Plastics News
Upcoming Events:
Plastics News Executive Forum
February 27 – March 1, 2023
Clearwater Beach, FL
For more info and to register: https://web.cvent.com/event/6d496e49-2401-40a4-9c63-8b57eec806aa/summary?RefId=PN_PrintAd&utm_medium=direct&utm_source=PNMKT_PN&utm_campaign=EF&utm_content=PN.com
Current Trending Topics in the News with Links to Articles:
- Governmental and Lobbying:
Los Angeles, San Diego pass new plastic bans
https://www.plasticsnews.com/public-policy/los-angeles-san-diego-pass-new-plastic-bans
The two largest cities in California have passed laws that put new limits on single-use plastics.
Both the Los Angeles and San Diego city councils passed the ordinances on Dec. 6.
The cities will ban the use of single-use products such as cups, containers and other expanded polystyrene products. San Diego also took the ban a step further and made utensils and straws available to customers by requests only.
Los Angeles passed three ordinances: A ban on single-use PS, an extension of regulations on single-use plastic bags and a commitment to zero-waste policies.
Michigan adopts industry-backed chemical recycling rules
https://www.plasticsnews.com/public-policy/michigan-adopts-industry-backed-chemical-recycling-rules
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed chemical recycling legislation favored by the plastics industry on Dec. 22, turning back calls by environmental groups who wanted her to veto it.
The American Chemistry Council praised Whitmer’s decision, saying the new law will encourage more investment in plastics recycling infrastructure, while opponents said it would increase environmental pollution. They promised to heighten oversight of the facilities.
Michigan is now the 21st state in the last five years to pass the industry-backed legislation, which says such facilities will be regulated as manufacturing operations rather than as solid waste incinerators. ACC calls the technology advanced recycling.
Lawmakers urge Biden to set ‘meaningful standards’ for plastic treaty
Noting ongoing talks toward a global plastics treaty, 24 members of the House and Senate sent a letter to President Joe Biden Dec. 20 urging the administration to set “meaningful standards” to reduce plastic pollution.
The letter from California Congressional Democrats Jared Huffman and Alan Lowenthal and Senators Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., asked the Biden administration to play a leading role in the negotiations.
Congress targets plastics emissions, aims to boost reusable packaging
https://www.plasticsnews.com/public-policy/congress-targets-plastics-fenceline-emissions-boosts-reusables
Some congressional Democrats are making a new push to limit permits for plastic factory construction, saying it’s needed to protect vulnerable communities, and pairing it with national targets on cutting single-use plastics and increasing reusable packaging.
The Protecting Communities From Plastics Act, unveiled Dec. 1, would require the Environmental Protection Agency to write detailed new factory emissions and pollution standards, as well as set targets on cutting single-use plastics at least 25 percent and switching 30 percent of packaging to reusable formats by 2032.
- Features and News Articles:
Legos, lawsuits, green PET, resin pricing: Your top stories of 2022
The top stories from 2022 from Plastics News Editor:
The plastics industry must be getting back to normal because my top story list of 2022 has a bit more balance than it did in 2020 and 2021.
COVID-19 dominated our headlines in 2020. And 2021 was all about resin pricing, including shortages and supply chain issues that the industry struggled with all year.
Resin pricing was still a huge topic of interest to Plastics News readers. So in this year’s list of the most popular stories on PlasticsNews.com, I’m once again going to take some liberties for the sake of variety, so the Top 15 isn’t dominated by one subject.
Global bioplastics production regains momentum
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/global-bioplastics-production-regains-growth-momentum
At the European Bioplastics Conference Dec. 6, Managing Director of European Bioplastics Hasso von Pogrell combined a traditional update of the bioplastics market along with a discussion about the implications for bioplastics from proposed Plastic Packaging and Waste Regulations in Europe.
First, the good news: After a period of stagnation in 2020, mainly due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, global bioplastics production capacities are once again on the rise. According to the latest figures, compiled in collaboration with the Hürth, Germany-based research group Nova Institute, these are set to increase significantly from around 2.23 million tonnes in 2022 to approximately 6.3 million tonnes in 2027.
Material Insights: Falling prices for engineering resins
https://www.plasticsnews.com/video/engineering-resin-prices-fall
North American buyers of polycarbonate, nylon and ABS resins are seeing lower prices. We have the details in this week’s Material Insights, plus insight into the impact of the “green wave” U.S. midterm election results on plastics.
Other topics in this month’s Plastics in Politics Live included new plastics legislation in Congress, the debate over tariffs on injection tooling, potential impacts of a global plastics treaty, and a discussion of PET recycling. Sign up for the next livestream and view past ones here.
High inventories lead to lower prices for some engineering resins
https://www.plasticsnews.com/resin-pricing/engineering-resin-prices-fall-heading-2023
Higher than normal inventories at the processor level have led to a decline in prices for several North American engineering resins in recent months.
Since September, regional prices for polycarbonate are down an average of 11 cents per pound, according to sources contacted by Plastics News. Prices in the region for nylon 6 are down an average of 12 cents per pound, with nylon 6/6 prices down 22 cents and ABS prices down 13 cents.
“People are still working out of inventory, but buyers are saying they had inventory and it’s just getting to the point that inventory is depleted,” one source said. “In the first quarter [of 2023], they’ll be buying again at lower prices.”
Plastics Recycling World Magazine
Link to November/December 2022 Issue: https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWNovDec22/html/index.html?refUrl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.plasticsrecyclingworld.com%252F
Current Trending Topics:
Plastics Industry Returns to K Fair; Numbers Exceed Expectations
The doors closed on K2022 on 28 October and it was without a doubt a successful event. “K in Düsseldorf has once again fulfilled highest expectations. It continues to be the most international, complete and innovative trade fair of the global plastics and rubber industry,” said Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at K organizer Messe Düsseldorf.
New rPET machinery developments at K2022
High demand for post-consumer PET recycling lines – waiting times are anywhere from 12 months to almost two years, with one supplier even said to be taking bids on its equipment – is a sure sign of the need in the food and drink sector to put more rPET into packaging. EU legislation requires that my 2025, all new PET bottles should contain at least 25% recyclate, with the figure rising to 30% by 2023.
Alternative PET recycling projects move forward
Several projects are underway around the world on different ways to treat PET packaging and fibre waste that is unfit for mechanical recycling. Read more on these new concepts…
Helping to improve the appearance of recyclates
Matching the aesthetics of recycled plastic materials to those achieved with virgin polymers is a challenge, but one that producers of color pigments and masterbatches are gearing up to meet.
Upcoming Events:
Chemical Recycling
North America
Houston, TX
March 21 – 22, 2023
For More Info and To Book a Booth: https://www.ami-events.com/event/14f079e0-70b1-4d3f-9972-4c794bbf36d5/summary?RefId=Advert_post_event_Report_ChemEU_22&rt=ZJWqCFC1sUuPSrZfsYSo5A
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
