Plastics News
- Governmental and Lobbying
EU considers support measures to rescue plastic recyclers
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/eu-considers-support-measures-rescue-plastic-recyclers
The European Union is considering ways to support European plastics recyclers.
Speaking to the press after the June 17 Environment Council meeting, European Commissioner Jessika Roswall said she discussed European plastic recyclers’ urgent need for support with Ministers.
The meeting was held by Roswall, the European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, together with environment ministers for EU member states.
Roswall said the ministers discussed the different measures that could support the European plastics recycling sector. Many showed “strong commitment” for ramping up support for recyclers through their interventions, she said.
- Features and News Articles
Consumer brands say stronger plastics treaty makes economic sense
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/consumer-brands-make-economic-case-bolder-plastics-treaty
As global plastics treaty talks head toward a potential make-or-break negotiating session in August, a coalition of consumer brands is telling countries that a deal that sets global obligations for recycling and plastics use makes more economic sense than one that defers too much to individual nations.
In a June 25 letter, the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, which includes some of the world’s biggest users of plastics packaging — as well as large packaging firms like Amcor Ltd. — said a deal with global standards around recycling and plastic products would generate twice as much money for recycling and improve the economics of managing plastic waste.
New study says to think fees, not bans, to reduce plastic bag litter
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/fees-not-bans-will-help-plastic-bag-litter-prevention-study-says
A new study suggests plastic bag fees could be more impactful than bans in limiting plastic bag litter on shorelines.
And the work published in the journal Science also finds full bag bans are more effective than partial bans.
A just-published article examines the impact on bans, partial bans and fees as they relate to reducing plastic bag litter along the nation’s waterways. Researchers used a database of cleanup projects created by the environmental group Ocean Conservancy.
“We’re still getting more plastic bags on shorelines as a percentage of all the cleanup items over time,” study co-author Kimberly Oremus said. “It’s not eliminating the problem, it’s just making it grow more slowly.”
Policies affecting the use of plastic bags created a 25 to 47 percent decrease in plastic bag shoreline litter compared to locations without policies.
Mergers & Acquisition Tracker
Updated list of merger and acquisition deals within the plastics industry. Details include the buyer and the company or assets being purchased, along with a link to read more about each transaction.
- Recycling and Sustainability
Using behavioral science to make a habit of recycling
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/behavioral-science-plays-part-plastics-recycling
The word of the day is heuristics.
Shira Abel says that phrase can help packaging recyclers, including those handling plastic packaging, increase consumer participation in efforts to capture more material for reuse.
Abel has spent the last 25 years in marketing and figuring out why people act the way they do.
Simply put, a heuristic is a mental shortcut, she told attendees at the Packaging Recycling Summit organized by Packaging World magazine in Irving, Texas. And it’s this shortcut that can help people automatically act a certain way — like recycle — without having to really think.
Researchers convert PET waste into acetaminophen
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/scientists-convert-pet-waste-acetaminophen
A team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Wallace Lab used genetically reprogrammed E. coli bacterium to convert terephthalic acid into the active ingredient of acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, a widely used painkiller medication.
The university released news of its research June 23.
The academics used hydrolysis to depolymerize PET flakes from a discarded bottle into its constituents monomers which include terephthalic acid. They then used a fermentation process using E.coli to accelerate the conversion from terephthalic acid into acetaminophen in less than 24 hours. Around 90 percent of the process output was acetaminophen.
PureCycle readies plans to supply P&G, creator of its solvent technology
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/purecycle-readies-plans-supply-pg-creator-its-solvent-technology
A near-decade long journey to commercialize a solvent-based technology to recycled polypropylene is closer to coming full circle — in a sense.
Orlando, Fla.-based recycler PureCycle Technologies Inc. is laying out an updated timeline to supply consumer brands giant Procter & Gamble Co.
The recycled PP from PureCycle will be used in spouts and dose caps for P&G, which initially developed the solvent recycling approach before licensing the technology to PureCycle for commercialization.
“We are in the process of qualifying our PureFive resin for multiple applications with P&G. We have passed the critical qualification steps for this initial application of the dose caps and spouts for P&G brands. We’re excited to begin the scaled production tests in the coming months and eventually see the items on store shelves in 2026,” PureCycle CEO Dustin Olson said in a July 25 email exchange.
The dissolution recycling technology is a true game changer with its ability to purify the polypropylene at the molecular level and to do it with a lower carbon footprint than the production of virgin PP.
Plastics Recycling World Magazine
May/June 2025 issue: https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWMayJune25/html/index.html?refUrl=https%253A%252F%252Fmagazines.amiplastics.com%252F
New Bridge in Panama uses Recycled Plastics
Thanks to the joint efforts of Bladex, the Panama Canal, and the Botellas de Amor Foundation, a new pedestrian bridge has been built over the Panama Canal using over three tonnes of recycled plastic. The structure, measuring 81 m in length, connects four communities, significantly improving the mobility and safety of over 300 people.
Recycling Know-How Comes Together in California
Market leaders and industry experts will share their knowledge at AMI’s new Plastics Recycling Technology North America Conference in California in June. See details around the speakers and key discussion points in this Conference preview…
PIR Advances: From Factory Floor to Future Fabric
Developments in recycling of production waste and use of post-industrial recycled (PIR) content over the past year have covered a range of areas, including textiles, injection molding, and film extrusion. Progress has been spurred by regulation, innovation, and application development.
Shredder Companies on Upward Trajectory
Major developers and suppliers of shredding technology are enjoying strong demand despite economic pressure in the plastics recycling sector.
Amazon’s Vision for Recyclable Bioplastics Packaging
In the quest to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and packaging waste, many companies and consortia are working on improved solutions for collection and sortation as well as seeking alternatives to conventional plastic materials and package designs. Innovators from diverse industries and geographies are combining existing knowledge with new technologies to make packaging more sustainable while still meeting functional requirements.
Forming a Bond: Solutions for Mixed Materials
One of the challenges with using mechanically recycled compounds is the range of materials that can be in the mix. Different types of polymers don’t mix well, and inorganic fillers don’t always bond well with organic polymers. A host of problems, such as gels and poor mechanical and optical properties, can arise from a poorly blended mix. Different types of chemistries promise to help by acting as the interface to better disperse one material type within the matrix of another or to bond dissimilar types together for improved strength.
Upcoming Events:
Bioplastics
August 26-27, 2025
Cleveland, Ohio
Information and Registration: https://www.ami-events.com/event/5e7218cb-45fb-4e84-bb42-8c3ca9fbcf6c/regProcessStep1:2e4774a7-3ee0-4c28-b399-5c3fb87c83ff?RefId=Magazine_Ad
AMI Plastics World Expo
November 12-13, 2025
Cleveland, Ohio
Information and Registration: https://na.compoundingworldexpo.com/ami-plastics-world-expos-north-america-exhibitor-form?utm_source=FSE_mag&utm_medium=ami_mag&utm_campaign=25_PWE_NA&utm_id=exprom_exhibitor_dps
