The essential briefing on materials, markets, regulation, packaging, recycling, and the people moving the plastics industry forward.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has published implementation guidelines for its National Policy on Plastic Waste Management (NPPWM), first adopted in 2020. The document was prepared by research firm Eunomia and funded by the Government of Japan. It focusses on three key areas: (1) improved collection of plastic waste and diversion from dumpsites and landfills; […]
European exports of plastic waste to countries outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of mostly rich countries, continued to rise in 2024. Plastic Waste Trade Watch has published the latest 2024 data, which does not yet contain data for the entire year. Full 2024 data is expected to be published […]
The 2024 edition of the European Bioplastics Conference started this morning in Berlin, Germany. Managing Director of European Bioplastics Hasso von Pogrell gave the traditional update of the bioplastics market alongside some of the key figures. Global bioplastics production hit 1.44 million tonnes in 2024. During last year’s conference, the 2023 global production levels were […]
The Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Plastics Pact (ANZPAC) has launched a pilot project for the collection, recovery and recycling of soft plastics in the Pacific Islands. ANZPAC hopes the project will lay the foundation for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, which will facilitate the sustainable management of plastic packaging while addressing the critical […]
A collaboration of seven companies, led by PET resin manufacturer Indorama Ventures, has resulted in the launch of what is said to be the world’s first bio-PET bottles. Japan’s Suntory Group is producing the bottles for selected products. Initially, the launch will entail approximately 45 million bottles for beverages made from this new bio-PET, with further introduction for Suntory products […]
Currently, the world is suffering from environmental problems caused by plastic waste. A KAIST research team has succeeded in producing a microbial-based plastic that is biodegradable and can replace existing PET bottles. A research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has succeeded in developing a […]
Finnish forest industry company UPM Biochemicals and Selenis have introduced what they call the world’s first pharmaceutical bottle partially made with wood-based plastics. The launch is the result of a partnership first announced in June 2023 to develop polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) for packaging applications. UPM has supplied Selenis, a speciality polyester resins producer, with its bio-monoethylene […]
California’s attorney general is suing oil and gas giant ExxonMobil, accusing the company of causing widespread harm to public health and the environment by generating a tremendous amount of plastic waste while also misleading the public for decades about the ability of plastic recycling to manage this pollution problem. ExxonMobil is the biggest global producer of […]