together in Tuscaloosa before Hurts transferred to Oklahoma.

When Smith first arrived to the Eagles practice facility in April 2021 after being selected with the 10th overall pick in the draft, Hurts was there to greet him, just like he did at Tuscaloosa. This time around they went a little wild and headed down the street to take in a Sixers game before calling it a night. -- Tim McManus

Stats together with C
lemson, 2018-20: 71 receptions, 811 yards, 7 TDs

Stats together with Jaguars, 2022: 8 receptions, 81 yards, 0 TDs

Lawrence and Etienne have been teammates for five years, so naturally they've become close.

And as friends do, they share things. Memories. Maybe a few secrets. And hand towels.

It's easier to let Etienne explain:

"So he wears his towel in the front and I wear my towel in the back," he said. "After the first quarter my towel was drenched so I can't wipe [my hands] on my towel. He keeps his towel fresh and clean because he's got to keep his hands dry. So he's right here. So I just use his."

That started when Lawrence arrived at Clemson in 2018 (Etienne got there in 2017). At any moment during a game or a practice Etienne could reach over during the huddle and clean his hands on Lawrence's towel. It has become an inside joke between the two that carried over into the NFL when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted the pair in the first round in 2021. Etienne missed his first NFL season with aa Lisfranc injury.

South Florida coach Jeff Scott, who was Clemson's co-offensive coordinator from 2015-19, said it's not surprising that Lawrence and Etienne got along so well there and continue to do so now because they are similar people.

"High character [and] they love football," Scott said. "Not a lot of distractions off the field. They're very focused and really are all about the right thing. You saw them together a lot on the field, and off the field and they always had great communication.

"It was a very kind of professional [relationship] among them even at the college level. It was just a little bit of a higher level of maturity from them than maybe most guys at that point in their college career."

Etienne was a little more flashy, however, wearing his towel out of the back of his pants for a little style. So Lawrence had to unwittingly help keep his hands dry. "It doesn't bother me," Lawrence said. "I just have to switch out my towel more often than normal." -- Michael DiRocco

Stats together with Fresno State, 2012-13: 233 receptions, 3,037 yards, 39 TDs

Stats together with Raiders, 2021: 17 receptions, 189 yards, 3 TDs

It was after the first four routes Carr saw Adams run at Fresno State when the quarterback made a beeline to then-Fresno State Bulldogs coach Pat Hill.

"Why are we redshirting him?" Carr asked Hill of the new guy in 2011. "What are we doing?"

Adams, Carr said, might have been a better basketball player coming out of high school, yet he was already better than any other receiver on the Bulldogs' roster. The two became fast friends in California's Central Valley and as their chemistry grew for Fresno State, so, too, did their success. In 2013, when Carr passed for more than 5,000 yards, Adams caught 24 of his 50 touchdown passes. Carr was drafted 36th overall by the Raiders in 2014 and Adams went 17 picks later to the Green Bay Packers.

"We were working out together for the first six years of our NFL career anyway because we lived right down the street from each other once I moved up to Danville [California]," Adams said in training camp. "So, we were probably throwing three times a week for five, six years. Had about a two-year gap when the [Raiders] moved [to Las Vegas from Oakland], but basically picked up where we left off."

And then some. After the megatrade that landed Adams in Las Vegas in March, they showed their chemistry was real. In Week 1 of the 2022 season, their first game as NFL teammates, Carr targeted Adams 17 times and Adams had 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD.

"We both are so committed and obsessive over our craft to where ... I messed something up at the end of practice, just a subtle thing, and we go back out there after," Adams added. "I just want to feel that and do it because that's the way we did it before. Anytime if he didn't like a ball he threw in a period, he had me go stand in the spot that I would have been catching the ball and then he'll fire it until he liked how he threw it, which is usually one more pass.

"But when you got two dudes that have worked together and already built up a lot of camaraderie and have a close friendship, I feel like that makes it so much easier kind of getting back and jelling the way you were before."

Yes, their lockers are next to each other in the Raiders facility. --Paul Gutierrez

Stats together with Alabama, 2018-19: 48 receptions, 798 yards, 7 TDs

Stats together with Dolphins, 2021-22: 91 receptions, 1,100 yards, 9 TDs

Tagovailoa and Waddle spent two seasons together at Alabama, winning a national championship game and losing in another.

Their connection might not have been as prolific as the other duos on this list, but that didn't stop the Dolphins from reuniting the former college teammates .

Neither was known for being particularly vocal, but Tagovailoa said he noticed a growth in Waddle during the time between their final game at Alabama on Nov. 16, 2019, and their first with the Dolphins on Sept. 12, 2021.

"His biggest improvement is his communication," Tagovailoa said last season. "In college, Jaylen would speak up here and there, but you really see him now. You come to the sideline after a series and he's out there telling me, 'Hey, this is why I'm running this route. I'm running it because of this and that, and this is where I'm expecting the ball.' He's telling me 'do this.'

"And it's not asking -- it's more so telling."

Miami's idea to reunite them in the NFL paid off immediately. Waddle was the team's leading receiver last season, setting an NFL rookie record for receptions with 104 on a team-high 140 targets. And they've picked up where they left off, particularly during an explosive win over the Ravens in Week 2 as both players set career highs for yards and touchdowns.

They generally like to downplay their success in the NFL having much to do with their relationship at Alabama, and that's their prerogative. But Tagovailoa trusts Waddle implicitly, and that trust goes both ways.

During their game-winning drive against the Ravens, Waddle said Tagovailoa addressed the huddle, telling his teammates "it's either us or them right now."

"That got me going, man," Waddle said after the game.

Immediately after Tagovailoa's message to the team, he and Waddle connected for the game-winning touchdown. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

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College chemistry paying off for six QB-receiver duos in the NFL - KABC-TV

The Philadelphia 76ers believe they have a championship caliber roster in place entering the 2022-23 season. After swinging a trade deadline deal for James Harden last year, Philadelphia knocked off the Toronto Raptors in the first round, and lost a tough six-game series to the Miami Heat in round two with superstar center Joel Embiid playing through multiple injuries.

The Sixers have now had a full offseason to integrate Harden while spending their summer improving the roster around the margins. This should be one of very best teams in the East, but its going to require Harden to reestablish himself as one of the best guards in the league after a down year by his standards last season. We named him one of nine NBA players with the most to prove entering the new year.

The Sixers certainly have a lot of talent, led by Harden and Embiid, but they will need to find cohesion. That process begins in the preseason. As the Sixers opened training camp, there was a viral video of head coach Doc Rivers coaching up Harden that was so cool to watch.

This is a rare peak behind the curtain of what goes on at NBA practices. Fans are smarter because of access like this, and its a great way to grow the game.

In the clip, Rivers talks to Harden about the need to establish Embiid this season. He says Harden is a team leader, and needs to show everyone else how to get the big man in the middle going.

We were a horrible would you agree? a horrible post passing team last year, Rivers tells Harden. Our objective is getting that first. Thats why you need to have the right spirit about it. Get them to do it right.

What I got to get yall right on is when to roll, when to pop, when you got the ice. You and him, yall got to get a communication where yall listen to each other.

Rivers also pressures Harden to find his own scoring. Harden led the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons by averaging more than 30 points per game when he was in Houston, but his scoring numbers have fallen the last two years. He only put up 21 points per game after being traded to Philly.

We got to get you what you want, Rivers says. You can;t just say youre a facilitator. You need to be a scorer and facilitator. Its going to take time to figure it out. We need you to be the aggressive James you were the last five minutes.

Rivers also tells Harden that the rest of the team must fall in line behind him and Embiid.

We got to establish Joel and you, Rivers says. Theres a pecking order, this aint a democracy.

The Sixers added P.J. Tucker, DeAnthony Melton, and Danuel House over the offseason, and still have Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and Paul Reed. This team should be excellent if they can find the chemistry Rivers is seeking. Its so cool to see how that process starts to build.

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James Harden and Doc Rivers showed us what its like to build NBA chemistry in training camp - SB Nation

BRIGHTON TWP. Residents looking to safely dispose of potentially dangerous chemicals will have an opportunity to recycle these items next weekend.

Beaver County and the Pennsylvania Resources Council plan to host a recycling drive at the Bradys Run Park Recycling Center for the safe disposal of household chemicals on Oct. 8. Visitors are asked to pay a $20 fee to recycle up to 10 gallons or 50 pounds of these chemicals and electronic devices.

Materials being collected at the recycling center include:

According to event organizers, additional fees may occur for the disposal of oversized loads at the discretion of staff members on site. Visitors recycling fire extinguishers will also need to pay an additional $12 charge per device and those wishing to recycle liquid mercury will need to pay an additional $15 per pound of the material.

Visitors are asked to place all of the chemicals and items in their trunks or the bed of a truck to assist in the donation process.

All forms of payment will be accepted at the event. Advance registration is required to participate in the recycling drive. Visitors can register online at prc.org/CollectionEvents or by calling 412-488-7490.

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PRC to host household chemical recycling drive in Bradys Run Park next weekend - The Times