Researchers found that plastics can offer lower greenhouse gas emissions than substitutes in a number of use cases. | VanderWolf/Shutterstock
The severe impact of plastic ocean pollution has long been recognized, but research firm McKinsey wants to inject some of plastic’s climate benefits into the collective materials usage discussion.
Novolex reported an increase in weight of post-consumer recycled plastic used in the company’s products for 2021, though the number did not rise as a percentage of total resin used. | a_v_d/Shutterstock
Bag manufacturer Novolex increased the amount of PCR it bought in 2021, but PCR remained just 4% of overall plastic feedstock purchased.
Polypropylene rigid containers have been upgraded to “widely recycled” under the How2Recycle labeling protocol. | Colleen Michaels/Shutterstock
Two years after downgrading rigid polypropylene containers to “check locally,” a label system has returned the material to its previous status, determining at least 60% of the country has access to PP collection.
Dow will make significant investments in both mechanical and chemical plastic recycling processes to pursue its sustainability goals. | Casimiro PT/Shutterstock
Dow has signed agreements to support a variety of recycling plant projects in the U.S. and Europe.
At Epsilyte’s Ohio facility the company is re-pelletizing used PS into expandable pellets for the safety helmet market. | Courtesy of Epsilyte
Insulative material producer Epsilyte is ramping up its capacity for recycling polystyrene with investments in its Ohio facility.
PepsiCo will spend significant sums to procure recycled resin for use in consumer packaging. | PJiiiJane/Shutterstock
PepsiCo has borrowed another $1.25 billion through a “green bond,” generating more funds to buy large amounts of recycled PET for bottles.
The upcoming Indorama facility will have an annual capacity of 1.1 million tons of PET and 1.3 million tons of PTA. | StanislauV/shutterstock
After a delay of several years, construction of a vertically integrated PET plant in Texas with an annual capacity of several million tons is slated to start up again in August.
So far, 20 states have passed laws in the past few years to regulate chemical recycling as manufacturing. | JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock
In a letter to the EPA, 35 members of Congress urged the federal department to continue to regulate chemical recycling as combustion, not manufacturing, under the Clean Air Act.
An automated sorting system uses AI to continuously reprogram itself to remove different materials. | Courtesy of BHS
An autonomous system developed by Bulk Handling Systems is really more of a sorting loop than a sorting line.
PepsiCo is increasing its use of 100% RPET bottles in several markets. | SunnyToys/Shutterstock
PepsiCo announced new objectives and shared its progress toward circular packaging targets in its 2021 environmental, social and governance report. Continue Reading