Montachem Media Monitoring Report, February 2023

Plastics News

Upcoming Events:

Plastics Recycling Conference 2023

March 6 – March 8, 2023

National Harbor, Maryland

 

For more info and to register:  https://www.plasticsrecycling.com/

 

 

Current Trending Topics in the News with Links to Articles:

 

  1. Governmental and Lobbying:

 

Debate on regulating PVC waste heats up

https://www.plasticsnews.com/public-policy/epa-ponders-debate-over-pvc-waste-regulation-heats

 

The Environmental Protection Agency’s tentative decision in mid-January not to regulate PVC as a hazardous substance has prompted a spirited back-and-forth over whether it was the right move.

Many vinyl and construction groups weighed in the week of Feb. 13, telling EPA in formal comments to stick to its decision and said the widespread use and disposal of PVC is safe.

Environmental and health groups, for their part, urged EPA to reverse course and took to social media to say the massive Feb. 3 train accident in Ohio involving railcar loads of vinyl chloride monomer adds to their case.

Pushback on Canadian recyclability labeling plan

https://www.plasticsnews.com/public-policy/plastic-recyclability-labeling-plan-canada-gets-pushback

The Canadian government said it’s getting pushback on its proposal for stricter standards around recyclability and compostability labeling, which would require a package to be accepted by 80 percent of collection systems to be called recyclable.

The proposal is part of plan from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government that would also set up a “plastics registry” requiring annual reporting around how plastics are used in the Canadian economy and managed at their end of life.

 

  1. Features and News Articles:

 

COVID-19’s long-term impacts change expectations, approaches

https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/panel-covid-19s-long-term-impacts-change-expectations-approaches

The impact of COVID-19 might be waning more than three years after the pandemic first struck, but there are some fundamental changes in the workplace that have taken hold.

The early days of lockdowns brought many nonessential businesses to a halt amid widespread fears of the unknown. And a return to normalcy, or at least a new normal, means plastics companies no longer rely on the same old game plan to get through the day, according to a panel of company officials at the Plastics News Executive Forum.

Material Insights: February resin prices increase despite economic concerns [Video]

https://www.plasticsnews.com/video/february-resin-prices-increase-despite-economic-concerns

PVC and polystyrene resin prices have already settled for February, with increases for both materials. Feedstock prices and seasonal construction activity were factors, Frank Esposito explains. While the economy may be slowing, North American buyers may be restocking; there’s more on that in the video.

US Plastics Pact will miss some 2025 targets

https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/us-plastics-pact-chief-says-it-will-miss-some-2025-targets

With new data showing major brand companies in the U.S. Plastics Pact lagging their own targets for recycled content in plastic packaging, the head of the group said it likely it won’t meet all its 2025 goals.

The pact’s latest annual report, released Feb. 23, showed companies had 8 percent post-consumer or bio-based plastic content in their packaging in 2021, well off the pace to hit a target of 30 percent by 2025.

 

  1. Recycling and Sustainability:

Efforts underway to expand PET thermoforming recycling

https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/efforts-underway-expand-pet-thermoform-recycling

 

PET thermoform recycling is making strides, but the road is long and many a footstep lay ahead.

PET bottles could be considered a poster child for polymer recycling, with almost 30 percent of the material reused. Only high density polyethylene recycling numbers come close, but the PET total still lags far behind the recapture rate of other substrates such as aluminum, steel and paper.

 

 

Plastics Recycling World Magazine

 

Link to January/February 2023 Issue:  https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWJanFeb23/html/index.html?refUrl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.plasticsrecyclingworld.com%252F

 

 

Current Trending Topics:

 

Ambitious New EU Rules for Packaging and Packaging Waste

The EU’s revised Packaging and Packagin Waste Regulation will place more pressure on the plastics packaging and recycling sectors. Get the details…

 

 

Polystyrene Recycling Gains Traction

Collaboration among materials and technology companies had led to a string of mechanical and chemical recycling projects for polystyrene and other styrenic polymers.

 

 

Recycling Packaging Films Need Flexible Approach

To meet the technical challenges of recycling film-based packaging waste, an innovative and flexible approach is needed. A lot of work is going on in plastics recycling to create the technological basis for a circular economy in flexible packaging.

 

 

Pelletiser Innovations Target Quality Gains

The latest pelletiser introductions are engineered for better and more efficient performance with simplified maintenance.

 

 

 

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

 

 

Executive Summit

October 2023

Details Coming Soon