Topics
PET
July 21, 2022
Study carried out by Defend Our Health detects antimony above safe levels in 40% of tested beverages sold in PET bottles; antimony widely used as a catalyst to produce PET; calls on manufacturers to switch to widely available safer chemical alternatives, address the numerous hazardous substances that can migrate from plastics into food, chemical pollution in communities surrounding production sites
Reading time: 3 minutes
June 1, 2022
Taiwan Food and Drug Administration publishes application and certification process for processing recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) for food contact; review process similar to those in the US and EU; manufacturers must demonstrate recycled pellets comply with either US or EU safety regulations
Reading time: 1 minute
April 14, 2022
New Spanish waste law includes extensive waste reduction measures and targets across the entire supply chain; bans bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates in food packaging; mandates food providers offer tap water for free and accept reusable containers if customers bring them; 20% of floor space in large grocery stores must be for food without packaging; establishes extended producer responsibility scheme and bottle-to-bottle recycling program
Reading time: 3 minutes
April 4, 2022
In the first quarter of 2022 Circle Economy, the OECD, and Zero Waste Europe publish reports investigating various aspects of material value chains and share insights to ‘close the circularity gap’ and ‘bend the plastics curve’; evaluate material usage globally, plastics in OECD nations and globally, and PET in Europe
Reading time: 4 minutes
March 8, 2022
150 chemicals have been measured to migrate from PET bottles into drinks; 18 chemicals exceed EU migration limits, only 41 included in EU’s regulations on plastic food contact materials; most migrating chemicals are non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); systematic review includes 91 studies
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 28, 2022
South Korean Ministry of Environment announces disposable cups from chain cafes and fast-food restaurants will have 300 KRW deposit beginning June 10, 2022; applies to chains with more than 100 branches, 38,000 stores total; plan includes production standards for plastic and paper cups to ensure recyclability; part of South Korea’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 21, 2022
Scientific study reports that gut passages change polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics morphology and alter human microbial colonic community composition; another study finds polyethylene (PE) microplastics to accumulate in the brain and induce autism spectrum disorder-like symptoms using a mouse model
Reading time: 4 minutes
November 18, 2021
Researchers analyze options to increase recycling rates; laboratory study reports using untargeted migrants analysis as a feasible tool to discern recycled from virgin polyethylene (PE); stakeholder analysis finds equal involvement of all relevant actors needed to improve PET plastic recycling
Reading time: 3 minutes
March 24, 2021
Last Week Tonight episode focuses on plastic recycling, reports only nine percent of all plastics recycled, functioning systems only established for polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene; discusses Basel Convention restricting plastic waste trade, criticizes misleading closed-loop recycling claims; recommends targeted bans, introducing extended producer responsibility schemes
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 25, 2020
CARBIOS announces production of PET bottles from enzymatically recycled PET textile waste; ability to tap new previously disregarded sources of materials for recycling
Reading time: 1 minute
