Scotland plans to redirect ‘tens of millions’ of drinks bottles and cans to recycling streams by adding deposits; starting 2023, consumers pay extra 20 pence on purchase but get money back when container returned; roll-out delayed one year due to Brexit and pandemic
Steel packaging recycling in Europe at 79.5%
Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging reports steel packaging recycling in Europe at record high 79.5% in 2016; ‘well on track’ for self-imposed target of 80% recycling by 2020
United States creating national plastic pollution strategy
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution; outlines goals to reduce pollution during plastic production, improve recycling/reuse, and remove microplastics from waterways
Partnership to improve UK recycling
The organizations WRAP and OPRL to work together to reduce consumer confusion related to recycling, improve quality and quantity of recyclate in UK
A single polymer for food packaging?
UK retailer Marks and Spencer considers using only one polymer group for plastic food packaging to improve recyclability; PET and PEF possible options
Australian draft action plan against marine plastic pollution
Australian Government publishes draft plan to reduce marine debris and target plastic pollution in particular; commits to prevention, removal, monitoring activities, raising public awareness
Estrogenicity assessment of novel can coating
New scientific study describes absence of estrogenicity of tetramethyl bisphenol F, a monomer for novel can coatings; tests with can coating extracts support this finding
EU to inspect consumer products for hazardous substances
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announces large enforcement project to check for presence of select hazardous substances regulated under REACH and persistent organic pollutant legislation; communication along supply chain to be evaluated; results to be released in 2023
Japan updates hazard classifications of TiO2 and BPA
Japanese National Institute of Technology and Evaluation issues new and revised GHS classifications of chemicals; separate entries for titanium dioxide nanoparticles and non-nanoform; severity of bisphenol A’s reprotoxicity classification increased
PepsiCo: 50% rPET in Europe by 2030
PepsiCo commits to using 50% recycled polyethylene terephthalate in beverage bottles in the EU by 2030