Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert – April 2020

The purpose of this blog is to identify chemical and metal shortages reported on the Internet.  The sources of the information reported here are primarily news releases issued on the Internet.  The issue period of the news releases is April 2020.

Section I below lists those chemicals and metals that were on the previous month’s Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list and continue to have news releases indicating they are in short supply. Click here to read the March 2020 Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list.

Section II lists the new chemicals and metals (not on the March alert).  Also provided is some explanation for the shortage and geographical information.  This blog attempts to list only actual shortage situations – those shortages that are being experienced during the period covered by the news releases.  Chemicals and metals identified in news releases as only being in danger of being in short supply status are not listed.

Section I.

None

Section II.   Shortages Reported in April not found on the Previous Month’s List

Carbomer (poly acrylic acid): global; supply not keeping up with demand

Carbon dioxide (for carbonization): United States; supply not keeping up with demand

Ethanol (for use in disinfectants): Switzerland; sources no longer available

Melt blown filtering fibers: global; supply not keeping up with demand

Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats): global; supply not keeping up with demand

Reagents used in coronavirus test kits: global; supply not keeping up with demand

Reasons for Section II shortages can be broadly categorized as: 

1.  Mining not keeping up with demand: none

2.  Production not keeping up with demand: none

3.  Government regulations: none

4.  Sources no longer available: ethanol

5.  Insufficient imports:  none

6.  Supply not keeping up with demand: carbomer; carbon dioxide; melt blown filtering fibers; quaternary ammonium compounds (quats); reagents used in coronavirus test kits