Degerfors IF secured their first victory since mid-May with a dramatic 3-1 comeback win against IK Sirius in Sunday's Allsvenskan encounter at Studenternas IP in Uppsala. The match appeared destined for a draw until two stoppage-time goals transformed the outcome, providing crucial points for the visiting team in their battle against relegation.
The home side started brightly, with Leo Walta converting a penalty in the 19th minute to give Sirius an early advantage. The 1-0 lead held through halftime as Sirius controlled proceedings, but Degerfors emerged with renewed determination after the break. Marcus Rafferty equalized in the 58th minute with a well-placed shot into the far corner after receiving the ball in the penalty area.
For the remainder of regular time, the match seemed headed for a share of the points until Dijan Vukojevic broke the deadlock in the 91st minute with what proved to be the winning goal. Just one minute later, Philippe Ndinga Ossibadjouo sealed the victory with Degerfors' third goal, completing a remarkable turnaround in the closing stages.
The victory marks Henok Goitom's first win as Degerfors head coach and moves the team to within three points of Halmstad BK, who occupy the relegation playoff position. With 19 points from 24 matches, Degerfors remains in 15th place but gains valuable momentum heading into the final stretch of the season, while Sirius sits tenth in the table with 26 points.
Eskilstuna Municipality has filed an appeal against the Swedish Chemicals Agency's decision to grant Senior Material a permit to use methylene chloride in its production of separator film for electric vehicle batteries. The municipal board reached this decision on October 2nd, with the community building committee scheduled to address the matter during its meeting on October 3rd. The appeal represents a significant challenge to the regulatory approval process for industrial chemical use in Sweden.
The controversy centers on methylene chloride, also known as dichloromethane (DCM), a chlorinated solvent that has been nationally prohibited in Sweden since 1996 due to health risks for workers handling the substance. The chemical is classified as carcinogenic and capable of causing genetic changes, while also being harmful to aquatic organisms. Senior Material received an exemption from this ban for its planned production operations, marking a notable exception to Sweden's long-standing restrictions on the substance.
Public concern over the potential environmental impact has manifested in substantial community opposition. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Senior Material's factory in the Svista industrial area on October 1st, expressing worries about future emissions of the chemical. The protest movement has gained momentum through social media campaigns and a petition that has collected over 130,000 signatures demanding the cessation of methylene chloride emissions.
Municipal officials cite multiple grounds for their appeal, particularly emphasizing the volume of methylene chloride approved—1,280 tons over a two-year period—which they describe as unreasonable given Sweden's phase-out objectives for the substance. Niklas Edmark, business director for Eskilstuna Municipality, stated that the approved quantity significantly exceeds what has been permitted in Sweden in recent years and conflicts with national sustainability goals. The municipality argues that the Chemicals Agency should have applied the precautionary principle more rigorously and expanded its assessment criteria given the scale of proposed use.