Montachem Media Monitoring Report, April 2023
Plastics News
Upcoming Events:
Current Trending Topics in the News with Links to Articles:
- Governmental and Lobbying:
Industry sees Biden bioplastics goal as serious signal
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/industry-response-bidens-bioplastics-goal-important-signal
The White House’s ambitious bioplastics goals announced March 22 face many hurdles but some in that nascent industry see it as a clear sign that President Joe Biden’s administration wants to support more climate-friendly manufacturing.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s new bioeconomy road map calls for replacing 90 percent of traditional plastics with bio-based materials in 20 years.
The 64-page report, which outlines what it acknowledges are “bold goals,” is short on details of how to get there, saying the OSTP will work out research and development priorities and other actions in coming months.
Safety of PVC water pipe questioned in new report
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/safety-pvc-water-pipe-questioned-new-report
Bennington, Vt.-based Beyond Plastics, a nonprofit group that aims to end plastic pollution, is pushing against using federal funds to replace lead water pipe with PVC.
The group on April 18 released a 56-page report that warns of human health risks related to PVC and recommends state and local officials avoid using the material as well as chlorinated PVC (CPVC) for their communities’ water pipes.
“We recommend avoiding PVC plastic and CPVC because independent researchers have documented roughly 30 to 60 different toxic chemicals released by PVC and CPVC pipes and their fittings,” said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and former EPA regional administrator under President Barack Obama’s administration.
Draft of US plastics strategy focuses on health impacts, microplastics and recycling
The Environmental Protection Agency April 21 released a draft national plastics strategy that includes a focus on the health impacts of plastics production and microplastics, as well as looking at ways to improve recycling and waste management.
The EPA report came as the White House announced a new interagency policy committee on plastics pollution and the circular economy, an indication of stepped-up interest in President Joe Biden’s administration.
- Features and News Articles:
Retailers launching pilot projects to encourage reusable bags
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/beyond-bag-working-retailers-launch-pilot-projects-phase-out-single-use-bags
More retailers are launching pilot programs to phase out single-use plastic bags and replace them with reusable bags.
The Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag, managed by Closed Loop Partners, announced the pilot initiatives on April 19.
“The consortium took the lessons learned from our 2021 in-store reusable bag pilots, in addition to lessons gathered from other reuse systems around the world, to design, test and manage this new service model,” said Kate Daly, managing director and head of the Center for the Circular Economy at CLP.
The new pilot programs will be tested at 150 stores in three states, at retailers including CVS, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dollar General, Kroger, TJX and Ulta Beauty.
Polymer Points Live April 2023: More volatility for polypropylene pricing (VIDEO)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/livestreams/polypropylene-price-pound-expected-drop-april
Polypropylene prices may be headed for a big drop in April, just a month after North American buyers saw an 8 cent per pound increase.
In our April Polymer Points Live, Frank Esposito explained why PP prices are volatile again in early 2023.
He also recapped March and first quarter pricing changes for polyethylene, polystyrene, PVC, PET, nylon, polycarbonate and ABS, and talked about where prices may be headed this month.
G7 commits to ending plastics pollution by 2040
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/g7-commits-ending-plastics-pollution-2040
The G7 economic bloc of some of the world’s largest economies is out with a declaration committing its member countries to end plastics pollution by 2040, including taking steps to reduce microplastics and consider phase-outs of nonrecyclable plastics and “harmful” additives.
The April 16 statement from the bloc, which includes Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States, also included an endorsement of the global plastics treaty talks, which have their second round of negotiations scheduled in May in Paris.
The G7 has made previous statements around plastics pollution, including a 2018 ocean plastics charter that, conspicuously at the time, was not signed by the United States and Japan.
PS, nylon prices dip in North America
https://www.plasticsnews.com/resin-pricing/polystyrene-nylon-resin-prices-fall-north-america
North American prices for solid and expanded polystyrene resins and for nylon 6 and 6/6 resins have declined since April 1.
Prices for all grades of PS dropped an average of 2 cents per pound, essentially giving back a 2-cent increase that the market had seen in March. The April decrease was connected to slow demand growth and to lower prices for benzene feedstock, according to market sources contacted by Plastics News.
- Recycling and Sustainability:
Plastics industry survey shows public support for chemical recycling
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/plastics-industry-ftc-poll-backs-chemical-mechanical-recycling-equally
As the Federal Trade Commission begins rewriting its environmental marketing Green Guides, the Plastics Industry Association is out with a survey that says consumers equally support both older mechanical recycling and newer chemical recycling technologies.
The association also noted prominently in an April 19 news release that its survey found that 62 percent of the public believes that “single-use plastics are important to their quality of life.”
Still, it was public opinion about advanced recycling, as the group calls chemical recycling, that drew most of the survey’s attention.
Post-consumer plastics recycling rebounds from depths of COVID-19
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/post-consumer-plastics-recycling-rebounds-depths-covid-19
Post-consumer plastics recycling has increased by almost 300 million pounds on a year-over-year basis in the United States, recovering from a decrease that happened during the first year of the pandemic, according to new statistics.
Recyclers, in total, acquired more than 5 billion pounds of post-consumer plastics in 2021 in the United States, an increase of 280.3 million pounds from 2020, according to the 2021 Post-consumer Plastic Recycling Data Report.
Plastics Recycling World Magazine
Link to March/April 2023 Issue: https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWMarApr23/html/index.html?refUrl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.plasticsrecyclingworld.com%252F
Current Trending Topics:
PET Machinery Groups Explore Fibre Recycling
The potential for growth in PET fibre-to-fibre recycling has caught the eye of technology companies keen to highlight the suitability of their systems for fibre applications. Read more…
Wider Choice of Additives Encourages Upcycling
The development of new additives and masterbacthes for improving the quality and stability of recycled plastics provides many new opportunities for upcycling. Read more…
Shenzen is set for Chinaplas 2023
The Chinaplas show opens its doors in Shenzen this month. We take a look at the event and some of the companies that will be exhibiting in 2023 – the event’s 35th year…
New Filters Tackle Highly Contaminated Waste
Advances in melt filtration have led to new products that deal with an increase in contamination and the trend to higher capacities. The latest offerings in melt filtration for recycled plastics are designed to handle higher contaminant levels and types while minimizing melt loss and production downtime.
Upcoming Events:
Plastics Recycling World Expo Europe
Essen Germany
June 14 – 15, 2023
For More Info and To Book a Booth: https://eu.plasticsrecyclingworldexpo.com/exhibit/become-an-exhibitor?utm_source=PRWMag&utm_medium=ExpromAd&utm_campaign=220221_E080_PA_BYS_Exhib_UK_Prospect_Exhibitors_PRW_mag
Executive Summit
October 2023
Details Coming Soon
