Topics
plastics
June 23, 2020
Industry association Plastic Recyclers Europe (PRE) publishes market data related to annual production, use, and recycling of flexible plastics in the EU; food packaging sector primarily uses polyolefin films, presence of multi-material films complicates recycling; more infrastructure for collection, separation, recycling needed
Topics: plastics, polyolefins
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 18, 2020
Shareholder advocacy group As You Sow evaluates 50 largest US consumer-facing companies on their responses to address plastic pollution crisis; finds most companies too slow in adopting actions to prioritize packaging reduction and to promote reusability, recyclability, compostability; outlines key recommendations
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 16, 2020
Government announces ban with immediate effect on all packaging where integral parts are plastic; expands current restrictions and includes plastic wrappers and pouches; any alternative plastic packaging must be compostable and approved by state board
Reading time: 1 minute
June 16, 2020
Industry associations and non-governmental organizations send letter to UK authorities urging ban on all oxo-degradable plastics in the country; call for UK to uphold equivalent standards to EU legislation after leaving the bloc
Reading time: 1 minute
June 15, 2020
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) panel publishes scientific opinion prioritizing 451 substances for creation of specific migration limits (SMLs) for plastic food contact materials; the 3 identified high priority substances are salicylic acid, styrene, and vinyl laurate
Reading time: 1 minute
June 15, 2020
World Economic Forum (WEF) webinar features presentations investigating environmental challenges created by COVID-19 pandemic; discusses effects on the shift away from single-use plastics and on ability to recycle, reviews strategies for moving forward
Reading time: 1 minute
June 2, 2020
Plastics Recyclers Europe publishes new and revised characterization guiding requirements for recyclers to characterize received wastes, now includes recommended requirements for polyethylene and polypropylene films among others
Reading time: 1 minute
May 27, 2020
Polymer Comply Europe (PCE) to hold webinar on June 10, 2020 focusing on the action plan and upcoming challenges for the plastics industry, feature presentations from DG Environment policy officers
Topics: circular economy, plastics
Reading time: 1 minute
May 14, 2020
Tax on non-recyclable plastics originally set to come into effect on July 1, 2020; delay until January 1, 2021 estimated to cost the government €140 million worth of tax revenue; enacted in response to COVID-19 pandemic
Topics: plastics, regulation
Reading time: 1 minute
May 11, 2020
Researchers investigate current waste management system, identify long-term waste management contracts with local authorities as limiting improvements and innovation; recommend better distribution of value across system using extended producer responsibility, deposit schemes
Reading time: 2 minutes
