News about a pouch made of 20% post-consumer plastic captured clicks in 2019. | Courtesy of Mondi.
Readers of our Plastics Recycling Update: Technology Edition newsletter were drawn to stories about equipment and additive innovations, brand owner investments, PCR use in packaging and, in particular, food-contact approvals in the U.S. and Europe.
The list below shows our top stories published in 2019 in terms of unique clicks by the monthly edition’s subscribers.
1 | Retail giant invests in recycling technology providers
JANUARY: The parent of global retailer IKEA has invested in a pair of European companies developing cutting-edge plastics recycling technologies.
2 | EU authority gives nod to PET recycling technologies
DECEMBER: A panel determined that recycling technologies from Bandera, Erema, Poly Recycling and Starlinger produce RPET that’s safe for use in food and drink packaging.
3 | PCR flows to multi-layer applications
AUGUST: For years, packaging producers have been marketing recyclable multi-layer flexible packages. Now, they’re finding success using recycled plastic in their products.
4 | Committee issues food-contact recycling decisions
JUNE: A European panel approved the use of two technologies to recycle post-consumer PET into food and drink packaging, but it rejected a third application, citing inadequate decontamination testing.
5 | A few of the recycling innovations at K 2019
OCTOBER: K show drew 3,200 plastics and rubber industry exhibitors from around the world to Germany in October. With growing concern about plastic waste, recycling played a prominent role.
6 | Experts get technical on material innovations
MAY: Processing technology can be used to overcome shortcomings in both PET and mixed plastics, according to two plastics recycling professionals.
7 | Company sees promise in PLA recycling
FEBRUARY: PLA is marketed to consumers for its ability to degrade in composting systems. But a Los Angeles startup sees mechanical recycling in the material’s future.
8 | APR gives recyclability thumbs up to PP additive
SEPTEMBER: A market-dominating polypropylene clarifier has undergone testing to prove that it neither complicates the plastics recycling process nor harms the finished product.
9 | Here’s who recently received FDA recycling letters
SEPTEMBER: A company was given the go-ahead to recycle post-consumer PET into multi-layer reheatable food trays. Meanwhile, a global packaging company was OK’d to recycle LDPE films into reusable bags.
10 | Recycling biopharma plastics into lumber products
JULY: Biopharmaceutical production scrap consists of different polymers, multi-layer films and some hazardous materials. A recycling program is demonstrating that this tough-to-tackle stream doesn’t have to be destined for disposal.
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