The International Chamber of Commerce’s arbitration tribunal has determined that Italian group Edison, formerly Montedison, is liable for breaching environmental representations and warranties in its sale of the Spinetta Marengo and Bussi Sul Tirino sites to chemical group Solvay (Brussels / Belgium; www.solvay.com) in 2001.

Solvay claimed that Edison is liable for breaches of the environmental provisions of a 2001 share purchase agreement, a deal that resulted in Solvay acquiring Edison-owned fluorinates maker Ausimont in 2002 (see Plasteurope.com of 20.12.2001).

The partial decision, issued on June 22, ordered Edison to compensate Solvay for more than EUR 90m in losses and damages incurred till the end of 2016. It reserved its decision on additional losses and damages from 2017 for another possible phase of arbitration proceedings.

The Patent Reexamination Board of the Chinese Patent Office ruled in Solvay’s favour on a patent invalidation case filed by Zhejiang Fluorine Chemical New Material (Zhejiang / China ; www.sino-fluorine.com). The case involved a patent pertaining to certain polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) materials specifically tailored for use as binders or separator components in batteries, and to the method of making the same.