Investigators revealed that the explosives used by the Brussels suicide bombers on March 22 contained ammonium nitrate and TATP, also known as triacetone triperoxide. News reports said the explosives were estimated at 44 pounds each and were packed with nails and screws. At least 31 people were killed and nearly 300 injured in the explosions, two of which occurred at the Brussels international airport departure terminal shortly before 8:00 a.m., and a third later that morning at a subway station about seven miles away.

The Belgian prosecutor’s office reported that authorities found more than 33 pounds of TATP during a March 23 raid on a residence linked to the suspects, as well as nearly 40 gallons of acetone and eight gallons of hydrogen peroxide, the materials used in producing TATP. Also found at the residence were nails and screws, and an Islamic State flag. Investigators said two undetonated bombs constructed with 20-40 pounds of TATP, ammonium nitrate, and a mix of metal bolts and nails were found in suitcases at the airport. A suicide belt was also recovered at the airport, and two more suitcases with bombs were confiscated during the sweep of the residence.

Experts cited by news media said TATP has become a common choice for terrorists because the chemical components are much easier to purchase than bulk quantities of ammonium nitrate. TATP is a peroxide-based rather than nitrogen-based explosive, which makes it harder to detect. TATP can also be used as a booster charge to trigger an ammonium nitrate detonation. TATP is also believed to have been used in the terrorist attacks in Paris in November.

The Union County Commission in Florida voted unanimously March 21 to put a one-year moratorium on mining applications. However, the matter has to be approved on a second vote in order to take effect. HPS II, which is proposing a phosphate rock mine for Union and Bradford Counties in the state, told Green Markets it understands the concerns being voiced in Union County and will continue their due diligence in working with the county towards a resolution.

In Bradford County, HPS said the process continues to move forward. A town hall meeting in that county held March 16 was generally regarded as supportive, compared to the opposition that has arose in Union County.

HPS II, formerly known as HPPS Enterprises LLC (GM March 11, p. 13), is composed of four family-owned landowners in the two counties.

While the company has touted itself as being owned by locals who plan to stay in the counties and reclaim the land, Union County opponents pointed to two recent incidents. The Suwannee River Water Management District recently required an HPS subcontractor to pay $454 for drilling some 38 groundwater monitoring wells without a permit. The permits have since been procured and HPS said the subcontractor thought he had initially completed the necessary paperwork. In addition, the District on March 15 issued a “notice of violation” to one of the landowners, John Shadd, for not procuring a permit for clearing, dredging, filing, and destroying wetlands for other property that he owns in Union County.

Univar Inc. in Downers Grove, Ill., announced on March 22 that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Univar Canada Ltd., has acquired the assets of Nexus Ag Business Inc., headquartered in Saskatoon, Sask. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Nexus Ag was founded in 1997 and is a wholesale fertilizer distributor to the Western Canada agriculture market. The company has six regional warehouse locations offering a broad range of products, including micronutrients, specialty fertilizers, potash, phosphates, and liquid and soluble nutrients from leading North American producers.

“As a recognized leader in the fertilizer business in Western Canada, the addition of Nexus Ag to the Univar family enhances our existing macronutrient and crop protection inputs by adding a proprietary line of micronutrients, macronutrients, and specialty fertilizers,” said Mike Hildebrand, president, Univar Canada, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. “This, together with our leading distribution and services network in the region, further strengthens Univar Agriculture’s ability to provide customers in Canada with a complete product and service offering that covers the entire growing cycle from start to finish.”

Univar said the Nexus Ag acquisition expands its distribution network to 16 facilities in four provinces, offering more than 1.2 million square feet of Agrichemical Warehousing Standards Association (AWSA) warehouse space, the most in Canada.

“Nexus Ag now operates as a division of Univar Canada Ltd., and the team begins the important work of determining the best opportunities for the integration of the two companies,” Univar spokesman Scott Johnson told Green Markets. “All areas of operations will be represented in the integration plan, including the warehouse footprint of both companies. At this point, our first priority remains on servicing our customers through our existing channels in preparation for the upcoming growing season.”

Univar Agriculture provides crop protection, seed, and fertilizer products and services to the cereal, oilseed, specialty crop, and horticultural markets in Canada. Parent company Univar is a global distributor of specialty and basic chemicals from more than 8,000 producers worldwide. Univar has been expanding, and currently operates more than 800 distribution facilities throughout North America, Western Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America, supported by a global network of sales and technical professionals.

Univar’s purchase of Nexus Ag follows its March 2 acquisition of Bodine Services and related companies in Decatur, Ill., a regional provider of environmental and facilities maintenance services. Last October, Univar bought Future Transfer and BlueStar Distribution (GM Oct. 12, 2015), which will eventually be combined with Univar’s Fort Storage business to expand the company’s logistics, warehousing, packaging, and formulation services capabilities within the Canadian agriculture market. Univar Environmental Sciences business, another of the company’s segments, provides products for vegetation management in forestry, industrial sites, and rights-of-way.

Univar also announced a number of distribution agreements with Dow Corning over the past year, the most recent reported on March 8 and involving Univar’s ChemPoint.com Inc. subsidiary. Under the agreement, ChemPoint will manage order placement, fulfillment, and technical support for Dow’s Molykote® brand compounds, greases, pastes, anti-friction coatings, dispersions, and oils for the industrial assembly and maintenance market in the U.S. and Canada.

Nearly one year ago (GM April 20, 2015), Univar purchased Key Chemical Inc., a supplier of fluoride and other chemicals to the municipal water, industrial, and oil and gas markets, including aqua ammonia, caustic potash, lime, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid. In 2012, Univar acquired Magnablend (GM Dec. 10, 2012), a Texas-based provider of custom chemical manufacturing, blending, and packaging solutions.