Polyestertime

Month: October 2023

Carbon fiber – New method of recycling carbon fiber shows potential for use in more advanced products 31-10-2023

Carbon fiber

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New method of recycling carbon fiber shows potential for use in more advanced products

As manufacturing and technology continually take steps forward, products are using more advanced materials and becoming more sophisticated, but also more complicated.

This presents a problem when these products reach the end of their useable life, because they’re either difficult or expensive to recycle, or both.

For example, as the world transitions to electric vehicles, disposing of their used batteries, some made with highly toxic materials, will be a challenge.

As it stands, many advanced products either end up in landfill or incinerated, which is a waste of valuable resources and harmful to the planet.  Carbon fiber

One material that has been difficult to recycle is carbon fiber.

However, a UNSW Canberra researcher has developed a method to recycle it in a way that not only wastes less of the material, but also uses less energy and leaves more of it intact and able to be turned into more useful new products.

Carbon fibers are thin strands of carbon that are exceptionally strong and lightweight. The fibers are combined with plastic to create a composite that can be used to construct a variety of products.  Carbon fiber

Carbon fiber is commonly used to build aircraft, wind turbines, and it is the primary material used in Formula 1 race cars, which need to be as light as possible to increase performance. You might encounter carbon fiber in high-end bicycles or other sporting equipment such as hockey sticks or tennis racquets.

More….

Carbon fiber

Fairmat, a Leading French Deeptech Carbon Fiber Recycling Company, Showcases Tech-Driven Solutions at CAMX 2023

Fairmat, a prominent French deeptech company specializing in carbon fiber composite recycling and product co-design, is set to showcase their innovative solutions at CAMX, the largest and most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in North America. Their participation in this renowned expo will spotlight Fairmat’s tech-enabled manufacturing processes, addressing carbon fiber waste challenges in the United States.

“At Fairmat, we are closing the loop on carbon fiber composite. Our Ecosystem is a fully-integrated infrastructure that spans the entire value chain, from research and development to design and manufacturing.  Carbon fiber

I am excited to announce that we will be showcasing our solutions, engineering expertise, and co-designed products at CAMX for our US customers,” shares Benjamin Saada, Founder & CEO of Fairmat.

CAMX 2023

For the first time, Fairmat will exhibit their solutions at CAMX, October 30 to November 2, underscoring their commitment to helping US industries decarbonize and assisting clients in co-designing breakthrough sustainable products.  Carbon fiber

“We are proud to be at CAMX for the first time this year. At Fairmat, we want to play a vital role in helping US composite manufacturers decarbonize and aiding local US brands in designing new products using our innovations,” states Antoine de Turckheim, US Country Manager, Fairmat. Booth location: Georgia World Congress Center, BB30, Building C, Level

Proximity to Material & Clients

Emphasizing a global-to-local approach, Fairmat’s presence at CAMX reflects their focus on being closer to carbon fiber material hubs and clients. This aligns with the company’s values and goals to reduce their carbon footprint. Building on its success in France, Fairmat is creating a high-tech closed-loop ecosystem.  Carbon fiber

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Carbon fiber

HTPA High Temperature Nylon: A Booming Industry for the Future

High temperature nylon (HTPA) is a special type of nylon engineering plastic that can withstand temperatures of 150°C or higher for a long time1. It has excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and dimensional stability, making it suitable for various applications in automobile, electronics, LED, machinery, and other industries2.

The global HTPA high temperature nylon market is expected to witness extraordinary growth by 2030, driven by the increasing demand for high-performance materials in various end-use sectors. According to a report by ReportsnReports, the global HTPA high temperature nylon market size is projected to reach US$ million by 2028, at a CAGR of % from 2022 to 20283. The report also analyzes the market by type, application, region, and key players. Carbon fiber

The major types of HTPA high temperature nylon are glass fiber reinforced type and flame retardant type. The glass fiber reinforced type segment is expected to dominate the market in terms of revenue and volume, due to its superior strength, stiffness, and heat resistance. The flame retardant type segment is also anticipated to grow at a significant rate, owing to its enhanced safety and environmental benefits4.

The main applications of HTPA high temperature nylon are automobile, electronics, LED, machinery, and others. The automobile segment is projected to account for the largest share of the market, as HTPA high temperature nylon is widely used in engine components, transmission parts, fuel systems, and other parts that require high temperature resistance and durability.  Carbon fiber

The electronics segment is also forecasted to grow rapidly, as HTPA high temperature nylon is used in connectors, switches, sensors, and other electronic devices that operate in harsh environments2.

The global HTPA high temperature nylon market is geographically divided into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the market, due to the rising industrialization, urbanization, and consumption of HTPA high temperature nylon in China, India, Japan, South Korea, and other countries.  Carbon fiber

North America and Europe are also expected to hold significant shares of the market, due to the presence of major manufacturers and consumers of HTPA high temperature nylon in these regions5.  Carbon fiber

The global HTPA high temperature nylon market is highly competitive and fragmented, with the presence of several key players such as DuPont, DSM, Solvay, MGC, Mitsui Chemicals, BASF, Kuraray, EMS Chemie Holding, Kingfa, etc. These players are engaged in various strategies such as product innovation, expansion, mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations to gain a competitive edge in the market6.

The global HTPA high temperature nylon market is expected to face some challenges such as high production cost, limited availability of raw materials, and environmental regulations.  Carbon fiber

However, these challenges are likely to be overcome by the development of new technologies, products, and applications that can enhance the performance and reduce the cost of HTPA high temperature nylon. Moreover, the emergence of new markets and opportunities in emerging economies will also provide impetus for the growth of the HTPA high temperature nylon industry in the future2.  Carbon fiber

Carbon fiber

New report blasts the limitations of pyrolysis technology, dubbed “miracle” by industry

 A new report released today has criticised a so-called “miraculous” method of plastic waste management that has been shown to be misleading in its efficacy.

Touted as a solution, pyrolysis – technology that heats up plastic waste in the absence of oxygen – produces a type of oil that industries argue can be transformed back into ‘virgin-like’ plastic.  Carbon fiber

However, this latest report published by the environmental network Zero Waste Europe underlines the limitations of pyrolysis oil. Incompatibility with different plastic types, low yield, and contamination of pyrolysis oil means it must be diluted by a petroleum-based mixture, in some cases by a ratio of over 40:1.

The report, “Leaky loop “recycling”: A technical correction on the quality of pyrolysis oil made from plastic waste” argues that for pyrolysis oil to be used in the production of recycled plastic, it should either apply multiple energy-intensive purification steps or highly dilute the oil with virgin petroleum naphtha. Both options are not in line with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal.

Discussions underway to define a harmonised European approach to end-of-waste criteria for plastic will continue until 2025, when the review is foreseen to be adopted. Such a definition is crucial for pyrolysis as industry interests are to classify pyrolysis oil as a product. Decision-makers should not overlook the toxic compounds and purification requirements needed for pyrolysis oil and lower safety standards for the sake of developing a circular economy.  Carbon fiber

Lauriane Veillard, Chemical Recycling and Plastic-to-Fuels Policy Officer, states:

“If pyrolysis oil is reclassified as a product instead of being classified as waste, as industry demands, it must meet EU requirements. We cannot afford to accept haphazardous  legislation that undermines a true circular economy. Our north star should be the protection of the environment, human health and the public trust. These values should form the basis of different discussions on plastic recycling-related issues, like calculating recycled content and defining end-of-waste criteria.” 

Low oil yield presents a significant problem with pyrolysis technology. Even in a best case scenario, only 2% of the plastic waste fed into pyrolysis will actually make it into the “recycled” product, the report found.  Carbon fiber

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New report blasts the limitations of pyrolysis technology, dubbed “miracle” by industry

The Growing Problem of Misleading Biodegradable Plastics

In recent years, the issue of plastic pollution has gained significant attention, with experts raising concerns about the environmental impact of plastic waste. A study published in the journal Science revealed that only 9% of plastic produced had been recycled, while a staggering 79% was left to rot in landfills or garbage dumps. Moreover, approximately 10% of this plastic waste eventually reached the ocean, contributing to the global problem of marine pollution.

However, the situation has only worsened since that study was conducted. Despite the implementation of “zero plastic” policies by some countries, the production and disposal of plastic continue unabated.

Factories continue to generate a staggering 400 million tons of plastic each year, exacerbating the accumulation of plastic waste.  Carbon fiber

As a result, contamination by microplastics, which are fragments of plastic less than 5 millimeters in length, has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental concerns alongside the climate crisis. These microplastics can be found everywhere, from land and sea to the air. They have even been found in the human body, circulating in the bloodstream and accumulating in vital organs.

In an effort to address the issue, there have been attempts to develop biodegradable plastics as an alternative to conventional plastics. However, a recent investigation conducted by researchers from the Federal University of São Paulo’s Institute of Marine Sciences (IMAR-UNIFESP) has revealed that some of these claims are misleading.

The study examined 49 different products, including plates, cutlery, cups, and straws, all marketed as biodegradable. Shockingly, none of the products met the minimum requirements to be considered truly biodegradable. They were predominantly made of a type of material known as oxo-degradable plastic, which does not degrade under normal environmental conditions.

Instead, these plastics fragment into smaller pieces, contributing to the formation of microplastics that persist for decades.  Carbon fiber

More,,,

The Growing Problem of Misleading Biodegradable Plastics

Italy’s Pirelli to make tyres in Saudi Arabia with Saudi wealth fund

Italy’s Pirelli ) has signed a joint venture with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to build a tyre manufacturing facility in the country, the two groups said on Thursday.

The deal – for a total investment of $550 million – will make Pirelli the first tier 1 tyre maker to directly source production in Saudi Arabia, which is trying to diversify its economy away from oil.  Carbon fiber

PIF, Saudi Arabia’s $700 billion sovereign wealth fund, will hold a 75% stake in the new JV, with Pirelli holding the remaining 25% and providing the technical and commercial support for the development of the project, the two groups said.

The project will not impact Pirelli’s deleveraging targets to 2025, they added.

The plant is expected to start producing in 2026 and is set to reach a production capacity of 3.5 million units.

It will manufacture high-quality tyres for passenger vehicles under the Pirelli brand, as well as market tires under a new local brand mainly aimed at the domestic and regional market, it added.

Founded in 1872, Pirelli now specialises in high-end tyres for premium carmakers like Ferrari , Porsche and BMW and is the sole supplier for Formula One cars.

Saudi Arabia is boosting its manufacturing capabilities in the automobile sector and aims to produce more than 300,000 cars annually by 2030.  Carbon fiber

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Italy's Pirelli to make tyres in Saudi Arabia with Saudi wealth fund

PE, PP ‘highly challenged’ by Europe, new capacity while US exports a positive – LyondellBasell

Global polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) markets will continue to see headwinds from weak European demand and new capacity through at least H1 2024, but positive signs include strong US PE exports and some improvement in China, executives from LyondellBasell said.  Carbon fiber

“[US] PE exports have gone up during the past quarter, and that of course is a positive sign. But one also needs to look at additional capacity that has come into the market or that has not really hit the market because of… some technical difficulties,” said Peter Vanacker, CEO of LyondellBasell, on the company’s Q3 earnings call.

He expects the European market overall to remain “highly challenged” on weak demand coupled with rising feedstock and energy costs which will compress margins.

US exports are being supported by a high oil/gas ratio that is expected to continue, especially with volatility around oil markets and gas production being relatively robust, said Ken Lane, executive vice president, Olefins and Polyolefins (O&P) at LyondellBasell.

“We do feel good about what’s happening in the North American market,” said Lane.

“Europe is going to continue to be very challenged in terms of demand. That is still significantly down, mainly because of the inflation impact, but also the margins are challenged with the higher naphtha pricing,” he added.  Carbon fiber

New capacity will be the key factor to watch in 2024, he pointed out.

“We’re still going to see more capacity coming online next year and that’s why we’re going to be kind of bouncing along the bottom overall as an industry in H1 of next year,” said Lane.

“The hope is that at the back end of next year we start to see some recovery as market growth comes back to absorb the additional capacity. But there’s going to continue to be pressure from new capacity coming in, and that’s going to be the biggest ‘watch-out’ for us,” he added.

CHINA SLOWLY IMPROVING
In China, overall markets appear to be slowly improving as targeted stimulus measures provide some benefit.  Carbon fiber

“We don’t see the construction market picking up yet but automotive has seen a 10% year on year increase and EVs (electric vehicles) has been closer to 40%,” said Vanacker.

“But on the other hand, we see that consumers continue to save a lot of money. With more and more of these incentives, one would expect confidence will grow in the population which then would influence their spending on durable goods as well,” he added.

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PE, PP ‘highly challenged’ by Europe, new capacity while US exports a positive – LyondellBasell

Bottles-to-fabric – Teesside welcomes Mura Technology’s first HydroPRS plant  30-10-2023

Carbon fiber

Petrochemicals r-Polyester – Artificial Intelligence and the Call for Safety: A Global Initiative 30-10-2023

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

  • Polymers : PET – r-PET – Filament grade semidull chips -Filament grade bright chips – Ny6 – Ny66 – PP
  • Feedstocks  PX – PTA – MEG – CPL – Adipic Acid – Benzene – ACN – Ethylene – Phenol – Naphtha
  • Textile : Polyester POY – DTY – FDY – PSF – Recycled Polyester POY – Nylon POY – DTY – FDY Spandex 20-30-40 -Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  Acrylic Staple Fiber 

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

Polyestertime
ITEM 23/10/2023 30/10/2023 +/-
Bottle grade PET chips domestic market 6,825 yuan/ton 6,900 yuan/ton +75
Bottle grade PET chips export market 875 $/ton 885 $/ton +10
Filament grade Semidull chips domestic market 6,775 yuan/ton 6,790 yuan/ton +15
Filament grade Bright chips domestic market 6,810 yuan/ton 6,830 yuan/ton +20
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA domestic market 5,710 yuan/ton 5,900 yuan/ton +190
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA export market 730 $/ton 730 $/ton –
Monoethyleneglycol MEG domestic market 3,960 yuan/ton 4,070 yuan/ton +110
Monoethyleneglycol MEG export market 457 $/ton 468 $/ton +11
Paraxylene PX FOB  Taiwan market

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 1,027 $/ton 1,014 $/ton
 -13
Paraxylene PX FOB  Korea market 1,004 $/ton 991 $/ton -13
Paraxylene PX FOB EU market 1,150 $/ton 1,150 $/ton –
Polyester filament POY 150D/48F domestic market 7,600  yuan/ton 7,400 yuan/ton
 -200
Recycled Polyester filament POY  domestic market 7,550 yuan/ton 7,550 yuan/ton –
Polyester filament DTY 150D/48 F domestic market 8,950 yuan/ton 8,700 yuan/ton -250
Polyester filament FDY 68D24F

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 8,950 yuan/ton 8,750 yuan/ton -200
Polyester filament FDY 150D/96F domestic market 8,200 yuan/ton 8,050 yuan/ton -150
Polyester staple fiber 1.4D 38mm domestic market 7,450 yuan/ton 7,500 yuan/ton +50
Caprolactam CPL domestic market 12,650 yuan/ton 12,750 yuan/ton
 +100
Caprolactam CPL overseas  market 1,600 $/ton 1,600 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips overseas  market 1,900 $/ton 1,830 $/ton -70
Nylon 6 chips conventional spinning domestic  market 13,750 yuan/ton 13,750 yuan/ton –
Nylon 6 chips  high speed spinning domestic  market

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 14,100 yuan/ton 13,900 yuan/ton -200
Nylon 6.6 chips domestic  market 19,100 yuan/ton 19,700 yuan/ton +600
Nylon6 Filament POY 86D/24F domestic  market 16,200 yuan/ton 16,100 yuan/ton -100
Nylon6 Filament DTY 70D/24F domestic  market 18,500 yuan/ton 18,250 yuan/ton- -250
Nylon6 Filament FDY  70D/24F  17,250 yuan/ton 17,250 yuan/ton –
Spandex 20D  domestic  market

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 36,500 yuan/ton 36,500 yuan/ton –
Spandex 30D  domestic  market 35,000 yuan/ton 35,000 yuan/ton –
Spandex 40D  domestic  market  32,200 yuan/ton 32,000 yuan/ton -200
Adipic Acid domestic market 9,400 yuan/ton 9,300 yuan/ton -100
Benzene domestic market

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 8,120 yuan/ton 8,340 yuan/ton +220
Benzene overseas  market 918 $/ton 911 $/ton -7
Ethylene South East market 950 $/ton 970 $/ton +20
Ethylene NWE market 786 $/ton 679 $/ton -7
Acrylonitrile ACN  domestic market

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 9,700 yuan/ton 9,500 yuan/ton -200
Acrylonitrile ACN  overseas market 1,200 $/ton 1,200 $/ton –
Acrylic staple fiber ASF  domestic market 14,600 yuan/ton 14,600 yuan/ton –
Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  domestic market 13,400 yuan/ton 13,350 yuan/ton -50
PP Powder domestic market

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

 7,220 yuan/ton 7,350 yuan/ton +130
Naphtha overseas market  687 $/ton 658 $/ton -29
Phenol domestic market 8,382 yuan/ton 8,425 yuan/ton +43

r-PET high end eco-friendly chips =7,800 yuan/ton  — 7,800 yuan/ton   –

 

 

Petrochemicals chip – Panel for Sustainable Future in Textile in Gaziantep 23-10-2023

Petrochemicals r-Polyester

Artificial Intelligence and the Call for Safety: A Global Initiative

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has issued a stark warning about the potential risks and dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI), likening its potential consequences to that of a nuclear weapon. Sunak’s concerns were articulated on the eve of the first-ever global summit on AI, an event that he passionately supports. The summit, scheduled for November 1 and 2, is set to take place at Bletchley Park, a historic hub of technology where Alan Turing famously cracked the Enigma code during World War II. In his address to the public, Sunak outlined both the tremendous promise and the peril that AI presents, while also revealing the establishment of the world’s first institute dedicated to AI safety.

Sunak emphasized that artificial intelligence, when harnessed responsibly, has the potential to usher in a new era of knowledge, economic growth, human progress, and the resolution of previously insurmountable problems. However, he cautioned that AI also brings forth a new set of dangers and fears that need to be addressed proactively. A comprehensive government report, authored by a panel of 50 experts, highlights AI’s potential as an “existential threat” in the future. Sunak is urging the global community to address these concerns now to ensure the utmost peace of mind for citizens.

One of the central concerns is the potential misuse of AI technology, with threats including fraud, cyberattacks, and, by 2025, the possibility of enhancing the capabilities of terrorist groups in planning attacks and propagating extremist propaganda. Sunak stated that AI could even facilitate the development of chemical or biological weapons, with the dire possibility of terrorists exploiting AI for mass destruction. Criminals could utilize AI for a wide range of malicious activities, from cyberattacks to disinformation campaigns and child exploitation. In the most extreme scenario, there is the risk of losing control over superintelligent AI, raising concerns about humanity’s very existence.

To address these concerns, the United Kingdom will be the birthplace of the world’s first center for AI safety. This institute will specialize in the analysis, evaluation, and testing of new AI models, contributing valuable insights to the global AI safety discourse. The primary objective of the center is to advance humanity’s understanding of AI safety and assess potential risks, including social damage such as bias and misinformation. Sunak’s ambition is to position the UK as a global leader in AI regulation, recognizing the immense potential benefits, particularly in fields like medicine and science, while acknowledging the paramount importance of safety and security.

The upcoming Global AI Summit at Bletchley Park aims to be a platform for collaboration, involving institutions, international partners, AI experts, tech companies, and civil society. With approximately 100 attendees, the event will feature notable figures like Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. The summit also anticipates Chinese participation, highlighting the necessity of engaging with Beijing in shaping a cohesive strategy for AI, despite challenges. The British government has set forth five key objectives for the summit, including promoting a shared understanding of AI risks, fostering international collaboration, recommending organizational safety measures, exploring AI security research, and demonstrating the potential for beneficial global AI development.

The United Nations is also stepping up its efforts by creating a Committee for Artificial Intelligence, which consists of around 40 experts from diverse backgrounds. This committee, led by Amandeep Singh Gill, UN envoy for technology, and including notable members like Father Paolo Benanti from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Italy, is tasked with formulating common rules for AI. Their mission encompasses evaluating the benefits and risks of AI and its contributions to sustainable development and international cooperation.

As the world grapples with the profound implications of artificial intelligence, these initiatives demonstrate a collective commitment to addressing the challenges and risks while harnessing the potential of AI for the betterment of humanity. The coming years will reveal whether these global efforts can effectively regulate and safeguard the development and deployment of AI technology, ensuring it remains a force for good in the world.

Artificial Intelligence and the Call for Safety: A Global Initiative

Bottles-to-fabric – Teesside welcomes Mura Technology’s first HydroPRS plant  30-10-2023

Bottles-to-fabric

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Petrochemicals r-Polyester – Artificial Intelligence and the Call for Safety: A Global Initiative

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Bottles-to-fabric

Teesside welcomes Mura Technology’s first HydroPRS plant 

The UK’s first plant that uses supercritical water to transform plastic into hydrocarbons has been opened by Mura Technology in Teesside.

The HydroPRS process converts plastics into valuable feedstock materials that can be used by Mura’s customers, who will start receiving deliveries in early 2024.

The plant has an annual capacity of 20,000 tons of recycled liquid hydrocarbons, which can be increased to 60,000 tons. Bottles-to-fabric

The company claims that the process can recycle postconsumer plastics such as films and trays, offering a sustainable solution for these materials.

The HydroPRS process also cuts carbon emissions by 80% by preventing plastics from being burned. Steve Hahon, Mura Technology CEO, says: “Our HydroPRS process is creating a new opportunity for plastic waste, generating value and keeping both plastic and carbon in a circular economy.

The technology complements existing mechanical recycling to make sure no plastics are deemed ‘unrecyclable’ and need to be incinerated or landfilled.”  Bottles-to-fabric

Mura has received funding from various companies in the plastic industry, such as KBR, Dow, CPChem, LG Chem and igus GmbH, as well as from UK Research & Innovation’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge and the government’s Future Fund.

Bottles-to-fabric

LyondellBasell acquires 25% of Cyclyx

It joins Agilyx and ExxonMobil in the joint venture

Netherlands-based LyondellBasell has acquired 25% equity ownership in Cyclyx International, a joint venture between Agilyx and ExxonMobil founded in 2020.

“Investing in plastic waste value chain experts such as Cyclyx, together with Agilyx and ExxonMobil, helps create the robust supply chains we all need to increase access to circular and renewable feedstocks,” said Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell executive vice president, circular and low carbon solutions. “This collaboration unlocks the necessary scale of recycled material and infrastructure for our planned integrated Circular and Low Carbon Solutions Hub in the Houston area and aligns with our purpose of creating solutions for everyday sustainable living.”  Bottles-to-fabric

Cyclyx draws on over 1500 post-use plastic chemical characterisations to assesses each source of waste plastic to understand its chemical profile. It then uses artificial intelligence and big data to sort those profiles into the various mechanical and chemical recycling pathways that the plastics can be used for. Finally, the company aggregates and pre-processes the products according to costumers’ needs.

The resulting products include recycled polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE). Cyclyx processes are ISSC PLUS certified, ensuring their compliance with sustainability and traceability requirements along the supply chain.

Cyclyx is also expanding its business model from a strict licensing model to now include a build, own, and operate option for Cyclyx Circularity Centers (CCCs). This business model expansion will enable Cyclyx to control the custody and quality of custom-blended feedstocks from sourcing through delivery.  Bottles-to-fabric

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Bottles-to-fabric

This factory in Tiruppur turns used PET bottles into fabric and garments

Sulochana Cotton Spinning Mills in Chitambalam ventured into recycling in 2010, and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2027 and says it has also aligned with nine of the 17 sustainable development goals

A 150-acre facility at Chitambalam, about an hour’s drive from Coimbatore, has over 10,000 trees, 1,000 birding nests, solar energy panels, bio gasifiers, and plastic-free zones. Tiruppur-based Sulochana Cotton Spinning Mills buys 4,000 tonnes of used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles a month and coverts them into polyester fibre, yarn, cloth, and garments on this campus. Bottles-to-fabric

Even as global apparel brands commit to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets, textile factories, such as Sulochana, in Tamil Nadu, a textile powerhouse, are showing the way in sustainable and circular fashion. The company, which won the State government’s Green Champion Award for 2021, ventured into PET bottle recycling in 2010 and currently buys used PET bottles from waste aggregators in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, and parts of Karnataka.

The bottles land at its gates at Chitambalam in three colours – white, green, and brown. The labels on the bottles are removed and sent to cement factories to be used as fuel. The plastic caps and rings are converted into pellets that go into the making of planters, car bumpers, etc. The bottles are washed multiple times and broken into flakes. Colour master batches are added to the flakes to make coloured polyester fibre or yarn. “We do not use water, salt, or chemicals to dye the fibre. The (PET) recycled fibre saves on both cost and time,” says the company’s CEO, G.D. Gopalakrishnan. Bottles-to-fabric

The recycled fibre waste also has its applications in the manufacture of conveyor belts, automobile mats, etc.

A scuba diving jacket made by Sulochana has 96% recycled polyester filament, avoids 47 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, saves 46 litres of water, and has 40 g of diverted waste. Similarly, yoga wear made by the company has 96% recycled polyester filament, avoids 32 kg of CO2 emission, saves 31 litres of water, and has 27 g of diverted waste.

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Bottles-to-fabric

Vietnam’s fibre exports foresee positive signals

Vietnam is the world’s sixth-largest fibre exporter and the world’s third-largest exporter of textiles and garments – just behind China and Bangladesh.Vietnam is the world’s sixth-largest fibre exporter and the world’s third-largest exporter of textiles and garments – just behind China and Bangladesh.
Latest statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that, by the end of the third quarter of 2023, fibre exports earned 3.2 billion USD with more than 1.3 million tonnes of goods exported abroad, up 9.3% in volume but decreasing 13.8% in value compared to the same period last year. Bottles-to-fabric
Increase in quantity
Regarding the market, in September, fibre exports to China reached 77,459 tonnes worth more than 203 million USD, down 18.8% in volume and down nearly 20% compared to August 2023.
Overall, in the first nine months of the year, Vietnam exported 647,862 tonnes of fibre to the Chinese market and earned more than 1.71 billion USD, up 18.1% in volume but down 2.1% in value over the same period last year. The export price reached 2,652 USD per tonne, down 17.1% compared to the same period in 2022.
The Republic of Korea (RoK) is the second-largest export market of Vietnamese fibre. In September, fibre exports to the RoK reached 10,898 tonnes with a value of more than 30 million USD, an increase of 0.6% in volume and an increase of 2.8% in value compared to August 2023. Bottles-to-fabricOverall, in the first nine months of the year, fibre exports to this market reached 101,880 tonnes and earned more than 284 million USD, down 5.78% in volume and 24.2% in value compared to the same period in 2022. The average export price reached 2,788 USD per tonne, down 19.65% over the same period in 2022.
The US market ranked third. In the first nine months of 2023, Vietnam exported 75,483 tonnes of fibre to the US with a value of more than 108 million USD, down 13.8% in volume and 29.4% in value over the same period. The average export price reached 1,443 USD per tonne, down 17.5% over the same period in 2022 and less than half the export price to China or the RoK.  Bottles-to-fabricMore…Vietnam's fibre exports foresee positive signals

Innovative Approaches Transforming Battery Recycling for a Sustainable Future

As we strive for a more sustainable future, addressing the issue of electronic waste, particularly used lithium-ion batteries, becomes crucial. The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries, driven by the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy sources, and portable electronic devices, raises concerns about their disposal and environmental impact. However, technological advancements in battery recycling offer powerful solutions to mitigate these challenges. Bottles-to-fabric
At the core of the problem lies the lithium-ion battery, which powers EVs, smartphones, laptops, and various other devices. While these batteries have revolutionized our lives, their disposal poses significant environmental risks. The complex chemistry of lithium-ion batteries makes it difficult to separate and recover valuable materials. To tackle this, battery manufacturers are embracing closed-loop systems, taking responsibility for recycling their products.
This approach not only reduces waste but also motivates manufacturers to design eco-friendly products, increasing the overall sustainability of the industry.A fundamental aspect of sustainable battery recycling involves designing batteries with recyclability in mind from the start.
Researchers and manufacturers are developing lithium-ion batteries with easily separable components and standardized disassembling processes. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are further revolutionizing recycling through automated sorting systems. Equipped with AI algorithms, these systems accurately identify and segregate various battery types and chemistries, enhancing recycling efficiency. Bottles-to-fabricEmerging technologies like hydrometallurgy processes offer cleaner and greener recycling practices. These methods use water-based solutions to extract valuable materials from lithium-ion batteries, minimizing energy consumption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, researchers are exploring bioremediation as an environmentally friendly approach to battery recycling. By harnessing microorganisms, this innovative method degrades and recovers battery components sustainably.More…Innovative Approaches Transforming Battery Recycling for a Sustainable Future

Innovation in plastics packaging – driving the transition to a circular economy

This month, the UK government introduced an extension of the ban on single-use plastics to include polystyrene foods and drinks containers. In the two years since our last article series on targeting plastic waste, a lot has changed both in terms of legislation and the development of plastic-free alternatives.  Bottles-to-fabric

In this article we consider how effective these changes have been in tackling plastic packaging waste, key areas of innovation, and how innovators can protect the new materials and processes that are being developed.

The current landscape

In 2021, packaging was the largest application in the world plastics market. In a bid to tackle this and reduce the use of virgin plastics, the UK government has implemented new legislation that will give UK organisations that import or supply packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR). This requires producers to pay the full cost of dealing with the waste they produce, with businesses needing to collect data on how the packaging is used and ensure packaging is recycled where possible. This legislation is an environmental policy which follows the introduction of the plastic packaging tax in 2022 on the manufacture or importation of plastic packaging components that contain less than 30% recycled plastic. Bottles-to-fabric

The UK government has also launched a range of funding schemes to incentivise development into sustainable plastic packaging, such as grant schemes from the UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. On top of this, the UK government recently announced a further £3.2 million investment in the UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) challenge. With a budget of £60 million for spending from 2019 to 2025, the SSPP has received the largest investment in sustainable packaging initiatives to date. Interestingly, nearly 50% of this funding is directed at mechanical recycling projects, with 30% of the funding being split between refill/re-use, chemical recycling schemes and prevention and reduction projects.

Governmental drive has been reinforced by consumers with 8 in 10 consumers in the UK supporting a ban on single-use plastics. A recent report from Trivium Packaging and Euromonitor International showed that of nearly 10,000 respondents, 82% of respondents would be willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, while 63% of consumers are now less likely to buy products with environmentally harmful packaging.

These regulatory, financial, and consumer-backed incentives seem to be working. Since 2006, recycling and energy recovery have overtaken landfill as the largest waste treatment options.  Bottles-to-fabric

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Innovation in plastics packaging - driving the transition to a circular economy

Bio-based plastic – Stellantis to invest €1.5B in Leapmotor for 20% share; JV for products outside China; global EV relationship 28-10-2023

Bottles-to-fabric

Bio-based plastic – Stellantis to invest €1.5B in Leapmotor for 20% share; JV for products outside China; global EV relationship 28-10-2023

Bio-based plastic

European plastics manufacturers reveal roadmap into circularity for plastics

Plastics Europe and its members have agreed on a ‘Plastics Transition’ roadmap with their sights set on circularity, net zero emissions, and more sustainable material consumption in the European plastics industry.

Although the organizations are concerned about the impacts of the European plastics system on climate change and the environment, they note that the materials are ‘irreplaceable’ in many applications and have their own part to play in both the sustainable transition and the competitiveness of various European sectors.

As such, the roadmap emphasizes that a whole value chain approach must be taken to speed up systemic change and achieve true circularity.  Bio-based plastic

It foregrounds immediate, short, and medium-term milestones and actions for plastics manufacturers while recommending actions for policymakers and value chain stakeholders between the present day and 2030, including the preservation of the European plastics system’s international competitiveness.

It envisions that fossil-based plastics will gradually be phased out, with circular plastics expected to meet 25% of European demand by 2030 and 65% by 2050. At the same time, it aspires for a 28% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the overall plastics system by 2030 and a complete transition into net zero by 2050. Additional investments and operational costs are predicted to reach a total of €235 billion.

Minimum circular plastic content targets for key plastics are necessary to incentivize their uptake, the roadmap states. In conjunction with industry investments in such areas as chemical recycling infrastructure, Plastics Europe also calls for a European waste management system that can feasibly achieve net zero emissions and usher in a circular economy.  Bio-based plastic

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Bio-based plastic

E7A, the “next gen” electric motor developed by Renault and Valeo

Harnessing the expertise it has built in wound-rotor motors – which it pioneered in the automotive sector in 2012 –, Renault Group is taking the next step and designing a new motor that is in a class by itself worldwide, even more powerful and efficient, and uses no rare earths. This third motor generation is a team adventure with Valeo, which is contributing its stator expertise. This motor, E7A, is still at the prototype stage and set to debut in 2027.
A breakthrough from France will bring about a more powerful, more compact and cleaner electric motor: Renault Group and Valeo are combining their expertise to create a new electric motor generation.   Bio-based plastic
As a result of the regular conversations between the carmaker and the equipment manufacturer, this partnership that started in 2021 soon grew into a co-development journey. They each pooled one key part (Renault Group the rotor, Valeo the stator) as well as their expertise in technology development and production. The are currently fine-tuning their E7A high-tech motor.

Rare-earths-free and environmentally friendlier

Renault pioneered electrically excited synchronous motors (EESMs) in production vehicles when it introduced ZOE in 2012. This know-how puts it in a position to supply an all-in-one architecture for the new E7A motor (to make it 30% more compact for equivalent power than the current motors equipping the Megane E-Tech electric and the Scenic E-Tech electric) and the rare-earths-free rotor technology (to shrink its Confidential C carbon footprint by 30%).  Bio-based plastic

By using a wound rotor instead of permanent magnets, Renault is improving the engine’s output, securing its supply chain and avoiding reliance on countries that produce rare earths and magnets.  Bio-based plastic

More power and efficiency

This third-generation motor will also help shorten battery charging times as the system will be built for 800 volts instead of 400 volts, the standard today. And the stator by Valeo will boost power and efficiency. The new E7A motor, as a result, will unleash up to 200 kW. It will also supply more power without consuming more electricity. And the E7A motor uses hairpin technology to assemble copper wires, a Valeo specialty since 2010.

At this stage, the engine is still under development. There are other stages to go through before it can reach serial life. The mass production of this new-generation engine will start at Renault Group’s Cléon factory at the end of 2027. Bio-based plastic

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E7A, the "next gen" electric motor developed by Renault and Valeo

Honeywell exMorepands renewable fuels offering in Asia Pacifc

Global technology firm Honeywell is expanding the availability of its technologies and digital solutions to enable customers in the Asia Pacific region to produce renewable fuels from various renewable feedstocks.

The move is the result of Honeywell noting a “vital” need for operators to produce low-carbon fuels to support long-term decarbonisation across the Asia Pacific region.

Matt Spalding, Vice-President and Regional General Manager at Honeywell, said, “The ability to use various feedstocks is a transformational opportunity for this market. With UOP eFining™, Ecofining, ETJ and RTP technologies, Honeywell offers multiple routes to market to meet the rapidly growing demand for renewable fuels.”

Honeywell offers serval technologies for the production of renewable fuels. Earlier this year, gasworld sat down with Leigh Abrams, Renewable Fuels Senior Business Leader at Honeywell UOP, to speak about the company’s eFining™ technology.

Abrams explained that Honeywell started out by producing triglyceride-based feedstocks for renewable diesel, but then saw a big shift towards sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

eSAFs combine green hydrogen (i.e., hydrogen produced in electrolysers from renewable energy and water) and carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce eMethanol, which can then be converted to a wide range of sustainable fuels.  Bio-based plastic

In addition to supporting new assets, Honeywell also has the expertise to help retrofit existing refineries for renewable fuel production. This offers lower capital investment opportunities with a fast and cost-effective route to renewable fuels.

To support these objectives, Honeywell provides comprehensive digital solutions, featuring cyber-secure hardware and software technologies designed for day-one readiness, scalability, and seamless integration with legacy systems.  Bio-based plastic

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Bio-based plastic

Stellantis to invest €1.5B in Leapmotor for 20% share; JV for products outside China; global EV relationship

Stellantis N.V.plans to invest around €1.5 billion in China-based Leapmotor to acquire approximately 20% of Leapmotor, making Stellantis a significant shareholder. The deal also outlines the formation of Leapmotor International, a 51/49 Stellantis-led joint venture that has exclusive rights for the export and sale, as well as manufacturing, of Leapmotor products outside Greater China.

This will be an industry-first global electric vehicle relationship between a leading automaker and a Chinese pure-play NEV OEM.  Bio-based plastic

The partnership aims to further boost Leapmotor’s sales in China, the biggest market in the world, while leveraging Stellantis’ established global commercial presence to significantly accelerate Leapmotor brand sales in other regions, starting with Europe.

Stellantis intends to leverage Leapmotor’s highly innovative, cost-efficient EV ecosystem in China to help meet core Dare Forward 2030 electrification targets, with the possibility to further explore mutually beneficial synergies. The joint venture expects to begin shipments in the second half of 2024.  Bio-based plastic

The two companies consider Leapmotor’s EV product offering to be complementary to Stellantis’ current technology and portfolio of brands and will bring more affordable mobility solutions to global customers. Stellantis will have two seats on Leapmotor’s Board of Directors and will appoint the CEO of the Leapmotor International joint venture.

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Stellantis to invest €1.5B in Leapmotor for 20% share; JV for products outside China; global EV relationship

UBQ bio-based plastic recognised as one of TIME’s best inventions of 2023

The bio-based thermoplastic won in the “reuse & recycle” category of TIME magazine’s award

Israel-based cleantech company UBQ Materials has been named in TIME magazine’s list of the best inventions of 2023. The list features 200 innovations solving compelling problems in creative ways with the potential to change lives. UBQ Materials was recognised as a winning innovation in the “reuse & recycle” category for inventions reducing overconsumption.

The company has developed and patented a closed-loop process, which converts garbage waste – including food waste, mixed plastics, cardboard, paper, and dirty diapers – into a sustainable raw material for the manufacturing of everyday goods across a multitude of industries.  Bio-based plastic

The process works by breaking down the heterogeneous waste streams into their basic, natural components before reconstituting them to create a brand-new material.  Around 70% to 80% of UBQ’s feedstock is broken down to its particulate constructs—lignin, cellulose, fibres, and sugars—and then reassembled and bound together into a matrix. The remaining 20% to 30% are mixed plastics that melt and bond into the matrix, creating a highly recyclable thermoplastic material.

According to a Life Cycle Assessment conducted by Quantis, every ton of UBQ produced diverts 1.3 tons of waste and prevents up to 11.7 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. According to the manufacturer, that makes it ‘the most climate positive thermoplastic material on the planet’, it said on a statement.  Bio-based plastic

“Our material, UBQ, replaces scarce and carbon intensive materials, including oil-based plastics,” explained Jack ‘Tato’ Bigio, CEO and Co-founder of UBQ Materials. “We provide a climate positive material that is price competitive, straightforward to implement, and highly recyclable, converted from 100% household waste through a clean, zero waste, energy-efficient process.”

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UBQ bio-based plastic recognised as one of TIME’s best inventions of 2023UBQ bio-based plastic recognised as one of TIME’s best inventions of 2023

Article-Resin Price Report: Producers Looking for Third Straight PE Price Hike

PP contracts also are set for another price increase, which is now targeting around $0.06/lb.

The solid October start downshifted last week, as spot resin trading slowed, reports the PlasticsExchange in its Market Update. Polyethylene (PE) prices were steady to a penny higher, while  polypropylene (PP) jumped $0.02/lb, reflecting rising monomer costs. Interest remained strong, but deals were harder to complete and transacted volumes at the PlasticsExchange trading desk slipped back toward the levels seen in the earlier part of the year.  Bio-based plastic

Processors pull back

There was a lot more quoting than trading, and it seemed that some processors were just taking the temperature of market conditions, writes the PlasticsExchange. Demand for packaged truckloads outpaced railcars. This came after a previous surge in demand, including some precautionary buying following the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel and the potential for the conflict to expand regionally. Though volatile crude oil prices have remained elevated, keeping upward cost-push pressure on international resins, the export market seemed to lose a little of its upward momentum when prices came off their highs earlier in the month. Producers reportedly remain steadfast in their effort to implement a third straight $0.03/lb PE price increase, while PP contracts will  endure another monomer-led price hike, which is now targeting around $0.06/lb.  Bio-based plastic

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Article-Resin Price Report: Producers Looking for Third Straight PE Price Hike

AIMPLAS joins EcoeFISHent project to convert fish by-products into oxygen barriers and more

AIMPLAS is participating in the EcoeFISHent project with a vision of transforming fish gelatine and fishing nets into food and cosmetic packaging, respectively.

Global production from fisheries will reach 194 million tonnes by 2026, according to recent predictions, and around 20 million tonnes of raw material are thought to be used to produce fishmeal and fish oil. AIMPLAS believes that extracting bioactive compounds from residual, bio-based fish side streams is a cost-effective means of pursuing circularity in the fish industry.  Bio-based plastic

The EcoeFISHent project is a European project seeking to preserve marine ecosystems and marine protected areas by streamlining the fish industry’s operational flows and establishing a regional reproducible cluster based on the bio, blue, green, and circular economy approaches.

This involves six multilevel and synergic circular value chains valourizing waste, pre-treating and extracting bio-active components, and recycling end-of-life fishing gear from fisheries and aquaculture for use in packaging, food, automotive, and agricultural applications.

It is set to use gelatine from side streams of fish processing to produce a compostable, gas-barrier biopolymer coating to package oxidation-sensitive food like meat, cheese, and fish itself.  Bio-based plastic

In scaling up to industrial pilot production, the process is hoped to achieve true sustainability while also offering functionality and ‘nonharmful utility’.

Moreover, AIMPLAS will extrude the polyethylene recovered from fishing nets and put it through further injection moulding and lamination processes to create cosmetic packaging. A collection, recovery, and recycling programme for abandoned fishing nets, as well as a sustainability-minded fishing programme, hope to contribute towards this goal.

International research centres and up-and-coming technologies and processes are coming together between thirty-four partners in seven countries. The initiative is coordinated by FILSE spa, the Financial body for Economic Development of the Ligurian regional administration, and funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement ID 101036428.  Bio-based plastic

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AIMPLAS joins EcoeFISHent project to convert fish by-products into oxygen barriers and more

Enzyme biorecycling – India set to surpass Japan, Germany to become 3rd largest economy by 2030: S&P 27-10-2023

Bio-based plastic

Enzyme biorecycling – India set to surpass Japan, Germany to become 3rd largest economy by 2030: S&P 27-10-2023

Enzyme biorecycling

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

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Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Looking into the future: clear PET’s rise and colored plastic’s decline

From milk tops to Sprite bottles, colored plastics have a grey future, whilst the value of clear PET is becoming transparent.

With only 9% of plastic successfully recycled globally, there has been a growing push towards a circular plastic economy: a closed-loop system for recycling materials which eliminates waste and reduces the need for new production.

Through the 2022 Global Commitment, made in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme, and the Plastics Pact Network, over 1,000 businesses and governments have already enacted plans to move towards a circular economy, committing to a variety of 2025 targets, which include ensuring that 100% of plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable.  Enzyme biorecycling

Dominic Cakebread, GlobalData analyst, commented that: “Almost all of the major global companies in the packaging supply chain – from retailers, CPG manufacturers, packaging converters and polymer suppliers are fully aware of the need to move to a circular economy and have sustainability policies, targets and systems in place to address this.”

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Enzyme biorecycling

Electric motors come in different types: synchronous or asynchronous, with permanent magnets or wound rotors

These terms may seem confusing if you are not familiar with electrical engineering. Let’s see what they mean and how they affect electric mobility.

All electric motors use electromagnetism, which is based on two simple ideas: electric charges moving create magnetic fields and changing magnetic fields create electric currents.  Enzyme biorecycling

Also, different magnetic fields can push or pull each other, creating forces. This way, we can turn electricity into motion for our wheels. But there are many ways to do this, and many kinds of electric motors, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

In cars, the most common types are the synchronous motor with permanent magnets and the asynchronous motor with a copper cage. In the first one, the stator (the outer, fixed part of the motor) has copper coils that make a magnetic field when an alternating current (that changes over time) flows through them. This magnetic field also changes over time and rotates around the motor axis.

The rotor (the inner, moving part of the motor) has magnets that are attracted by the stator’s magnetic field. This makes the rotor spin at the same speed as the stator’s magnetic field, so it is called synchronous. In the second one, the rotor also has a copper cage, but no magnets.

The stator’s magnetic field makes an electric current in the rotor’s cage, which then makes another magnetic field. This second magnetic field interacts with the first one and makes the rotor spin. But this only works if the rotor is slower than the stator’s magnetic field, so it is called asynchronous.  Enzyme biorecycling

The asynchronous motor is cheaper, easier and stronger than the synchronous one. That’s why it was used in the first electric cars. But it also wastes more energy as heat because of the electric current in the rotor.

That’s why it is being replaced by the synchronous motor with permanent magnets, which is more efficient (and can travel more with less energy). But this motor also has problems, mainly because of the magnets, which are costly and need rare materials to make. A possible solution is the synchronous motor with wound rotors, which some car makers like Nissan-Renault and BMW use.  Enzyme biorecycling

Here, instead of magnets, the rotor has copper coils that get another electric current, called excitation current, to make a magnetic field. This current can be controlled to change how the motor works at different speeds, which can make it even more efficient than the permanent magnet motor at high speeds.

Enzyme biorecycling

Carbios : Progress in in France

Progress in biorecycling in France Carbios has completed the administrative process for the construction of the new plant, which will come into operation in two years.

Output: Carbios has finished the paperwork for the new facility, whic

biorecycling 

h will be operational in two years.

It is part of a project to set up the first large-scale plant in France for the enzyme-based recycling of PET waste, which will be located in Longlaville, in the Grand-Est region, close to a PET production plant owned by Indorama Ventures, a partner in the initiative.

Carbios obtained the permits, including the environmental ones, to build and run the new facility, after Indorama Venures sold them the land where it will be constructed in September: an area of 13.7 hectares that will enable future capacity expansions.

The authorizations came after an administrative process and a public consultation, where they evaluated the effects of the site on water resources and aquatic environment protection, on energy use, on landscape integration and on traffic.

Carbios applied for the authorizations to the local authorities last December and it took them ten months to get them all.  Enzyme biorecycling

They will start building the facility by the end of this year with the goal of launching it in 2025.

The biorecycling facility will be able to process 50,000 tonnes of post-consumer PET waste per year, creating 150 new jobs, both direct and indirect.

The biorecycling method relies on the C-Zyme technology developed by Carbios, where an enzyme breaks down PET and polyester fibres, returning them to the original components: terephthalic acid and monoethylene glycol, which, after a purification stage , can be used to make polyester again with a quality equal to virgin and further recyclable at the end of its life.  Enzyme biorecycling

Enzyme biorecycling

India set to surpass Japan, Germany to become 3rd largest economy by 2030: S&P

India has become an increasingly attractive location for multinationals across a wide range of industries, says US-based global ratings agency

India is likely to overtake Japan and Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030 as its gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to touch $ 7.3 trillion, S&P Global Market Intelligence says in its latest PMI issue.

Currently, India is the 5th largest economy in the world at $3.7 trillion worth of GDP in 2023-24. It replaced the U.K. as the 5th biggest economy in 2022. After two years of rapid economic growth in 2021 and 2022, the Indian economy has continued to show sustained strong growth during the 2023 calendar year, S&P says.  Enzyme biorecycling

“India’s nominal GDP measured in USD terms is forecast to rise from USD 3.5 trillion in 2022 to USD 7.3 trillion by 2030. This rapid pace of economic expansion would result in the size of the Indian GDP exceeding the Japanese GDP by 2030, making India the second largest economy in the Asia-Pacific region. By 2022, the size of Indian GDP had already become larger than the GDP of the UK and also France.

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India set to surpass Japan, Germany to become 3rd largest economy by 2030: S&P

Valgroup expands its operations in the Italian PET preform market with the acquisition of Garda Plast Group

Valgroup, one of the largest producers, transformers and recyclers of plastic packaging, announces the acquisition of Garda Plast Group (GP Group), formed through the aggregation – led by Progressio SGR – between Garda Plast S.p.A., based in Polpenazze del Garda (BS), and IFAP S.p.A., based in Palmanova (UD). GP Group is specialized in the production of PET and rPET preforms.        Enzyme biorecycling

This business expansion consolidates the company’s presence in Italy, strengthening relations with suppliers and enabling it to support regional customers more comprehensively.

Massimo Cutolo, President and CEO of Garda Plast, comments: “During these years of partnership with Progressio, the management team has achieved significant milestones. We dare say that our Group is now an excellence in the industry, important goals has been achieved and many others will be achieved.”  Enzyme biorecycling

Alessandro Petraccia, Senior Partner at Progressio, says: “We are proud to have supported Massimo and the management team of the GP Group in this journey. The company has embarked on a virtuous growth path, entering new markets, developing new value-added business lines, investing in technology, digitalization, and sustainability. Special thanks go to our partners, Pietro Bruseschi, Marco Bruseschi, Amos Tonoli, and Luca Tonoli, who, not only for their significant contribution to the business, but also because they have been great companions in this journey.”

Luigi Geronimi, Founder of Valgroup, says: “With the acquisition of the Garda Plast Group, we further consolidate our position in the Italian market, creating a hub of innovation and excellence in the PET and rPET preform sector for the beverage, detergent and dairy industries.”

The two new plants acquired by Valgroup in Italy are in addition to five other PET preform manufacturing units: one in San Jose, Uruguay, another three in Brazil, in the cities of Duque de Caxias (RJ), Ipojuca (PE) and Betim (MG), as well as the unit located in Villa Lempa, Italy, acquired at the end of 2022.  Enzyme biorecycling

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Valgroup expands its operations in the Italian PET preform market with the acquisition of Garda Plast Group

What’s the deal on chemical recycling?

A major point of debate in Europe today is the status of chemical recycling. Mark Victory of ICIS weighs in.

Chemical recycling and the definition of recycling
Directive 2008/98/EC forms the basis of the majority of EU recycling legislation definitions, defines recycling as “any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. It includes the reprocessing of organic material but does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations.”

This has left the legal status of chemical recycling uncertain, particularly for pyrolysis – the dominant form of chemical recycling in Europe – where mixed plastic waste is commonly converted to pyrolysis oil – a naphtha substitute – before being reprocessed into recycled materials.    Enzyme biorecycling

The EU Commission stated in late 2020 that it would take a decision in 2021 on the legal status of chemical recycling based on its cradle-to-grave life-cycle impact. This decision remains yet to emerge.

Nevertheless, the proposed redraft of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive – which would replace transform the directive into a regulation, uses a different definition of recycling, which would clear up the ambiguity in directive 2008/98/EC

The draft legislation states that:

“The amount of packaging waste materials that have ceased to be waste as a result of a preparatory operation before being reprocessed may be counted as recycled provided that such materials are destined for subsequent reprocessing into products, materials or substances to be used for the original or other purposes. Enzyme biorecycling

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What’s the deal on chemical recycling?

Toyota – Akio Toyoda: “People are finally opening their eyes” to electric cars

It’s never nice to hear I-told-you-so, but that’s exactly what Akio Toyoda, chairman of Toyota’s board of directors, reiterated on the opening day of the Japan Mobility Show: the decline in demand for electric cars is proof that BEVs do not represent the only path to the future of the automotive industry.  Enzyme biorecycling
People are finally starting to see things as they are, said Toyoda, who has been harshly criticized for his less than conciliatory positions on the massive electric transition involving almost all car manufacturers.
The case of the USA.
The manager referred to the contraction in demand in the United States (where GM and Ford are considering slowing down the production of their electric pick-ups) to underline how his reticence towards battery-powered cars was justified.
There are many ways to climb the mountain of CO2 neutrality, Toyoda said from the Tokyo Motor Show. If the rules are written in an ideological way, then it is the consumers, the normal people who suffer the most.
A step at a time. And all the electric prototypes presented at the Japan Mobility Show? Toyoda said that the cars presented in Tokyo a re the result of the work of an automaker that moves with the right times.  Enzyme biorecycling
The strength of the Japanese industry in the electric car sector will come from its decades of experience and the failures of the past.
Meanwhile, it’s worth highlighting that demand for hybrid cars is higher than ever. It certainly won’t be a coincidence.
Toyota – Akio Toyoda: “People are finally opening their eyes” to electric cars

Paper bottle – IEA Study – Electric and renewable “flywheel”: “This will reduce the demand for oil” 26-10-2023

Enzyme biorecycling

Paper bottle – IEA Study – Electric and renewable “flywheel”: “This will reduce the demand for oil” 26-10-2023

Paper bottle

Crude Oil Prices Trend

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Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

ALPLA becomes majority owner of Paboco and invests to upscale paper bottle manufacturing

ALPLA has succeeded Billerud as the majority shareholder of Paboco and is now investing in scaling its manufacturing capacity, envisioning the production of a fully recyclable paper bottle at a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing site by the end of 2024.

Founded in a joint venture between ALPLA and Billerud, Paboco (The Paper Bottle Company) is based in Slangerup, Denmark, and uses pulp-forming technology to produce FSC-certified fibre-based packaging. It has been working with The Absolut Company, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, L’Oréal, and Procter & Gamble to test its first products since 2021.  Paper bottle

Following this successful test phase, it is anticipated that series production for the next generation of paper bottles will begin in late 2024. ALPLA is taking over all Billerud’s shares and is investing in Paboco in the hopes of industrializing the bottles at speed.

A new manufacturing site and development centre are set to open in Denmark for the market launch. Paboco currently hires eighteen employees, but this figure is expected to rise by the time production begins.

In the long term, Paboco aims to develop and scale fully bio-based and recyclable paper bottles.

“Safety, affordability and sustainability are the central criteria of our packaging solutions,” says Philipp Lehner, CEO of ALPLA. “After several years of intensive development and groundbreaking innovations, the Paboco team is now ready to take its pioneering product to the market and establish the paper bottle as a sustainable alternative for a wide range of customers.”  Paper bottle

Tim Silbermann, CEO of Paboco, continues: “The vision of the fully bio-based and recyclable paper bottle has driven the team to create amazing results in just a short development period. With the bottle configuration now, we are targeting the beauty and fabric and home-care segment, but continuous development will also enable us to bring our next-generation bottle into further applications. We are happy that ALPLA is fully committed to supporting us on this journey.”

“We at ALPLA work intensively on alternative materials, invest in promising projects and actively shape technological progress as a ‘Family of Pioneers’,” adds Christian Zmölnig, director of Corporate Research, Development and Innovation at ALPLA and chairman of the Board of Directors at Paboco.  Paper bottle

Ricardo Rehm, CFO of ALPLA, and Rainer Widmar, managing director Central and Eastern Europe at ALPLA, join Zmölnig on Paboco’s Board of Directors.

The transaction took place at the beginning of October, with the contracting parties agreeing not to disclose details.

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Paper bottle

IEA Study – Electric and renewable “flywheel”: “This will reduce the demand for oil”

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its 2023 edition of the World Energy Outlook, projecting a substantial reduction in the demand for crude oil, gas, and coal by 2030. This transformation is primarily attributed to the rapid ascension of clean technologies like photovoltaics, wind power, electric vehicles, and heat pumps. The IEA, an intergovernmental organization established in 1974 in response to the oil crisis, outlines a vision for the energy landscape of the future.  Paper bottle

In this future energy system, clean technologies will play a significantly more prominent role. The IEA predicts that the global fleet of battery-powered vehicles will increase nearly tenfold from current levels. Photovoltaics are expected to generate more electricity than the entire U.S. energy system, and renewables will comprise approximately 50% of the global electricity mix, up from around 30% today. Moreover, electric heating systems, such as heat pumps, will surpass the sales of fossil fuel boilers, and investments in offshore wind projects will triple compared to new coal and gas power plants.

The forecast is contingent on current climate policies implemented globally, coupled with economic shifts. These developments will drive a decline in the demand for fossil fuels, reducing their share in the global energy supply from an average of 80% in previous decades to 73% by 2030. Furthermore, CO2 emissions related to energy production will peak by 2025. Paper bottle

Nonetheless, the IEA emphasizes the necessity for further action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Meeting existing energy and climate commitments will expedite progress, but even more stringent measures will be essential.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA, asserts that the transition to clean energy is inevitable and emphasizes that governments, companies, and investors should support this transition for its manifold benefits, including economic opportunities, job creation, energy security, improved air quality, universal energy access, and a safer climate. Traditional energy markets face ongoing volatility, making the case for oil and gas as safe choices for the world’s energy future less convincing than ever.

Continuing to reduce fossil fuel usage is imperative since their current demand remains “too high” to achieve the goal of limiting global temperature increases. According to the IEA, sticking to the current trajectory would have significant costs, as global emissions would still be high enough to raise average temperatures by around 2.4 degrees Celsius this century, well above the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target.

The World Energy Outlook proposes a global strategy based on five key pillars to get the world back on track by 2030. Paper bottle

These pillars include tripling global renewable generation capacity, doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement, reducing methane emissions from fossil fuel extraction by 75%, establishing large-scale financing mechanisms for clean energy investments in emerging economies, and implementing measures for an orderly decline in fossil fuel usage, including halting new coal-fired power plant permits.

Birol underscores the necessity of international cooperation to accelerate the transition to clean energy. It is crucial to finance sustainable solutions to meet the energy demands of fast-growing economies and intensify collaboration rather than abandoning it. This holistic approach is essential for achieving the ambitious climate goals and ensuring a sustainable energy future. Paper bottle

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Naia™ Renew Fibers And The Game-Changing Potential Of Molecular Recycling Take Center At The 2023 Textile Exchange Conference, London

Being responsible materials the main topic of the 2023 Textile Exchange Conference, Naia™ from Eastman is pleased to be among the sponsors of the event and bring its expertise on the topic, in the name of the molecular recycling technology behind Naia™ Renew fibers.  Paper bottle

From recycling technology to sustainable fibers

Naia™ Renew, available at scale as both a filament yarn and staple fiber, is produced from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% certified waste materials and can be blended with other sustainable fibers to create nearly endless luxurious fabric possibilities that are comfortable and rich in color. The carbon footprint of Naia™ Renew fiber is measurably reduced over its life cycle*. Eastman transforms waste materials that are difficult to recycle – which would otherwise not have an end-of-life option and would end up in landfill or incinerators – into biodegradable fibers through its patented carbon renewal technology. This is one of Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies that breaks materials down into basic molecular building blocks, assuring end materials are indistinguishable from those made from virgin fossil sources in quality, performance, or appearance.

Accelerating the molecular recycling culture

To make recycling options economically efficient and enable long terms success, Eastman is actively engaging with multiple value chain players, recognizing the need for systematic changes in collecting and sorting.Paper bottle

The company is among the founding members of the Alliance of Chemical Textile Recycling (ACTR), a working group launched by Accelerating Circularity, the nonprofit focused on textile-to-textile recycling at a commercial scale, to move chemical recycling technology forward, share common definitions, and address policies in a collaborative way to maximize the elimination of textile waste to landfills and incineration: Naia™’s goal, by 2025, is to have more than 25% recycled content derived from textile waste material.
Visitors at Textile Exchange Conference have the opportunity to drop in and find out more about textile-to-textile recycling directly from Eastman’s team contributors in a session of Q&A on October 26, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM.  Paper bottle

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Quantum Materials, LLC Acquires the Innegra™ Portfolio of High-Performance Fibers

Quantum Materials, LLC (“Quantum”), a vertically integrated manufacturer of multifilament and monofilament yarns, elastomeric woven suspension fabrics and industrial textiles, has acquired the Innegra™ portfolio of patented high-performance fibers and materials. Innegra will serve as a foundational product to support Quantum’s growth of new technical and industrial textile solutions for the composite and textile markets.

Quantum has accelerated its capital expenditure plan over the last three years to expand the company’s manufacturing asset base to meet increased demand for domestic textile production. The expansion, which included investment in equipment and infrastructure to support the production of Innegra, has allowed the company to seamlessly merge the Innegra business into its operations post-acquisition and successfully service the brand’s current customer base.  Paper bottle

“For over 15 years, Innegra has been effectively used across a wide range of composite applications. We are excited to incorporate Innegra and its patented range of fibers and materials into our product portfolio,” said Allen Smith, CEO of QTI Fibers. “This strategic acquisition fits within our vision of being the industry leader in the development and commercialization of technical textile solutions. As we move forward with Innegra, we see many opportunities that extend past composites, including its integration into products manufactured by the QTI company portfolio, consisting of the Quantum, Twitchell and Infinity businesses.”

Engineered to enhance and amplify the performance of composite and textile materials, Innegra is the lightest synthetic fiber commercially available and can be used as a standalone fiber, or it can be hybridized with other structural fibers or materials. It is chemically resistant, hydrophobic, tough, durable and has excellent dielectric properties, while also being flexible, ductile and fusible. The fiber also has the ability to dampen vibrations, aid impact resistance and can be synergistically combined with many other materials and fibers to improve product performance properties. Today, Innegra can be found in footwear, sporting goods, U.S. military and ballistic products, and various automotive, aerospace and marine applications.  Paper bottle

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Quantum Materials, LLC Acquires the Innegra™ Portfolio of High-Performance Fibers

Stellantis and Orano To Enter EV Battery Recycling Joint Venture

Key Takeaways

  • Stellantis and Orano said they will establish a joint venture for an electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling plant set to begin production in 2026.
  • The venture, which will secure access to materials needed to create EVs, could strengthen Stellantis’ position in the competitive EV market.
  • The venture is designed to help support a circular and low-carbon economy amid the transition to EVs.  Paper bottle

Automaker Stellantis (STLA) said it was set to enter a joint venture with Orano, a global nuclear fuel cycle company, to recycle electric vehicle (EV) batteries to support a circular economy.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint venture for recycling EV batteries and scraps from gigafactories. The joint venture will produce “black mass” or “active mass” that can be refined at Orano’s hydrometallurgical plant to ultimately be reused in batteries.

Stellantis said the venture would strengthen the company’s standing in the EV market by “securing additional access to cobalt, nickel, and lithium necessary for electrification and energy transition.”

The “innovative and disruptive process” creates “a real closed loop,” Orano Group Director of Innovation, R&D, and Nuclear Medicine, Magnets, and Batteries Guillaume Dureau said, indicating that the venture is part of Orano’s “commitment to developing a low-carbon economy with the recycling of strategic materials for the energy transition and the circular economy.”  Paper bottle

The recycling joint venture is set to begin production in the first part of 2026 using existing Stellantis facilities. The company will invest to “reskill and upskill Stellantis and Orano employees” for the project.

Stellantis and Orano To Enter EV Battery Recycling Joint Venture

Packaging regulation, ENVI report voted

Proposed restrictive rules on ultralight bags, BPA and PFAS in food packaging and specific reduction targets for plastic packaging waste.
The Environment Committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament this morning approved by majority (56 votes in favour, 23 against and 5 abstentions) the position with amendments to the proposal for a Regulation on packaging and packaging waste presented by the European Commission as a replacement of the Directive in force since 1994.
The report, with the negotiating mandate, will be voted on by Parliament during the second plenary session, scheduled for 20 November. Then the text will be examined by the trilogue between Parliament, Commission and EU Council.  Paper bottle
“The Environment Committee has sent a strong message in favor of a complete review of the European market for packaging and packaging waste – says the Belgian rapporteur Frédérique Ries -. There can be no effective recycling or reuse policy without safe packaging, which is why the ban on intentionally added harmful chemicals is a huge victory for the health of European consumers. We also ensured that environmental ambitions met industrial reality, with a report focused on innovation and providing an exemption for companies with fewer than ten employees.”
The position of the ENVI Committee includes a ban on the sale of ultra-light plastic bags (under 15 microns), unless they are necessary for hygienic reasons or provided as primary packaging for loose foods, in order to prevent food waste.  Paper bottle
In addition to the general packaging reduction objectives already contained in the proposed Regulation, MEPs want to set specific reduction objectives for plastic packaging waste: 10% by 2030, 15% by 2035 and 20% by 2040. Furthermore the plastic fraction of packaging should contain minimum percentages of recycled content, varying depending on the type of packaging, with specific objectives set for 2030 and 2040.
The amended text remodulates the percentages of recycled content in contact-sensitive packaging by 2030: the 30% threshold for single-use bottles containing drinks, foreseen for PET packaging, has been cancelled. The quota for contact-sensitive packaging produced with materials other than PET has been reduced from 10% to 7.5%, with the exception of bottles.
Packaging containing less than 5% plastic is now exempt from the obligation to introduce a minimum recycled content. And up to 50% of the ‘mandatory’ recycled material can be replaced by bioplastics.
By the end of 2025, the Commission is called to propose sustainability objectives and criteria for biobased plastic, considered “a key resource to defossilize the plastic economy”.  Paper bottle
Among the other measures contained in the draft approved today is the delicate issue of reusable packaging, which should meet a series of criteria, including the minimum number of times it can actually be reused, to be defined later. Operators in the Horeca sector who operate in the distribution of drinks and take-away foods should offer consumers the possibility of using their own container.
However, requests from some Italian MEPs for exemptions from the reuse bans and quotas did not pass. On the topic of bans, the contrary opinion of the Industry Commission (ITRE) must also be considered, especially in the case of packaging for fruit and vegetables and disposable packaging in restaurants. The synthesis between these opposing positions will be entrusted to Parliament.
It is also proposed to ban intentionally added persistent chemicals in packaging in contact with food, such as PFAS and bisphenol A (BPA), used mainly in paper and cardboard food packaging for waterproofing.  Paper bottle

PPWR Regulations with amendments
Packaging regulation, ENVI report voted

Zara owner Inditex to buy recycled polyester from US start-up

Zara owner Inditex , the world’s biggest clothing retailer, has agreed to buy recycled polyester from U.S. start-up Ambercycle, the companies said on Wednesday.

As fast-fashion retailers face pressure to reduce waste and use recycled fabrics, Inditex is spending more than 70 million euros ($74 million) to secure supply of Ambercycle’s recycled polyester made from textile waste.  Paper bottle

Polyester, a product of the petroleum industry, is widely used in sportswear as it is quick-drying and durable.

Under the offtake deal, Inditex will buy a “significant” portion of Ambercycle’s production of recycled polyester, which is sold under the brand cycora, over three years. The clothing retailer aims for 25% of its fibers to come from “next-generation” materials by 2030.

The Inditex investment will help Los Angeles-based Ambercycle fund its first commercial-scale textile recycling factory. Production of cycora at the plant is expected to begin around 2025, and the material will be used in Inditex products over the following three years.

Zara Athleticz, a sub-brand of sportswear for men, launched a capsule collection on Wednesday of “technical pieces” containing up to 50% cycora. Inditex said the collection would be available from Zara.com.  Paper bottle

Some apparel brands seeking to reduce their reliance on virgin polyester have switched to recycled polyester derived from plastic bottles, but that practice has come under criticism as it has created more demand for used plastic bottles, pushing up prices.

Textile-to-textile polyester recycling is in its infancy, though, and will take time to reach the scale required by global fashion brands.

“We want to drive innovation to scale-up new solutions, processes and materials to achieve textile-to-textile recycling,” Inditex’s chief sustainability officer Javier Losada said in a statement.

The Ambercycle deal marks the latest in a series of investments made by Inditex into textile recycling start-ups.  Paper bottle

Last year it signed a 100 million euro ($104 million) three-year deal to buy 30% of the recycled fibre produced by Finland’s Infinited Fiber Co, and also invested in Circ, another U.S. firm focused on textile-to-textile recycling.

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Zara owner Inditex to buy recycled polyester from US start-up

Plastic Pollution – Supply chain letter on the need for mass balance fuel-use exempt for chemical recycling 25-10-2023

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Plastic Pollution – Supply chain letter on the need for mass balance fuel-use exempt for chemical recycling 25-10-2023

Plastic Pollution

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Stamicarbon (MAIRE Group) signs licensing and equipment supply contracts with Shandong Lianmeng Chemical Company for an Ultra-Low Energy grassroots urea plant in China

Shandong Lianmeng Chemical Company awards licensing and equipment supply contracts for a grassroots urea melt and prilling plant in China to Stamicarbon, the nitrogen technology licensor of MAIRE Group. The plant located in Shouguang city of Shandong province in China will use Stamicarbon’s Ultra-Low Energy design with a highly efficient pool reactor concept and have a capacity of 2334 MTPD.

Stamicarbon will provide the license, proprietary equipment, including high-pressure equipment made of super duplex stainless steel and associated services. This grassroots project will be the eighth urea plant worldwide to utilize Stamicarbon’s proprietary Ultra-Low Energy design.  Plastic Pollution

The Ultra-Low Energy Design allows heat supplied as high-pressure steam to be used three times instead of two, compared to the conventional CO2 stripping processes. This results in a 35% reduction in steam consumption and a 16% decrease in cooling water use. The efficiency of this design is proven with two operational plants, making its energy savings unparalleled in the market.

“We are thrilled to start this project in collaboration with Stamicarbon, a global leader in urea technology. We are looking forward to seeing the cutting-edge technology in action and are confident in the advantages it will bring,” said Mr. Wang Xinjian, the General manager of Shandong Lianmeng Group.

“We’re excited to launch a project using our Ultra-Low Energy design, which has shown itself to be the top choice for energy efficiency and sustainability in urea production. With this project, we are further expanding our footprint in China, aiming to address the region’s growing demand for urea,” said Pejman Djavdan, Stamicarbon CEO.

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Plastic Pollution

In-house production facility in Romania steers Coca-Cola HBC towards 50% rPET goal in 2023

Coca-Cola HBC has opened a new in-house production facility in Romania to supply rPET for its 100% recycled bottle portfolio – apparently positioning the company to deliver almost 50% rPET use across its EU and Swiss markets by the end of the year.

The development follows an investment of €11 million, which includes €3.5 million of state aid, and is thought to make Romania the first market within the group to use 100% recycled bottles across its portfolio, an in-house PET production facility – and, from December, a deposit return scheme (DRS) to facilitate bottle and can collection for recycling.  Plastic Pollution

Other ventures into DRS are set to roll out in many of the company’s markets, with five currently active across the company’s markets and six more set to be added by the end of 2025. These systems are said to reach a typical collection rate of 90% for bottles and cans.

Coca-Cola HBC Romania is also described as the first beverage producer in the market to produce PET in-house and, of Coca-Cola HBC’s markets, marks the third rPET decontamination facility to begin operations.

It is reported that 22% of the PET used across Coca-Cola HBC’s EU and Swiss markets in 2022 was recycled. A combination of its progress in Romania and the transition into recycled bottle portfolios in its Swiss, Austrian, Italian, Irish, and Northern Irish markets, the company claims that it is on its was to utilizing 50% rPET by the end of 2023, ahead of its 2025 deadline.  Plastic Pollution

With packaging constituting around a third of Coca-Cola HBC’s carbon footprint, the company is foregrounding its efforts to achieve net zero emissions across its whole value chain by 2040. Food-grade rPET bottles have an 80% lower carbon footprint than virgin PET resin, the company claims, and all electricity used on its production line is said to come from 100% renewable sources.

Additionally, it claims to have reduced 30% of emissions across its entire supply chain since 2010 and invested €377 million into its sustainability initiatives.

“I’m very proud of the progress we are seeing in our sustainability agenda and our mission to create a world without waste,” said CEO Zoran Bogdanovic. “At Coca-Cola HBC, our purpose is to ‘Open Up Moments that Refresh us All’ and this means that, beyond the functional refreshment that we provide, we strive to refresh our communities and the environment through the work that we do.

“We are working to produce and deliver our drinks in more sustainable ways and in packaging that has a life beyond its initial use – and Romania is a great example of how we can work collaboratively with our stakeholders and the wider industry to create a circular economy for packaging.”  Plastic Pollution

Coca-Cola Philippines recently rolled out its own line of 100% rPET bottles – including caps and labels – for its Coca-Cola Original and Wilkins Pure brands. A new sustainable packaging platform is accompanying their release, seeking to increase consumer education in the fight against plastic waste.

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Plastic Pollution

Global Plastics Summit Puts Forth Radical Proposals to Reduce Plastic Pollution

Article-Global Plastics Summit Puts Forth Radical Proposals to Reduce Plastic Pollution

The Global Rules Scenario would lead to production of just 301 million tonnes of virgin plastics by 2040 compared with current projections of 712 million tonnes

Amid what’s described as an “escalating global plastic pollution crisis,” key stakeholders from across the plastics space, headed by NGOs, policymakers, and the scientific community, have unveiled their recommendations to guide UN negotiations on establishing an international, legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution. Plastic Pollution

Delegates at the inaugural Global Plastics Summit in Bangkok, albeit with sparse participation from plastics producers themselves, proposed a raft of solutions to plug gaps in a draft of a Global Plastics Treaty to ensure it is robust enough to tackle the plastics crisis. The summit, organized by Economist Impact, is the largest and most significant assembly of stakeholders ahead of the third round of negotiations on the UN Plastics Treaty (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee INC-3), scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from Nov. 13 to 19, 2023.

Slashing virgin resin production by 2040

Among the more ambitious — some might say radical — proposals to minimize plastic waste detailed at the summit included calls to significantly reduce production of virgin polymers. One such strategy was highlighted in a presentation by Felix Cornehl, manager of Systemiq. The firm describes itself as a system change company whose objective is to help design and build a better [sustainable] economy. Plastic Pollution

Under its Global Rules Scenario, Systemiq proposes that global production of virgin plastics be slashed by 30% by 2040 compared with the 2019 production level through a process of reduction and elimination, including increased usage of recycled materials.

The Global Rules Scenario would reduce the annual volume of virgin plastic production and consumption by applying targets, fees and demand reduction policies; eliminating avoidable single-use plastics in certain applications; mandating substitution where alternative materials would yield better impacts; and expanding safe reuse, recycling, durability, and repair.

Systemiq’s proposal does emphasize that alternative materials should only be mandated when their environmental outcomes are more favorable than those of the material being replaced. One potential barrier here is that, in numerous cases, plastics have been proven to be the most environmentally friendly option available, provided they are disposed of correctly or recycled. Plastic Pollution

Hefty EPR fees on the table

The company’s proposal also encompasses extended producer responsibility (EPR), with fees modeled depending on product and region, but ranging from $300 per tonne starting in 2025 and increasing gradually to $1,000 per tonne by 2040.

The Global Rules Scenario does not consider substitution of current plastics with bio-based, biodegradable, or compostable plastics (except for some specific applications in agriculture). “Uncertainty remains as to the role of these solutions in the future and caution is required based on the available evidence,” says Systemiq.

The end result of the Global Rules Scenario would lead to production of just 301 million tonnes of virgin plastics in 2040 versus 430 million tonnes in 2019, compared with 712 million tonnes in 2040 in a business-as-usual scenario. If realized, this would have a devastating effect on many plastics producers and converters who fail to adapt to the new normal. Plastic Pollution

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Plastic Pollution

Supply chain letter on the need for mass balance fuel-use exempt for chemical recycling

The undersigned, representing 20 associations in the plastics supply chain, call on EU Member States to urgently adopt mass balance fuel-use exempt as the EU harmonised mass balance method for allocating recycled content via chemical recycling.

An early warning report to Member States from June 2023 states that 19 countries are at high risk of not achieving their plastic packaging recycling targets*. Currently, the EU plastics recycling rate is 38% (Eurostat, 2022) while the target for 2025 is 50%. Recycling efforts across the EU need to be urgently ramped up with a critical need for more investment in recycling and collection infrastructure. Plastic Pollution

While mechanical and other physical recycling technologies will continue to expand and innovate, there is also a unique opportunity for chemical recycling to complement existing efforts to help achieve recycling targets and increase the volume of recycled content. Mandatory recycled content targets for packaging and automotive are currently being discussed at EU level.

Chemically recycled feedstocks are typically blended with virgin feedstocks and the two different feedstocks cannot be physically separated once they are co-fed into the complex large-scale installations. Therefore, a mass balance chain of custody is required to accurately calculate and verify the amount of recycled content allocated to products. Chemical recycling allows the use of plastic waste, especially feedstock not suitable for mechanical recycling, to produce new chemicals, including plastics. Recent academic research shows that mechanical, other physical and chemical recycling are complementary as these address different types of feedstocks**.  Plastic Pollution

As recognised by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), chemical recycling is currently undergoing rapid technological developments***. When comparing the environmental performance of chemical recycling to incineration with energy recovery, chemical recycling already achieves significant greenhouse gas emission savings, and these are set to increase as the EU electricity grid gradually decarbonises.

Mass balance fuel-use exempt is crucial to incentivize the rapid scale-up of chemical recycling. An estimated 8-billion-euro investment is in the pipeline by 2030 that would produce 2.8Mt recycled plastics via chemical recycling across the different EU Member States****. However, these planned investments will not be achieved if the regulatory framework does not allow for a mass balance method that incentivizes scale-up.

The mass balance fuel-use exempt approach is in line with the EU recycling definition in the Waste Framework Directive and we endorse this to be accompanied by stringent third-party certification and auditing systems to ensure the traceability of recycled content throughout the supply chain. Plastic Pollution

Chemical recyclers are already using third party certification systems with mass balance allocation to ensure full chain of custody traceability for the products commercialised on the market. Other methods such as polymer only and proportional allocation will significantly increase the costs and the required chemical recycling capacity needed to achieve the recycled content targets in packaging and other sectors.

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Supply chain letter on the need for mass balance fuel-use exempt for chemical recycling

Plastics Recyclers Europe warns against priority access to recycled PET

The organisation said the provision, if implemented, would promote monopolistic control of recycled polymers and go against free-market principles

Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), the European Waste Management Association (FEAD), and EuRIC, a confederation representing the interests of the European recycling industries, have objected to the introduction of the “right of first refusal” in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation proposal (PPWR) legislation.  Plastic Pollution

“Right of first refusal” would give priority access to recycled plastics, including recycled PET, to companies in the packaging industry. In September 2022, Unesda, the pan-European association representing Europe’s soft drink industry, proposed introducing the measure in the upcoming revision of the PPWR. At the time, the association said recycled PET was becoming ‘almost as rare and expensive as white truffles or gold’ in the EU, with demand purportedly significantly exceeding supply.

Beverage companies, particularly small to medium-sized enterprises, expressed concerns of not being able to meet the obligations arising from the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, as many cannot the very high prices of recycled material. They argued that right of first refusal would give every producer, from large to small, the option to buy the recycled material issued from the recyclable packaging it put on the EU market – after adjustment for collection and recycling rates.  Plastic Pollution

This would arguably put all beverage producers, including SMEs, in a position to meet their mandatory recycled content targets, considerably reduce the downcycling of PET bottles by promoting bottle-to-bottle recycling, and incentivise all sectors, including those outside the beverage industry, to invest in the recyclability and collection of their products.

However, recycling organisations argued in an Oct. 23 statement that the risk of PET bottle downcycling is a ‘myth’ that ‘could ruin European efforts toward packaging circularity’. PRE, EuRIC, and FEAD warned that the provision, if implemented, would be detrimental to the development of recycling capacity in Europe, promoting monopolistic control of recycled polymers, and going against free-market principles.

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Plastics Recyclers Europe warns against priority access to recycled PET

One Eq­uity Part­ners Agrees to Sell Walki to Japan’s Oji Group

Firm Supported Walki’s Sustainability Initiatives Over Five Years of Ownership

One Equity Partners (“OEP”) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Walki Holding Oy (“Walki” or the “Company”), a pan-European supplier of sustainable and high-performing packaging and engineered materials solutions, to Oji Holdings Corporation (“Oji Group”), a Japanese paper products technology company.

Founded in 1930 and headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Walki is a specialty packaging materials manufacturer, offering consumer and industrial packaging for food and specialty consumer products, as well as engineered materials, such as insulation and fire-retardant facings, sustainable membranes, and protective clothing applications.

The Company has 17 production facilities worldwide and employs more than 1,700 people. OEP’s acquisition of Walki closed in July 2018.  Plastic Pollution

“We are humbled by Walki’s performance under our ownership and were pleased to help the business execute on a transformative business expansion strategy with sustainability at its core,” said Marc Lindhorst, Managing Director, One Equity Partners. “We collaborated with management to drive transformative growth opportunities in the packaging and engineered materials end markets while supporting the development of manufacturing methods with reduced adverse environmental effects.”

During OEP’s ownership, Walki saw revenue growth of 125% and made significant investments in long-term environmental sustainability. Investments included the development of alternative materials and production methods to give customers the flexibility to choose the most appropriate packaging solution to mitigate environmental impact.  Plastic Pollution

Walki completed seven acquisitions over OEP’s hold period, including that of Plasbel Plásticos in 2021, to leverage its expertise in producing recycled and compostable packaging and support significant expansion of the Valkeakoski facility in Finland.

“One Equity Partners was a first-rate partner to our business over the last five years,” said Leif Frilund, President and CEO of Walki. “OEP’s expertise in specialty manufacturing businesses like ours helped us to execute our sustainability strategy while continuing to grow the business.

With their support, we have proven that consistent corporate growth and business development do not have to be mutually exclusive.”  Plastic Pollution

One Eq­uity Part­ners Agrees to Sell Walki to Japan’s Oji Group

Danimer Scientific, BIOLO and Bolthouse Farms Announce Commercialization of Home Compostable Packaging for Fresh Produce with Meijer Stores

Danimer Scientific, Inc. (“Danimer” or the “Company”), a leading next-generation bioplastics company focused on the development and production of biodegradable materials, today announced the commercialization of home compostable retail packaging for vegetables and fruit, which Danimer developed in partnership with biodegradable packaging and food service product manufacturer BIOLO and carrot producer Bolthouse Farms.  Plastic Pollution

Danimer’s signature PHA, Nodax®, was used to create the bags for one-pound Earthbound Farm Organic Mini Peeled Carrots, now available in Meijer’s regional network of 240 grocery stores and supercenters in six states across the Midwest.

Stephen Croskrey, CEO of Danimer Scientific, said, “As demand continues to rise for environmentally superior alternatives to petroleum plastics, we’re excited that Meijer will offer home compostable packaging solutions that make possible the safe, efficient, low-cost and stable delivery of fresh foods, providing consumers with a more responsible way to enjoy the products they love. We’re grateful for the partnership of BIOLO, Bolthouse Farms and Meijer in bringing this product to market, which we believe will lead to other foods shifting to PHA-based packaging.”  Plastic Pollution

Danimer’s Nodax® is a biobased polyester made with oils derived from the seeds of plants such as canola. Unlike traditional plastic, which can take centuries to degrade, Danimer’s PHA-based products can degrade in a matter of months under certain conditions.

The Earthbound Farm Organic Mini Peeled Carrots bags are certified as home compostable by TUV, a globally recognized leader in independent product testing, inspection and certification. This certification means that the bags have passed rigorous testing that requires them to disintegrate at least 90% within 26 weeks and biodegrade within 52 weeks under home compost conditions.  Plastic Pollution

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Danimer Scientific, BIOLO and Bolthouse Farms Announce Commercialization of Home Compostable Packaging for Fresh Produce with Meijer Stores

Unrecyclable plastics – The Complex Reality of Plastic Recycling: Beyond the Hype 24-10-2023

Plastic Pollution

Unrecyclable plastics – The Complex Reality of Plastic Recycling: Beyond the Hype 24-10-2023

Unrecyclable plastics

Beijing’s economy is in bad shape

Proof? Xi Jinping today visited the Central Bank of China.

It is the first time this has happened since he came to power 10 years ago – the aim is “to underline the government’s growing attention to supporting the economy”.

Translated: countermeasures are needed to avoid collapseChinese President Xi Jinping today made his first known visit to the Central Bank (PBOC) since coming to power 10 years ago, aiming to underline the government’s growing focus on supporting the economy and financial markets amid stagnant growth and turbulences of various types.
Bloomberg reports this, citing well-informed sources, according to which Xi, together with Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng and other government officials, went to the headquarters of the PBOC and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (Safe) in the afternoon.

He, according to the same sources, also visited the nation’s sovereign wealth fund.

Unrecyclable plastics

Beijing's economy is in bad shape

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Mura Technology opens advanced recycling facility for ‘unrecyclable’ plastics

Mura Technology is opening its first commercial-scale HydroPRS advanced plastic recycling plant in Teesside, UK, processing ‘unrecyclable’ flexible and rigid mixed plastics into recycled hydrocarbon feedstocks for repeated plastic production.

Located at the Wilton International industrial site, the site reportedly has the capacity to produce 20ktpa of recycled liquid hydrocarbon products and expand its production capacity by over three times its initial size in the future. It is said to have created 150 jobs during its build and commissioning phases and now expects to offer up to 50 direct jobs and a further 100 surrounding related infrastructure to support operations.

The company anticipates that its offtake partners will receive their first delivery of recycled hydrocarbon products from the Teesside facility early next year. Unrecyclable plastics

HydroPRS is a process designed to complement mechanical recycling and produce recycled plastic feedstock to manufacture new plastics, in turn facilitating a circular economy. It makes use of supercritical water, or water under high pressure and temperature, and converts films, pots, tubs, trays, and other post-consumer, multi-layered plastics into stable hydrocarbon feedstocks.

Independent Life Cycle Assessments have been carried out at Teesside and suggest that the process saves 80% of carbon emissions by diverting these ‘unrecyclable’ plastics away from incineration. Apparently, materials can undergo unlimited cycles of the HydroPRS recycling process, which would cut down on single-use plastics and drive circularity within the plastics industry.  Unrecyclable plastics

For every tonne of plastic waste produced, HydroPRS is also said to save up to five barrels of oil and create products with an equivalent or lower Global Warming Potential.

Local mayor Ben Houchen will deliver a speech at the opening of the facility. Also set to attend are Marco ten Bruggencate, commercial VP for EMEA at Dow and President of Plastics Europe; Benny Mermans, vice president of Sustainability at Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem); Jinsuk Kim, managing director of LG Chem Europe; Doug Kelly, vice president of Technology at KBR, Mura’s License and Engineering Partner; and Dr Paul Davidson, Director of UK Research & Industry’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge delivered by Innovate UK.  Unrecyclable plastics

Dr Steve Mahon, CEO of Mura Technology, said: “The opening of our first-of-its-kind, next generation recycling facility is a groundbreaking achievement and the culmination of four years of dedication.

“Our HydroPRS process is unlocking a new market for plastic waste, creating value and keeping both plastic and carbon in circularity. The technology works alongside existing mechanical recycling to ensure no plastic types are considered ‘unrecyclable’ and require incineration or landfilling.

“With support from our partners, the Teesside site will be the first in Mura’s global roll-out, helping in the fight against the plastic pollution and global warming crises and acting as a launchpad for the 1,000,000 tonnes of annual recycling capacity that Mura plans to have in operation and development in this decade.”  Unrecyclable plastics

Partnerships with blue-chip companies like KBR, CPChem, LG Chem, and igus GmbH are helping Mura pursue global scaling for the HydroPRS process. Its collaboration with Dow has resulted in plans to construct a HydroPRS advanced recycling facility in Böhlen, Germany, scheduled to begin operations in 2025.

In similar news, Swedish Plastic Recycling’s Site Zero plant site, which aims to recycle all kinds of plastic packaging without emitting CO2, has scheduled its own grand opening on 15th November 2023. The company expects its opening to commence a ‘new era’ for the recycling of plastics.  Unrecyclable plastics

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Unrecyclable plastics

Joint Swiss-German survey finds inflation expected to drop worldwide

Insights

  • Though inflation expectations worldwide remain above central banks’ target, a further fall in the expected inflation rate for the rest of this year compared with previous quarters is evident, a Swiss-German survey found.
  • The overall average expected inflation rate this year is 6.2 per cent.
  • High inflation rates worldwide are expected in the coming years.

Though inflation expectations worldwide remain well above central banks’ target, a further decline in the expected inflation rate for the rest of this year compared with previous quarters is evident, according to the Economic Experts Survey (EES) of the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich (ifo Institute) and the Institute for Swiss Economic Policy.  Unrecyclable plastics

The overall average expected inflation rate this year is 6.2 per cent. This is the median of average expected inflation rates at the country level, ifo Institute said on its website.

Though inflation expectations worldwide remain above central banks’ target, a further fall in the expected inflation rate for the rest of this year compared with previous quarters is evident, a Swiss-German survey found. The overall average expected inflation rate this year is 6.2 per cent. High inflation rates worldwide are expected in the coming years.

The median is used because expected inflation rates vary widely by region, with some dramatically higher in individual countries and regions such as Africa than in the rest of the world.  Unrecyclable plastics

The average rate of 6.2 per cent expected in the current quarter is significantly lower than the expected rate of 7 per cent in the second quarter this year.

Short-term inflation expectations are therefore falling, but remain at a high level worldwide. Experts also expect high inflation rates worldwide in the coming years.

In the long term up to 2026, inflation expectations will also remain high at 4.5 per cent. However, long-term inflation expectations have decreased compared with the results of the previous quarter (4.9 per cent).

Inflation expectations vary widely among the world’s regions. For 2023, experts expect the lowest inflation rates in North America (4.1 per cent).  Unrecyclable plastics

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Unrecyclable plastics

Mexico’s Alpek suspends construction at the PTA and PET plant in Texas due to inflationary cost pressure

Mexico-based Alpek, one of the largest petrochemical companies in the Americas, has decided to temporarily suspend construction at its Corpus Christi Polymers (CCP) project in Texas due to rising costs. The decision comes shortly after the announcement of the closure of a filament plant in Mexico due to profitability challenges. Alpex has already obtained consent from its partners for this project for the temporary suspension of construction at the CCP project.  Unrecyclable plastics

The CCP project offers the most efficient and innovative production of polymers such as purified terephthalic acid (PTA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PTA accounts for the majority of the total annual capacity of the project, followed by PET. The project uses innovative processes and products for technical advantages compared to the competing packaging materials in its versatility. The CCP was originally scheduled to commence commercial production in 2025.

Reports said that the construction and labour costs have surpassed the initial expectations due to a sustained period of high inflation. Hence, CCP and its partners decided to pause the project temporarily. The promoter, partners, and financiers are expected to meet in the near future to decide the re-commencement of the construction work and commercial production. Sources said that the project will be adequately preserved to restart construction in the near future.  Unrecyclable plastics

Unrecyclable plastics

The Complex Reality of Plastic Recycling: Beyond the Hype

Plastic recycling has become a buzzword in the global efforts to combat climate change and environmental degradation. Recycling plastics is seen as a sustainable solution that can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and minimize the environmental footprint of plastic production. However, the reality of plastic recycling is far more complex than it may seem. In this article, we will delve into the multifaceted aspects of plastic recycling, including the challenges faced by small businesses, the complexities of recycled raw materials, and the need for a more nuanced understanding of environmental benefits.
The Cost Challenge
One of the most significant issues in the plastic recycling industry is the cost of recycled raw materials. In many cases, recycled plastics are more expensive than their counterparts derived from fossil fuels. This cost disparity poses a challenge for businesses looking to adopt sustainable practices. Consequently, some brands incorporate negligible quantities of recycled materials to maintain an image of sustainability while keeping their costs low.  Unrecyclable plastics
It’s important to understand that the cost of recycling involves various factors, including collection, sorting, cleaning, and reprocessing. These additional steps in the recycling process contribute to the higher costs. Small businesses, in particular, often struggle to absorb these extra expenses, leading to a situation where only large corporations with substantial resources can invest in sustainable practices.
Exceptions in the Automobile and Other Sectors
While the use of recycled plastics is cost-prohibitive for many industries, some exceptions exist. The automobile industry, for instance, has made significant strides in incorporating recycled materials into their products. This is largely attributed to the innovative practices of large automotive manufacturers. However, these exceptions are not widespread and are primarily driven by the significant financial resources available to large corporations.
For small businesses that produce high-quality products, the financial barriers can be insurmountable. Many of them find themselves caught between wanting to make sustainable choices and struggling to compete with larger competitors who can absorb the additional costs of using recycled materials.  Unrecyclable plastics
The Market for Low-Performance Recycled Raw Materials
There is indeed a market for recycled raw materials with lower performance attributes, but profitability is often elusive. These materials may find applications in less demanding industries or in products where performance is not a critical factor. However, the market for this materials have a fierce competition .
To make recycled raw materials more attractive, it is essential to develop innovative ways to enhance their performance and durability. Only then can they compete more effectively with their virgin material counterparts and gain a broader foothold in various industries.
The Nuances of Environmental Benefits
When discussing the environmental benefits of using recycled materials, it’s important to consider the full picture. While it is true that recycling plastics can significantly reduce carbon emissions, these reductions can sometimes be exaggerated. This is often due to the omission of certain secondary factors or the failure to account for differences in recycled and virgin materials.  Unrecyclable plastics
For instance, the carbon emissions associated with the transportation of recycled materials, additional energy requirements in the recycling process, and the carbon footprint of collecting and transporting plastic waste are factors that can affect the overall environmental impact. While recycling remains an environmentally beneficial practice, a more nuanced and comprehensive assessment is needed to provide an accurate representation of its advantages.
Conclusion
Plastic recycling is a crucial component of our collective efforts to mitigate the environmental impact of plastic production. However, it is essential to acknowledge the multifaceted challenges that exist within the industry. The cost disparity between recycled and virgin materials, the exceptions in industries like automotive and the nuanced assessment of environmental benefits all underscore the complexity of plastic recycling.
Small businesses that aim to embrace sustainability may find themselves at a disadvantage, given the financial barriers associated with adopting recycled materials. This highlights the need for more accessible and cost-effective recycling solutions for all businesses.  Unrecyclable plastics
Furthermore, a transparent and comprehensive evaluation of the environmental benefits of recycling is vital to ensure that the advantages are accurately represented. By addressing these challenges and promoting innovation in the recycling industry, we can move closer to a more sustainable and eco.
The Complex Reality of Plastic Recycling: Beyond the Hype

InnoVent Renewables Launches a Solution to Global Waste Tire Challenge

Exclusive technology converts tires into valuable fuels & chemicals

InnoVent Renewables announces its formation with a corporate mission to drive renewable energy forward by mitigating the global environmental challenge of waste tires. InnoVent Renewables launched as a U.S.-based technology and operations company with a proprietary continuous pyrolysis technology that converts waste tires, plastics, and biomass into valuable fuels and chemicals.  Unrecyclable plastics

Each year more than 1 billion tires are disposed of globally, and North America alone disposes of 100+ million tires annually.  Decomposition of tires is slower than other waste resulting in a serious health hazard (mosquitos, pests, water borne diseases, and chemical leaching into soil); and burning tires in pits or cement kilns is far more hazardous as it emits toxic emissions in the air. The exclusive pyrolysis technology is unique in that it’s continuous, which is a much higher efficiency compared to batch processing. It utilizes the gas to preheat the tires, thereby making it a Net Zero energy process. During the process valuable chemicals are recovered from the products, producing high quality fuels.

“We are thrilled to formally launch InnoVent Renewables and plan to ramp-up operations into early 2024,” noted InnoVent Renewables CEO Vibhu Sharma. “Our investors, strategic advisors, and management team are all fully committed to our success as we address the global challenge of waste tires.  Unrecyclable plastics

We firmly believe our proven process, deployed at scale globally, will have a huge positive impact on our climate and fill a clear environment need.”

With a solution to this environmental challenge, InnoVent has assembled a team of world class executives each with more than 25 years of energy and chemical industry experience to drive early-stage growth. With current operations in Houston (USA), Pune (India), and Monterrey (Mexico), the company has aggressive growth plans across North America and Latin America, with future expansion opportunities in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.  Unrecyclable plastics

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InnoVent Renewables Launches a Solution to Global Waste Tire Challenge

Flexible packaging materials get cheaper, but still above 2020 levels

A new report from Flexible Packaging Europe reveals that the prices of flexible packaging materials have fallen more in the third quarter of 2023, but they are still higher than before the crisis.

The report, based on a survey by the European association, shows that the prices have been dropping since the start of the year, after reaching a record high last year.

However, they have not yet returned to the levels of the fourth quarter of 2020, which is the baseline for comparison.  Unrecyclable plastics

The report says that most prices went down by 10% to 20% in the third quarter, compared to the second quarter.

For example, HDPE and LDPE prices went down by 10% and 14%, and ended the quarter with a price index of 125 and 131, respectively.

The index was 100 in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Some prices decreased less than others.

The price of sixty gram single-coated glossy paper went down by 7% and reached 140, while the price of 15 micron BOPA film went down by 8% and reached 124.

The price of 20 micron BOPP film went down by 11% and reached 113, which is close to the original price.   Unrecyclable plastics

The price of 12 micron PET film only went down by 4% and reached 136. David Buckby, a senior analyst at Wood Mackenzie, thinks that the prices are falling because of low orders, low demand from some European customers, and low stocks.

He also says that some markets have too much production capacity, which was increased a lot in the past years. Buckby says that some prices may keep falling in the fourth quarter, but some products may become more stable.

Guido Aufdenkamp (in the photo), the executive director of FPE, says that the future is unclear: “Many customers do not want to buy packaged foods and there are too many stocks in the supply chain.  Unrecyclable plastics

This makes the demand for flexible packaging low in the short term”. He also says that inflation is going down, but not as fast as some people expected.

He reminds that even though these big drops in prices are good for reducing inflation, the prices of flexible materials are still much higher than before Covid and they change a lot. He says that this makes their customers and suppliers very careful, but they hope that demand will increase in 2024.

Flexible packaging materials get cheaper, but still above 2020 levels

What happens to waste tire after pyrolysis?

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that involves the decomposition of organic materials, such as waste tire, in the absence of oxygen and at high temperatures. During this process, the tire waste is heated in a controlled environment, leading to the breakdown of its chemical structure.
Stages of Pyrolysis:
Pyrolysis of waste tire can be divided into three main stages:
1. Preheating:
The waste tire is initially heated gradually to a specific temperature range, typically between 300 to 400 degrees Celsius.

This preheating stage helps to evaporate any moisture present in the waste tire and prepare it for further decomposition.  Unrecyclable plastics
2. Pyrolysis or Decomposition:
Once the waste tire reaches the desired temperature, pyrolysis occurs. At this stage, the long chains of polymers in the waste tire break down into smaller molecules, including oil-gases and solids.
3. Condensation and Collection:
After the pyrolysis process, the oil-gas products are usually cooled rapidly by the cooling system(DOING waste tire pyrolysis system has a multi cooling system with high oil yield), causing them to condense into liquid oil and gas. The solid can be discharged from the pyrolysis reactor. These products are then collected and subjected to sell or further process.
– Gaseous Products: Various hydrocarbon and volatile gases, such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane, are released as byproducts of pyrolysis. These gases can be used as sources of energy or further processed for pyrolysis reactor heating or other applications.
– Liquid Products: The decomposition of waste tire results in the formation of a liquid product known as pyrolysis oil or pyrolysis liquid. This oil is rich in hydrocarbons and can be used for industrial plants heating. Or it can be refined by the pyrolysis oil distillation machines to diesel and for agricultural machinery.

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What happens to waste tire after pyrolysis?

Packaging films – Oil drops after Hamas releases US hostages : will it continue to go down? 23-10-2023

Unrecyclable plastics

Packaging films – Oil drops after Hamas releases US hostages : will it continue to go down? 23-10-2023

Packaging films

Petrochemicals chip – Panel for Sustainable Future in Textile in Gaziantep

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Packaging films

Crude Oil Prices Trend

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Oil drops after Hamas releases US hostages

• Summary
• Oil prices drop on Friday but gain over 1% for the week
• Hamas releases two US hostages in Gaza
• Earlier, Israeli minister said troops to see Gaza ‘from inside’
• Global oil market already faces supply concerns
Oil prices settled lower on Friday after the Islamist group Hamas released two U.S. hostages from Gaza, leading to hopes the Israeli-Palestinian crisis could de-escalate without engulfing the rest of the Middle East region and disrupting oil supplies.
Brent crude futures fell 22 cents, or 0.2%, to settle at $92.16 a barrel.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for November delivery , which expired after settlement on Friday, fell 62 cents, or 0.7%, to $88.75 a barrel. The more-active December WTI contract closed 29 cents lower at $88.08 a barrel.
Hamas’ armed wing released two U.S. hostages from Gaza – a mother and her daughter – “for humanitarian reasons” in response to Qatari mediation efforts in the war with Israel, its spokesman Abu Ubaida said on Friday.  Packaging films
“The report took some of the risk premium out of the market,” said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group. “The market went from starting the day with little hope and went to possible signs that there may be some way out of this crisis.”
Both contracts had gained more than a dollar per barrel during the session on signs of escalation of the conflict. For the week, both front-month contracts rose over 1%, a second straight weekly jump.
On Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told troops at the Gaza border they would soon see the Palestinian enclave “from inside,” and the Pentagon said the U.S. had intercepted missiles fired from Yemen toward Israel.  Packaging films
“The Middle East remains a big focus of the market because of fears of a region-wide conflict that would likely involve a disruption of oil supplies,” said John Kilduff, a partner at New York-based Again Capital.
Supply disruptions may be less likely now, Kilduff added, but “the market cannot ignore it – especially heading into the weekend when things could change rapidly and there will be no trading.”
Also supporting prices were forecasts of a tightening market in the fourth quarter after top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia extended supply cuts to year end.
Large inventory draws, mostly in the U.S., support the thesis of an undersupplied market, UBS analyst Giovanni  Packaging films
Packaging films

“The Complex Nexus of Energy Transition: Lithium, Cobalt, Hydrogen”

The quest for achieving decarbonization and the energy transition presents a myriad of challenges. Are the essential raw materials readily available to support a fully electric mobility landscape? Will their extraction and utilization prove to be environmentally favorable? And is it economically viable for the industry? These are the inquiries that have long preoccupied global policymakers and major automotive conglomerates.

From the 22nd to the 25th of October, experts and professionals from diverse sectors convened in Palermo for the second iteration of the E2DT congress – Energy, Environment, and Digital Transition. This event was organized by the Italian Association of Chemical Engineering (AIDIC) with the endorsement of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE).  Packaging films

When we speak of energy and environmental transition, we typically refer to the shift from fossil fuel-based energy production to renewable resources. This path, as reiterated by analysts and companies, is neither straightforward nor devoid of costs. This transition necessarily unfolds within the realm of political choices, as exemplified by the European Commission’s recent stance on internal combustion engines. This stance has ignited a robust debate encompassing contrasting perspectives: those advocating for a swift farewell to fossil fuels, those advocating for a gradual shift, and those who argue that the current level of technological innovation permits a balanced compromise between environmental protection, industrial costs, and raw material availability.

“To this end, it is imperative that unbiased and scientifically sound information be accessible to decision-makers and regulators so that legislative changes are not influenced by partisan views,” underscores Giuseppe Ricci, President of AIDIC.

Additionally, digitalization assumes a pivotal role in this transition by expediting transformation processes.

Energy and production systems are increasingly becoming interconnected, intelligent, and efficient, equipped with self-learning capabilities, with profound implications for the labor landscape and, consequently, society.  Packaging films

This challenge is global in scope. Recent developments in various parts of the world underscore this fact. Ghana, for instance, has inked an agreement with the Australian conglomerate Atlantic Lithium Ltd for the exploitation of a substantial lithium deposit, a key raw material in the spotlight. In a shift to South America, Chile is contemplating nationalizing its lithium reserves. Across Asia, China, which already holds a central position in the availability, exploitation, and processing of critical raw materials, has recently reached an accord to exploit lithium deposits in Afghanistan. In many regions of Europe, including France, Italy, and Scandinavia, searches are underway to identify potential sites for resource extraction. Simultaneously, the United Kingdom has postponed its ban on internal combustion engines from 2030 to 2035.  Packaging films

A significant portion of Europe’s concerns stems from its status as primarily a consumer of materials essential to bolster the energy transition. It heavily relies on China and, to some extent, the United States for these resources. Furthermore, many of the fundamental elements required for electric batteries are sourced from politically unstable regions. Thus, the geopolitical aspect is far from inconsequential in the context of the energy transition.

AIDIC has crafted numerous position papers on critical metals, summarizing the primary challenges at hand. Batteries, for instance, impact not only electric mobility but also an array of everyday devices and objects, while simultaneously influencing the efficiency of renewable energy sources with their storage systems.  Packaging films

Ricci cites a well-known study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that zeroes in on batteries. This study reveals that, on average, an electric vehicle battery weighs approximately 206 kg and comprises a variety of metals, with graphite, copper, nickel, manganese, cobalt, lithium, and chromium being the most significant. When comparing the weight of individual materials used in batteries to the number of vehicles in circulation across Europe and worldwide, and then contrasting this with the availability of raw materials, it becomes evident that the critical issue revolves around cobalt and nickel. In an extreme scenario, there might not be enough cobalt to support a fully global fleet of electric vehicles.  Packaging films

Packaging films

Hellweg defies odds, sees major sales increase

This year has been tough for a lot of plastic recyclers. Recycled resin prices have been under severe downward pressure for months because of persistent weak demand, competition from the falling cost of virgin plastics and cheaper imports from Asia.

On the show floor at Fakuma, there are some reports of double-digit percentage drops in sales for recycling machinery. But there are also surprisingly positive reports, with some companies saying they have not seen a drop in sales or have, even, experienced increased sales.  Packaging films

Chief among them is perhaps Hellweg Maschinenbau, whose managing director, Mark Hellweg, gleefully said the company will have increased its output by 30 to 50 percent by the end of 2023 after already boosting sales by 50 percent in 2022.

“The first day at Fakuma was really good,” Hellweg said. “We had conversations throughout the entire day. For me, it was a very good day, like a very good Fakuma. So, I don’t see any negative impact right now. I don’t see it, and I don’t feel it. People were a little bit nervous during the last month. I have also seen that in our customers. But yesterday I had no chance to feel it here. Optimism what all I was met with yesterday.”

At the core of Hellweg’s success is the new MDSGi 1500/600 wet grinder, which it is unveiling and starting to sell at Fakuma. The machine has been under development for the past three years after Repetco contacted Hellweg and was “absolutely impressed” with the results of the grinding tests, Hellweg said.  Packaging films

The Spain-based new entrant to the recycling of PET/polyethylene multilayer packaging ordered four prototypes that have been in operation 24/7 since the beginning of the year. Even though Hellweg only just started commercialization at Fakuma, it already received six orders for the rest of the year, and another eight are booked for 2024.

The new wet grinder uses low-power motors rated from 45 kW to 110 kW, which enable previously unattained low power consumption of just 70 kWh to 90 kWh, a huge advantage during the current high electricity price market. Forced feed of PET, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC, polycarbonate, polylactic acid or PE films using a tamping screw ensures long-term, trouble-free operation even with contaminated input materials, achieving a throughput of up to 5 tonnes of film per hour.

Mark Hellweg of Hellweg Maschinenbau says his recycling machinery company has increased its sales while other firms saw drops in demand.

The MDSG 1500/600 W model is the first to be commercially available, with MDSG 600/600 W and MDSG 600/300 W versions to follow. The first number in the model’s name denotes the working width of 600 mm or 1500 mm, while the second number refers to the diameter of the rotors, 300 mm or 600 mm.  Packaging films

Depending on the model, the grinders are fitted with five or seven rotary blades plus two or three static blades. These blades use Hellweg’s double scissor-cut technology, in use in its machines for the past 25 years. These are key to the success of the new grinder, setting a benchmark in terms of cut quality and dust-free operation. They ensure a constant cutting gap and require no adjustment of the rotary blades.

Hellweg defies odds, sees major sales increase

Evonik to develop precious metal catalysts and technology with Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies

Evonik Industries has completed the relocation and expansion of its precious metal powder catalyst plant in Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park (SCIP). Production is scheduled to commence in Q4, 2023.

  • Evonik to produce precious metal catalysts tailored to Hydrogenious’ LOHC (liquid organic hydrogen carriers) technology
  • Technology will be jointly commercialized and targets green hydrogen for mobile applications
  • Catalysts for pilot plants and commercial units expected to be available 2026

Evonik has signed an agreement to develop, scale up and produce proprietary fixed bed catalysts for mobile applications of Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies’ proprietary liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) technology based on benzyl toluene (BT).

The safe, cost-efficient and flexible process chemically binds hydrogen synthesized by sustainable energy to the LOHC-BT, which then is transported to the off-taker site where the hydrogen is released for industrial or consumer use – or in the mobile application released on board to power propulsion units.  Packaging films

“We are committed to bringing our expertise in catalysis to jointly develop processes with the Hydrogenious team, that will help to transform the industry from fossil-based to sustainable feedstock,” said Michael Frey, Head of Product Line Polyolefin and Continuous Process Catalysts, at Evonik.

“When transporting hydrogen over long distances, liquid organic carriers play a particularly important role. To overcome catalytical challenges associated with the use of onboard applications, customization – based on extensive and proven experience – is required,” he added.  Packaging films

Hydrogenious’ LOHC process uses benzyl toluene as carrier material, boasting competitive safety and economic advantages. The thermal oil – which is loaded with hydrogen – is hardly flammable and non-explosive, with a risk potential comparable to diesel fuel. It can be stored at ambient temperatures and pressure, has a competitive storage density level, and is reusable as a hydrogen carrier hundreds of times.

“The flexibility and scalability of our LOHC technology accelerates the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy because we can leverage the existing liquid fuel infrastructure,” said Dr Caspar Paetz, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies.

“We are happy to work with Evonik to further improve our technology – their expertise in tailoring catalysts to specific needs is an essential part of the development process,” he added.

Catalysts for pilot plants and commercial units are expected to be available from 2026 onwards.  Packaging films

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Evonik to develop precious metal catalysts and technology with Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies

Novel packaging films and textiles with tailored end of life and performance based on bio-based copolymers and coatings

Novel bio-based food packaging supports home composting and recycling

Innovative formulations have fostered a circular economy for polylactic acid, a bioplastic made from plant starch that was challenged by end-of-life issues.

Plastic packaging, largely for foods and beverages, has become ubiquitous. It is low-cost and lightweight, with essential barrier properties that protect products meant for human consumption. About a third of plastics are produced for packaging and approximately 85 % of this ends up in landfills or as unregulated waste. Polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based and biodegradable plastic, has relieved the food packaging sector’s dependence on fossil fuel raw materials and requires less energy to produce. However, it cannot be recycled with other plastics and is degradable only under harsh industrial conditions. With funding from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership between the EU and industry, the BIOnTop project aimed to address these end-of-life (EoL) challenges and foster a circular economy for sustainable PLA.  Packaging films

Conventional barriers in plastic and textile packaging

Food packaging plastics are often multi-layer, multi-material structures that are difficult to process and recycle at EoL. PLA is a bio-based plastic made from fermented sugars or plant starch. Although compostable under industrial conditions, it can take several weeks or more to decompose, with significant energy and water input. Most PLA ends up in landfill where it can take hundreds of years to decompose. According to Rafael Alonso of project coordinating entity AIMPLAS: “When it comes to textiles like tea bags, most coatings are not bio-based. As with multi-material plastic packaging, they are different from the fibres they coat, again making organic recycling extremely difficult.”

PLA-based compounds with technical and environmental appeal

The project combined several technologies to ensure properties required for packaging while enabling EoL options that are currently not possible for available materials, under controlled waste management scenarios. The team used sustainably sourced feedstocks, additives and fillers to formulate new PLA-based materials from close to 100 % bio-based feedstock. These reduce the carbon footprint and open the door to better EoL recycling opportunities including more eco-friendly mechanical recycling and industrial composting as well as home composting.  Packaging films

“BIOnTop developed novel tailor-made biocomposites and copolymers integrating bio-based diacids with lactic acid, enabling a breakthrough in their biodegradation behaviour in mild conditions. We also enhanced the barrier properties of delivered biopackaging trays, films and derived packaging using removable protein-based coatings and a novel fatty acid grafting technology to decrease permeability and compete with fossil fuel-based packaging,” Alonso explains.

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Novel packaging films and textiles with tailored end of life and performance based on bio-based copolymers and coatings

China and India struggle to curb fossil fuels: Kemp

China and India are burning record amounts of fossil fuels this year, even as they also install record renewable power generation capacity, highlighting the slow pace and enormous inertia to be overcome in the energy transition.

Both countries are experiencing rapid growth in energy use for services such as air conditioning, heating, cooking, lighting, power and transport as they try to raise living standards closer to those in the advanced economies.

Growing demand for energy services is so vast fossil fuels and renewable energy sources are acting as complements rather than substitutes, ensuring consumption from both is increasing simultaneously. Packaging films

In effect, both countries are pursuing an “all of the above” approach to economic development and energy security, similar to the one advocated by then-U.S. President Barack Obama in his state-of-the-union address in 2014.

GROWING ENERGY DEMAND

In every historical case, the transition from a pre-modern agricultural economy to a modern urban and industrial one has been accompanied by a huge increase in the consumption of energy.

Increased consumption provides more labour saving, higher wages, more comfort, more entertainment and more opportunity for travel to visit family and see the world.

If they follow the usual pattern, both China and India are likely to consume a lot more energy services in the next few decades as their populations aspire to reach the same living standards as North America and Europe.  Packaging films

Chartbook: China and energy consumption

In 2022, the populations of China (1.43 billion) and India (1.42 billion) were each similar to the total for countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (1.38 billion).

But total primary energy consumption in China (159 exajoules) and India (36 exajoules) was far lower than in the OECD (234 exajoules).²

Each person in China consumed only 66% of the energy as their counterparts in the OECD and in India the figure was just 15%.

Even that overstates the consumption of energy services locally since both countries and especially China export a high proportion of their energy-intensive manufactured output to the OECD.  Packaging films

Continued modernisation means both countries will use a lot more energy – making an “all of the above” strategy imperative for policymakers.

THE NEED FOR ALL SOURCES

In the OECD, total energy consumption has been essentially flat since 2007, so growing production from renewables and especially gas has displaced coal and to a lesser extent oil.

Renewables (and gas) have been substitutes for fossil fuels such as coal and oil enabling a significant reduction in greenhouse emissions.  Packaging films

But total energy consumption has continued to grow rapidly in China (by an average of 3.1% per year in the last decade) and India (3.8% per year).

Renewables (and gas) have served as complements to other fossil fuels – ensuring energy remains affordable and reliable even as consumption increases significantly.

China and India’s current trajectory for energy consumption looks a lot like the United States or Western Europe between the 1950s and 1970s, a period of rapid growth in economic output, living standards and energy use.

In the Euro-Atlantic economies, rapid growth in total energy demand created a need for more energy from all sources; consumption from older sources continued to rise in absolute terms even as its share was reduced relatively.  Packaging films

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China and India struggle to curb fossil fuels: Kemp

PET bottle waste – How Flexible Packaging Benefits from Today’s Corona Treatment 21-10-2023

Packaging films

Petrochemicals chip – Panel for Sustainable Future in Textile in Gaziantep 23-10-2023

Petrochemicals chip

Petrochemicals chip

  • Polymers : PET – r-PET – Filament grade semidull chips -Filament grade bright chips – Ny6 – Ny66 – PP
  • Feedstocks  PX – PTA – MEG – CPL – Adipic Acid – Benzene – ACN – Ethylene – Phenol – Naphtha
  • Textile : Polyester POY – DTY – FDY – PSF – Recycled Polyester POY – Nylon POY – DTY – FDY Spandex 20-30-40 -Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  Acrylic Staple Fiber 

Petrochemicals chip

Petrochemicals chip

Polyestertime
ITEM 16/10/2023 23/10/2023 +/-
Bottle grade PET chips domestic market 7,000 yuan/ton 6,825 yuan/ton -175
Bottle grade PET chips export market 885 $/ton 875 $/ton -10
Filament grade Semidull chips domestic market 6,860 yuan/ton 6,775 yuan/ton -85
Filament grade Bright chips domestic market 6,900 yuan/ton 6,810 yuan/ton -90
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA domestic market 5,860 yuan/ton 5,710 yuan/ton -150
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA export market 730 $/ton 730 $/ton –
Monoethyleneglycol MEG domestic market 4,025 yuan/ton 3,960 yuan/ton -65
Monoethyleneglycol MEG export market 467 $/ton 457 $/ton -10
Paraxylene PX FOB  Taiwan market

Petrochemicals chip

 1,033 $/ton 1,027 $/ton
 -6
Paraxylene PX FOB  Korea market 1,010 $/ton 1,004 $/ton -6
Paraxylene PX FOB EU market 1,185 $/ton 1,150 $/ton -35
Polyester filament POY 150D/48F domestic market 7,675  yuan/ton 7,600 yuan/ton
 -75
Recycled Polyester filament POY  domestic market 7,550 yuan/ton 7,550 yuan/ton –
Polyester filament DTY 150D/48 F domestic market 9,000 yuan/ton 8,950 yuan/ton -50
Polyester filament FDY 68D24F

Petrochemicals chip

 8,950 yuan/ton 8,950 yuan/ton –
Polyester filament FDY 150D/96F domestic market 8,300 yuan/ton 8,200 yuan/ton -100
Polyester staple fiber 1.4D 38mm domestic market 7,550 yuan/ton 7,450 yuan/ton -100
Caprolactam CPL domestic market 12,600 yuan/ton 12,650 yuan/ton
 +50
Caprolactam CPL overseas  market 1,600 $/ton 1,600 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips overseas  market 1,900 $/ton 1,900 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips conventional spinning domestic  market 13,500 yuan/ton 13,750 yuan/ton +250
Nylon 6 chips  high speed spinning domestic  market

Petrochemicals chip

 14,050 yuan/ton 14,100 yuan/ton +50
Nylon 6.6 chips domestic  market 19,100 yuan/ton 19,100 yuan/ton -300
Nylon6 Filament POY 86D/24F domestic  market 16,150 yuan/ton 16,200 yuan/ton +50
Nylon6 Filament DTY 70D/24F domestic  market 18,500 yuan/ton 18,500 yuan/ton- –
Nylon6 Filament FDY  70D/24F  17,250 yuan/ton 17,250 yuan/ton –
Spandex 20D  domestic  market

Petrochemicals chip

 36,500 yuan/ton 36,500 yuan/ton –
Spandex 30D  domestic  market 35,000 yuan/ton 35,000 yuan/ton –
Spandex 40D  domestic  market  32,200 yuan/ton 32,200 yuan/ton –
Adipic Acid domestic market 9,500 yuan/ton 9,400 yuan/ton -100
Benzene domestic market

Petrochemicals chip

 7,930 yuan/ton 8,120 yuan/ton +190
Benzene overseas  market 920 $/ton 918 $/ton -2
Ethylene South East market 920 $/ton 950 $/ton +30
Ethylene NWE market 729 $/ton 686 $/ton -43
Acrylonitrile ACN  domestic market

Petrochemicals chip

 9,700 yuan/ton 9,700 yuan/ton –
Acrylonitrile ACN  overseas market 1,200 $/ton 1,200 $/ton –
Acrylic staple fiber ASF  domestic market 14,600 yuan/ton 14,600 yuan/ton –
Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  domestic market 13,450 yuan/ton 13,400 yuan/ton -50
PP Powder domestic market

Petrochemicals chip

 7,400 yuan/ton 7,220 yuan/ton -180
Naphtha overseas market  657 $/ton 687 $/ton +30
Phenol domestic market 8,575 yuan/ton 8,382 yuan/ton -193

r-PET high end eco-friendly chips =7,800 yuan/ton  — 7,800 yuan/ton   –

 

Panel for Sustainable Future in Textile in Gaziantep

GAGİAD President Koçer Spoke at the Sustainable Future in Textile Panel: “The Future of Textile Is Through Branding”  Petrochemicals chip

Cihan Koçer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gaziantep Young Business People (GAGİAD), spoke at the opening of the panel titled “Sustainable Future in Textiles” held at Gaziantep Chamber of Industry Vocational Training Center. Emphasizing that Gaziantep is a strong textile and export city, Koçer said, “Our Gaziantep city continues its determined march in the 100th anniversary of the Republic, with its textile experience from centuries ago to today, and weaves its success stories, stitch by stitch.”

The present and future of the textile industry were discussed in the panel titled “Sustainable Future in Textile” organized by GAGİAD and Gaziantep Chamber of Industry. In the panel held at Gaziantep Chamber of Industry Vocational Training Center, many topics were discussed, from wearable technologies to sustainable fashion, from employee engagement and sustainable human resources practices to the transition process of the European Union Green Deal. The meeting, moderated by Istanbul Fashion Academy Trainings Coordinator Gülin Girişken, was attended by Fashion Designer Arzu Kaprol, who designs special clothes for Turkish scientists working in Antarctica, and LC Waikiki Corporate Academy, Professional Expertise Development Group Manager Dr. İbrahim Güneş, Orbit Consulting General Manager Didem Çakar and industry representatives attended.  Petrochemicals chip

“We must brand by focusing on sustainability”

Giving the opening speech of the panel, Cihan Koçer, Chairman of GAGİAD Board of Directors, stated that it is very meaningful and valuable to organize such a panel in Gaziantep, one of the most important production and export centers of Turkey, which is the 5th largest textile exporter in the world, and said:

“Our city of Gazi, which aims to continue its stable growth by focusing on production, employment, investment and export, continues its determined march in the 100th anniversary of the Republic with its textile experience from centuries ago and weaves its success stories, stitch by stitch. The fact that the textile industry ranks first with a 2022 percent share in the 10,5 billion dollar exports reached by our city in 36 is the clearest indicator of this progress and success. Petrochemicals chip

I think that both our country and our city have a strong competitive advantage in textile in terms of production capacity and quality, but we have difficulty competing with many countries, especially Asian countries, in terms of cost. “The thing that will get us out of this cycle and turn a development that can be seen as a threat into an opportunity is to center sustainability, branding, and taking our place in the future of the world with high technology and digitalization moves.”

Koçer continued his words by stating that the sustainable future of the textile industry and our country’s reaching the place it deserves in the world requires a paradigm shift.

“To exist and produce value in a world where new generation raw materials, innovative production solutions, carbon neutrality targets and circularity are at the center, now requires leaving familiar paradigms aside.  Petrochemicals chip

At the point we have reached, a view on sustainability should be a necessity rather than an obligation. We should work not for laws and sanctions, but to add value to the world in economic, social and environmental terms.

The textile industry, which was one of the first sectors to announce its sustainability action plan, should aim to first preserve and then increase its competitiveness by rapidly carrying out the implementation processes in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreement and European Green Deal on a global level, and the Green Deal Action Plan and Medium Term Program on a national level. At this point; “With the awareness of the responsibility of our chambers, unions and GAGİAD, we will continue to play an active role in the transition of our sectors to the new order,” he said.  Petrochemicals chip

“The transition to a circular economy will accelerate our adaptation to international standards.”

Ali Can Koçak, one of the hosts of the panel, Member of the Board of Directors of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry Vocational Training Center (GSO-MEM), emphasized the importance of sustainability in terms of international competition in his speech and said, “It is necessary to realize green and digital transformation for a sustainable future in textiles.” .

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Panel for Sustainable Future in Textile in Gaziantep

PET bottle waste – How Flexible Packaging Benefits from Today’s Corona Treatment 21-10-2023

PET bottle waste

Plastics Europe launches Plastics – the fast Facts 2023

Plastics Europe has launched its new ‘Plastics – the fast Facts 2023’. The fast Facts is a more visual and user-friendly format for the publication of preliminary global and European plastics production, trade partners and other key data. Finalised and more comprehensive data will be published in the ‘Circular Economy for Plastics – A European Overview’ report, early 2024.

This year’s Plastics – the fast Facts has identified a number of key developments and trends.

Faster growth in circular plastics 

The global production of plastics reached 400.3 Mt in 2022, which was a slight increase compared to the previous year.  PET bottle waste

Most notable, however, is that, proportionally, circular plastics production grew 16 times more than fossil-based plastics and has now reached nearly 10% of global production. The growth of circular plastics is expected to increase at an even faster rate over the coming years.

The circularity picture in Europe is even more positive. Fossil-based plastics production is decreasing, while circular plastics production has increased by 29.2% since 2018, reaching a 19.7% share of overall European plastics production in 2022.

Accelerating this trend, which is necessary to realise the European Union’s Green Deal and circularity ambitions, will require a very significant increase in the collection, sorting, recycling, as well as increased access to high-quality circular feedstock, and abundant and affordable renewable energy.

Growing competitiveness pressures for European manufacturers 

More concerning from a European perspective, is that the fast Facts 2023 confirms the growing competitiveness gap between Europe and the rest of the world.

Europe’s share of global plastics production has fallen from 28% in 2002 to 14% in 2022, with North America and China accounting for 17% and 32% respectively. And European plastics production has also decreased in absolute terms, even though demand for conversion and consumption of plastic products by end-consumers in Europe remains stable.  PET bottle waste

Europe’s producers are under significant competitiveness pressures for a number of reasons, including high energy prices, a more stringent regulatory framework and access to raw materials.

If this continues Europe will become increasingly dependent on imports, which do not necessarily meet EU sustainability standards, to satisfy the demand for plastics and achieve our legal targets. The ability of European plastic producers to invest in our circularity and net zero transitions, and the transitions of the many downstream sectors that rely on plastics, will also be undermined. This will also negatively impact on the competitiveness of these sectors and increase their exposure to international shocks.

The fast Facts confirms that China, followed by Europe, is the global leader in relation to bio-based plastics production and recycling.  PET bottle waste

To safeguard and restore European competitiveness plastics manufacturers need an enabling policy framework that incentivises investments and creates a level playing field through, for example, a true EU equivalent to the US Inflation Reduction Act, and the creation of a harmonised and consistent regulatory framework across the Single Market.

Releasing the potential of chemical recycling

The world’s recycled plastics production continued to increase in 2022, reaching 35.5 Mt, or an 8.9% share of overall global plastics production, with Europe accounting for 21% of global recycled plastics production.

Chemical recycling is essential for producing enough high-quality recycled plastics for applications which are complex or have high safety requirements, such as food contact, automotive, and building and construction materials. In 2022, Europe produced more than 50% of the chemically recycled plastics globally.  PET bottle waste

With over €8 billion of investment already announced, and provided that policy makers deliver the legislative acceptance of this technology that is so urgently required, the volume of chemical recycling plastics should increase significantly over the coming years.

Learn more about announced investments in chemical recycling, and the policy framework needed for a rapid scale-up in Europe, on Plastics Europe’s dedicated webpage (here).

More…

PET bottle waste

How Flexible Packaging Benefits from Today’s Corona Treatment

Smart upgrades address pressing sustainability, as well as workforce and business growth challenges, to make sure your pouches, bags, and films are the best they can be.

Corona treatment is a prime example of how upgrades to so-called legacy technologies enable new and cost-effective solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.

At their core, corona treatment systems increase the surface energy of materials like plastic films or special papers so they can be printed or coated, ensuring uniform results and effective adhesion. Converting, narrow-web flexography, textile finishing, and a host of other applications benefit from corona treatment to ensure premium printed quality and optimized line speeds.  PET bottle waste

Let’s look at how corona treatment will become more central to surmounting three present-day and soon-to-be-here issues: sustainability concerns, workforce challenges, and business expansion.

  1. Sustainability concerns.

The modern food industry has long relied on plastic film to ensure safety, quality, and shelf life of endless products. Corona treatment is used in the printing, lamination, and coating of flexible packaging that is a central tenet of the food market.

Given rising consumer concerns and a rapidly shifting regulatory environment, the nature of film will change, most likely with the inclusion of more recycled film materials or substrates that are combined with paper. Corona treatment will be even more important to secure unified surface quality as the substrate landscape expands.

From a process perspective, the latest technology removes corona treatment’s ozone emissions by converting ozone into oxygen. Purifying the air is achieved through using a catalyst bed of metal oxides, with easy monitoring and replacement of filters for optimum catalyst protection.

  1. Workforce challenges.

Ozone removal benefits the larger environment and, of equal importance, avoids exceeding the limits of ozone surrounding the exhaust area in any case.

More…

PET bottle waste

Go Rewise aims to recycle 25% of India’s PET bottle waste by 2025 partners with Coca Cola for 100% recycled PET bottles

Go Rewise, a brand by Ganesha Ecosphere (XNSE: GANECOS), recycling partner and food grade rPET provider is taking another meaningful step towards creating a circular economy. It has announced that it intends to recycle 25% of India’s PET bottle waste by 2025.

Go Rewise is at the forefront of building a green supply chain for India, with a bold objective to recycle 25% of India’s PET bottle waste by 2025 and create a circular economy. With 25 years of industry expertise, Go Rewise has deployed state-of-the-art Super Clean recycling technology to produce premium quality, FDA, EFSA-certified, and food-safe rPET materials. Every rPET product also comes with EPR certification, assuring transparency and traceability in the supply chain.  PET bottle waste

Go Rewise aims to solve India’s increasing plastic waste problem and brings sustainable packaging solutions for various FMCG brands. The company recycles 9.3 billion bottles annually and is expected to see double-digit growth given the Government’s Extended Producer Responsibility and Plastic Waste Management mandates to curb plastic pollution.

Yash Sharma, Founder, Go Rewise and Director at Ganesha Ecosphere, said: “At Go Rewise, our goal is not just to recycle plastic but create viable options for green supply chain and circular economy solutions in India. Recycling is not just an environmentally responsible choice; it is a powerful tool to mitigate the effects of climate change. The recycling expertise we’ve harnessed from 25 years in the industry enabled us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in PET recycling in India, and the partnerships with Manjushree for conversion and Coca-Cola for adoption of rPET helped us launch new sustainable packaging solutions at scale.”  PET bottle waste

More…

PET bottle waste

Ascend to further increase prices on nylon polymers, compounds and monomers

Ascend Performance Materials, the largest fully integrated producer of nylon 6,6, announced another round of global price increases on its polyamide polymers, compounds and monomers due to significant increases in input costs, where contracts allow, as follows:

Material Price Increase Notes
Neat PA66 polymer $0.20/kg In addition to Oct.
increase.
PA6 compounds $0.20/kg In addition to Oct.
increase.
PA66 compounds $0.30/kg
Hexamethylene diamine
Adipic acid		 $0.15/kg In addition to Oct.
increase.

This is the second increase Ascend has announced in as many months.

These price increases will take effect Nov. 1, 2023. Customers should contact their sales representative for additional information.  PET bottle waste

About Ascend Performance Materials
Ascend Performance Materials makes high-performance materials for everyday essentials and new technologies. Our focus is on improving quality of life and inspiring a better tomorrow through innovation. Based in Houston, Texas, and with regional offices in Shanghai, Brussels and Detroit, we are a fully integrated material solutions provider with global manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Our global workforce makes the plastics, fabrics, fibers and chemicals used to make safer vehicles, cleaner energy, better medical devices, smarter appliances and longer-lasting apparel and consumer goods. We are committed to safety, sustainability and the success of our customers and our communities.  PET bottle waste

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Ascend to further increase prices on nylon polymers, compounds and monomers

Braskem continues investing in the development of its biopolymers in Asia and opened a Tokyo Representative Office

Braskem, the leading global biopolymer producer, today announces the opening of its Representative Office in Tokyo, Japan one of the key markets for Braskem’s I’m greenT bio-based Polyethylene (PE). This expansion reinforces our continuous commitment to the Japanese market and the continued development the biopolymer solutions based on renewable feedstock.  PET bottle waste

For over 15 years, Braskem has provided biopolymers to the Japanese market as part of its sustainable solutions, in line with the countries goals to become a carbon neutral circular economy.

Braskem’s biopolymer I’m greenT bio-based Polyethylene (PE) delivers an important contribution to a carbon-neutral society and mitigation of climate change as the product has a negative carbon footprint, from the sugar cane crop to polymer production. Through this process, we can removes CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and stores the carbon in the biopolymer that can be further mechanically or chemically recycled.

Braskem recently increased the production capacity of biopolymers in Brazil by 30% and has established an JV with SCG Chemicals to develop a project in Thailand to increase the regional availability of I’m greenT bio-based Polyethylene (PE) in Asia.

Walmir Soller, VP of Braskem for Europe & Asia and Global Leader for the I‘m greenT bio–based PE business, said “We are always looking for opportunities to expand the I’m greenT bio-based PE reach and deliver low-carbon alternatives to our clients, aligned with the increasing societal demand for sustainable solutions.

Our Representative office in Japan will be Braskem’s ambassador to work with local stakeholders, and advocate for the development of the low carbon solutions. We want to be an active partner in Japan’s journey towards net zero, by contributing our plastics from sustainably sourced renewable feedstock.”  PET bottle waste

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Braskem continues investing in the development of its biopolymers in Asia and opened a Tokyo Representative Office

Covestro commissions recycled polycarbonate compounding line in China

The Shanghai facility has an annual processing capacity of 25,000 tons

Germany-based polycarbonate manufacturer Covestro has started operating a new compounding line in Shanghai. It is the company’s first dedicated mechanical recycling compounding line for polycarbonates in China.

The new line is set to produce over 25,000 tons of polycarbonates and blends containing mechanically recycled materials annually, in response to the growing demand for post-consumer-recycled (PCR) plastics, particularly in applications within the electrical and electronic products, automotive, and consumer goods sectors.  PET bottle waste

Covestro plans to supply over 60,000 tons of recycled-content polycarbonates annually in the Asia Pacific region by 2026, in response to robust market demand. Recently, the company also transformed an existing compounding line at its Map Ta Phut site in Thailand for mechanically recycled polycarbonate. The move is part of a programme to expand capacity in the region, which also includes the addition of new production lines at sites in Guangzhou, China, as well as Greater Noida, India. The combined additional capacity now exceeds 100,000 metric tons annually.

“These investments enable us to meet the rising demand for PCR polycarbonates, enhancing our capacity and efficiency. With new or repurposed capacity now operational, we are better positioned to assist our downstream customers in their journey towards more sustainable products, expediting the transformation of industries towards a circular and climate-neutral future,” said Lily Wang, head of Covestro’s business entity engineering plastics.  PET bottle waste

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Covestro commissions recycled polycarbonate compounding line in China

Sesotec lets users take full control of regrind purity, quality

Dietmar Dieing, Sesotec vice president of sales, left, and Bartosch Jauernik, group director product management, at Fakuma 2023.

The 2023 edition of Fakuma opened its doors to the world premiere of Sesotec GmbH’s new sorting platform, Pre-Sort.

Sesotec says the platform promises to redefine precision, efficiency and sustainability in the plastics recycling industry.

The Schönberg, Germany-based company has been manufacturing recycling sorting systems for more than 40 years. It wants to leverage intelligent technology for an effective and profitable circular economy and has bet on combing the components of its Varisort Compact sorter, dedusting, material conveying, and central control into one platform to achieve just that.  PET bottle waste

The Pre-Sort platform is designed to give users full control over the quality and purity of input material, minimizing dependency on external suppliers.

At Sesotec’s booth, a real-life sized platform can be seen hard at work. Mixed material flows are extracted from a bin, although silos, bags or octabins can also be used. The selection of sorting levels is done using preconfigured modes, with input material being assigned to three exemplary classes. Class one is for nearly homogenous input material, with low level of impurities, for example 90 percent good material, 10 percent foreign matter. This is the chosen class for the demonstration on the show floor, with a mix of blue and yellow, foreign, regrinds. PET bottle waste

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Sesotec lets users take full control of regrind purity, quality

Returnable PET-bottles – Economic recovery in Europe? Maybe next year 20-10-2023

PET bottle waste

Returnable PET-bottles – Economic recovery in Europe? Maybe next year 20-10-2023

Returnable PET-bottles

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Renault aggravates the car crisis Yesterday was a tough day on the stock market for Stellantis (-3.65%) and especially Renault (-7.15%)

And while the group led by Luca De Meo, which yesterday presented third-quarter results below expectations, suffered from currency depreciation, doubts about the listing of Ampere (electric vehicles and software), already postponed once and expected by June 2024, would have weighed on the group; for Stellantis, according to an analyst, the reason is “the stock market’s disaffection with the sector due to recession signals”.

But also worrying is the extension of the strike called in mid-September by the Uaw union that has stopped production of Gm and Ford in the United States.

Also to be taken into account are the recent statements by Tesla’s number one, Elon Musk, who gave news that was not entirely reassuring about the prospects of the car company. For the first time, the company missed both earnings and revenues since the second quarter of 2019. Returnable PET-bottles

A consequence of the sharp cut applied to prices. The tycoon is also worried about the general state of the economy.

Fears, those expressed by Musk, that affect the entire sector, which is also struggling with a complex and expensive energy transition.

The spotlight of manufacturers is in fact on high interest rates that make it even more difficult for consumers to buy cars, especially if they were to rise further.

Stellantis, for its part, due to the continuous higher costs caused by Uaw strikes in the United States, has decided to cancel the exhibitions and presentations scheduled at Ces 2024, the largest technology fair in the world, scheduled for January 2024 in Las Vegas.

A painful choice, given the importance of the showcase. “In light of the current state of negotiations in the United States, preserving business fundamentals and, therefore, protecting the future of the company is a top priority for Stellantis’ leadership team.

Being second to none in creating value for stakeholders, customers, employees and investors is a key component of the Dare Forward plan by 2030,” explains a note from the group. Returnable PET-bottles

In this regard, Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, on the damage that the agitation is causing, issued a warning: “At stake is the future of the American auto industry”.

Stellantis, finally, has defined an agreement with Dongfeng for the sale of three plants based in China and currently owned by joint ventures Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobile.

Dongfeng will continue to manage sales of Peugeot and Citroën brands under the Great Wall.  Returnable PET-bottles

Renault aggravates the car crisis Yesterday was a tough day on the stock market for Stellantis (-3.65%) and especially Renault (-7.15%)

Best-in-class weight achieved by new returnable, resistant PET bottle launched by Sidel for carbonated beverages

With upcoming European regulations requiring beverage producers to embrace packaging circularity and returnable bottles, Sidel has developed a dedicated PET bottle for carbonated beverages designed for long-standing reuse.

In accordance with the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the focus is on creating a circular economy where returnable bottles are at the forefront. With a target of 25 percent of bottles to be reusable by 2040, there is now increasing demand for returnable packaging and refillable production lines over a food grade bottle-to-bottle process.

For packaging manufacturers looking to introduce returnable bottles, PET is the material of choice. Using PET helps to reach lighter bottle weights and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

To meet the needs of the returnable carbonated beverages bottle market, Sidel experts have designed a PET bottle with a best-in-class weight and a high level of resistance which can withstand numerous washing cycles.  Returnable PET-bottles

Robust bottle endurance

The returnable packaging design has been developed for sustained endurance and consumers can return the same bottle into a deposit scheme to be reused multiple times. This bottle is qualified to withstand up to 25 refillable loops.

Combined with a dedicated blowing process, the preform and structural design enable the bottle to endure high washing temperatures. The bottle also includes a reinforced neck to guarantee top bottle quality in neck-held washing and refill cycles. 

Lightweight and fully recyclable

With the packaging industry aiming to reduce its material usage, this structural design is available in various bottle formats, such as 1L, 1.5L and 2L and provides significant opportunity for lightweighting. For example, the 1.5L bottle weighs just 77g and offers ultra-high performance with 28 percent weight saving compared to the market average.

Even when this new returnable bottle reaches the end of its useful life, it can be recycled into a new bottle, continuing the circularity of PET.  Returnable PET-bottles

Proven expertise in PET packaging, blowing and complete lines

With more than forty years of leadership in blow-moulding equipment for PET bottles, Sidel offers dedicated solutions to support beverage producers’ switch to returnable bottles.

For example, Its EvoBLOW eHR range is a standout solution from Sidel and enables the highest preform reheating capability and blowing bottles in hot moulds. This results in increased bottle performance and an output of up to 1,300 bottles per hour per mould for CSD and carbonated water (for a 1L bottle).

More…

Returnable PET-bottles

Economic recovery in Europe? Maybe next year

Every downswing is followed by an upswing, said Michael Wittmann, president of Wittmann Technology GmbH: “That’s how economic cycles work.”

Wittmann’s exceptionally high backlog going into 2023 cushioned the company against feeling the effects of the economic downturn this year in terms of sales revenue. In fact, the figure for this year is expected to show an increase of 9 percent over last year, both because of the order backlog but also because a number of supply issues have also been resolved. Returnable PET-bottles

As a result, deliveries have picked up significantly. The impact of the economic slowdown will not be felt by Vienna-based Wittmann until 2024.

“We will only notice the economic slowdown in our overall sales revenue with a delay, specifically next year in 2024,” Wittmann said.

The downturn in economic activity has persisted since mid-2022, which is a relatively long period by historical standards, he noted.  Returnable PET-bottles

“This may also be explained by the fact that the investment boom in 2021 and early 2022 was exuberant and resulted in investments being brought forward — and these now have to be compensated for,” he said.

Although there are currently no indicators pointing to a significant economic recovery, he is optimistic that market activity will start to pick up next year.

“We’ll be looking at an improvement in order bookings compared with 2023 and a temporary slowdown in revenue in 2024,” Wittmann predicted.

He added that, generally speaking, the different regions in which the company operates have been affected to varying degrees by the economic crisis.

“Central Europe, Germany and Austria in particular, are suffering the most. In Western and Eastern Europe, we can already see slight signs of improvement.

Asia will also recover more quickly, while North America continues to show pleasing market activity.”  Returnable PET-bottles

More…

Returnable PET-bottles

Recycling moves from mainstream to faltering industry

The last edition of Fakuma, back in October 2021, was hailed as the show when recycling moved from niche to mainstream.

The industry had started its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with sales books filling up quicker than in 2019. Regulations calling for recycled content and public pressure were highlighted as main factors driving demand on the show floor.

In the meantime, high prices for virgin resin, which guide the price of recyclates, were allowing recycling companies the margins to further invest in new products and technologies.  Returnable PET-bottles

Fast forward to 2023 and recycled resin prices are under severe downward pressure because of persistent weak demand, competition from the falling cost of off-spec virgin plastics and cheaper imports from Asia. Recycled PET has been particularly affected.

There are some recent signs of improvement, however. Virgin polymer prices registered strong price gains in September, and the situation might keep improving with crude oil costs soaring.

Nevertheless, weakened European economies and stubbornly strong inflation rates continue to restrain end user demand. When inflation is high and consumers end up having less money to spend, they tend to restrain their spending to essentials — are they still willing to pay a premium for packaging with recycled content, for example?

Sustainable Plastics caught up with the CEO of industry leader Erema Group, Manfred Hackl, to discuss how these circumstances are affecting the company. Compared with last year, the Austria-based manufacturer of machinery for plastic recycling is seeing percentage sales drops in the double digits.  Returnable PET-bottles

Mixed waste probably diffucult to recycled at Fakuma Trade Fair in Friedrichshafen Germany October 2023. Foto: Plastics News/Caroline Seidel

“The sales are not on the level of the last years. The intake is lower, especially in Europe, no discussion about that,” Hackl said.

“But we have other regions all over the world that we are still getting orders from. We are currently benefiting from two things. First, that we have a broad product portfolio, including recycling machines, filtration systems, high-tech components, and used and remanufactured machines. That broad customer base ensures higher stability, especially in these economically challenging times.

And second, we benefit from the fact that we brought two energy-saving technologies onto the market last year that help our customers make significant savings in energy consumption and thus achieve greater profitability.  Returnable PET-bottles

More…

Returnable PET-bottles

Novamont passes to Versalis (ENI- Italy)

The transfer of 64% of the bioplastics producer to the chemical company of the ENI group has been completed.
After obtaining the green light from the European antitrust authorities, Versalis – a chemical company of the ENI group – announced that it had completed the acquisition of entire control of Novamont, of which it already held a 36% stake.
The operation was announced in April this year. Versalis took over the 64% held by Mater-Bi, a holding controlled by Investitori Associati II and NB Renaissance. Financial details of the deal were not provided.  Returnable PET-bottles
“The acquisition of Novamont will allow us, through the integration of the two portfolios, to accelerate our strategy in the direction of chemistry from renewable sources – comments Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis.
Today the process of integrating our businesses begins, which will enhance people’s skills and which will lead us to the definition of an industrial plan that will leverage a unique technological platform and an increasingly low-carbon product portfolio, in line with the strategy Versalis and with the ENI energy transition path”.
“Together we will have even more strength to face the urgent challenges of the ecological transition and to play a key role in the field of chemistry from renewable sources and the circular bioeconomy at a national and international level – comments Catia Bastioli on X -. This important result is not only a recognition of the path undertaken by Novamont over thirty years ago, but also of the commitment, dedication and results achieved by all the players in our supply chain”.  Returnable PET-bottles
Based in Novara, Novamont is active in the production of bioplastics and biobased intermediates under the Mater-bi and Origo-bi brands. It has plants in Terni, Bottrighe (RO) and Patrica (FR), as well as research laboratories in Novara, Terni and Piana di Monte Verna (CE). It also operates at the Matrìca site in Porto Torres (SS) in a 50/50 joint venture with Versalis. Overall it employs 650 people.
Returnable PET-bottles

Natureworks Announces Next Phase Of Construction On New Fully Integrated Ingeo™ PLA Biopolymer Manufacturing Facility In Thailand

NatureWorks, a manufacturer of polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers made from renewable resources, has made significant progress on the construction of their new fully integrated Ingeo™️ PLA biopolymer manufacturing facility in Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand. As a fully integrated PLA complex, the plant will include three manufacturing facilities: lactic acid fermentation, lactide monomer production, and polymerization. The facility will have an annual capacity of 75,000 tons of Ingeo biopolymer and produce the full portfolio of Ingeo grades. This effort reflects the company’s commitment to expanding customer access to fully biobased, low-carbon biomaterials with unique performance attributes valued by global downstream packaging and fiber markets.  Returnable PET-bottles

“The construction of our new facility is a significant undertaking that represents NatureWorks’ continued investment both in the Asia Pacific region and in the expansion of the biobased materials market,” said Steve Bray, VP of Operations at NatureWorks. “We have seen a rise in demand for Ingeo biopolymers throughout the Asia Pacific region, and this new complex will allow us to continue to sustainably and efficiently supply our markets with the highest quality biopolymers.”

The construction of this new facility will support rapid growth in multiple different markets including 3D printing, nonwovens for hygiene, compostable coffee capsules, tea bags, flexible packaging, and sustainable food serviceware. Construction is on track to support projected start-up activities and full production in 2025.

Ingeo biopolymer produced at this site will be made from sugarcane, an annually renewable feedstock that is locally abundant and will be sourced from farms within a 50-kilometer radius of the Nakhon Sawan site.  Returnable PET-bottles

“Over the last decade, the global materials market increasingly prioritized the use of biobased, sustainably sourced materials in order to reduce the impact on climate and facilitate climate-friendly processes like food scrap diversion from landfill to compost through the use of compostable materials,” said Jill Zullo, CEO at NatureWorks.

“The market’s evolution has redefined the scope of what we can accomplish, allowing us to think bigger when it comes to our manufacturing expansion. This new facility will enable us to meet growing consumer demand and continue providing unparalleled service to our international customer base.”  Returnable PET-bottles

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Natureworks Announces Next Phase Of Construction On New Fully Integrated Ingeo™ PLA Biopolymer Manufacturing Facility In Thailand

Thai Acrylic Fibre Co.,Ltd. (TAF) To Showcase Regel™ And Other Sustainable Innovations In Textile Exchange Conference

Thai Acrylic Fibre Co.,Ltd. (TAF), one of the world’s largest acrylic fibre producers, is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming Textile Exchange Conference 2023 at Booth 145. Set to take place from October 23 to October 27 at the O2 InterContinental in Greenwich, London.

The Textile Exchange Conference brings together industry leaders, innovators, and experts from across the fashion, textile, and apparel industry, serving as a premier global platform to collaboratively explore challenges and solutions to overcome the climate crisis.

At the conference, TAF will be showcasing their latest innovation – Regel™ – recycled acrylic fibre. With its impressive MSI (Material Sustainability Index) scores, and outstanding LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) credentials, Regel™ is setting new standards for sustainability within the textile industry.  Returnable PET-bottles

Regel™, recycled acrylic fibre, has been developed with a strong focus on sustainability that offers a practical solution for a variety of textile applications. Its MSI scores and LCA demonstrate the reduced environmental impact throughout its life cycle and its potential to contribute to a supply chain, marking a significant step in the industry towards more eco-friendly textile production. Regel™ also retains the warmth, comfort, vibrant shades, and durability for which acrylic fibers are renowned through innovative “Regel technology”.

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Thai Acrylic Fibre Co.,Ltd. (TAF) To Showcase Regel™ And Other Sustainable Innovations In Textile Exchange Conference

Sonopress and SK Chemicals agree on cooperation in the field of 100% recycled PET distributed by Biesterfeld Plastic for the EcoRecord Long-Playing Record

Leading storage media manufacturer Sonopress has developed a revolutionary new form of long-playing record that dramatically reduces the environmental impact of the manufacturing process. Neither natural gas nor steam are needed to press the discs, and in test operations the energy savings were up to 85% compared to the conventional process. For the production of the novel “EcoRecord” LP, recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used as the base material instead of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which can also be 100% recycled PET from SK Chemicals provided by SK Chemicals’ long-standing international distribution partner Biesterfeld Plastic. This allows a significant reduction in carbon emissions – while ensuring the same physical properties and safety as existing PET.    Returnable PET-bottles

Sonopress and SK Chemicals are thus actively leading the way in reducing carbon emissions by closely cooperating in the production of music long-playing records made from 100% recycled materials. SK Chemicals announced that it has used 100% of its recycled PET (CR-PET) for Sonopress’ new EcoRecord long-playing records.

The term CR refers to “Circular Recycling” or “Chemical Recycling” technology, which enables infinite reuse by breaking down plastic waste to the molecular level and reprocessing it back into raw materials. Compared to “mechanical recycling,” in which plastic waste is cleaned or shredded for reuse (in flake form), it has the advantage of maintaining high-value physical properties and safety.

Sonopress’ EcoRecords, which can be made of 100% recycled PET-CR, was jointly developed by SK Chemicals and its long-term strategic international Distribution Partner Biesterfeld Plastic, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Sonopress.

By using PET-CR in Sonopress’ EcoRecord music records, greenhouse gas emissions can be significantly reduced compared to the previous petroleum-based PET, which meets the needs of consumers who prefer environmentally friendly products. Accordingly, Sonopress plans to expand the use of SK Chemicals’ PET-CR to other product groups, starting with this mass-produced packaging.    Returnable PET-bottles

In addition to Sonopress applications, SK Chemicals is using the CR material for Jeju Samdasoo’s RE:Born and has launched the “6℃ Eco Toothbrush” with recycled materials in collaboration with KNK, a company specializing in toothbrushes. The company is also expanding the scope of recycled materials by launching textiles made of recycled materials developed in collaboration with environmentally friendly social enterprises such as “Art Impact” and “Project 1907.”

Eung-soo Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of SK Chemicals’ Green Material Business, said, “In March, we acquired assets related to the recyclable recycled PET raw materials business in Shuye, China, and established SK Shantou to lay the foundation for a stable supply of recycled plastic raw materials.” He added, “Based on this, SK Chemicals plans to expand its recyclable recycled product groups to various industrial materials in the future.”  Returnable PET-bottles

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Sonopress and SK Chemicals agree on cooperation in the field of 100% recycled PET distributed by Biesterfeld Plastic for the EcoRecord Long-Playing Record

1,000 km battery – Polyolefins producer details its catalytic pyrolysis process 19-10-2023

Returnable PET-bottles

1,000 km battery – Polyolefins producer details its catalytic pyrolysis process 19-10-2023

1,000 km battery

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DOMO Chemicals boosts sustainable portfolio and pioneering partnerships at Fakuma 2023

  • DOMO spotlights TECHNYL®’s 70 years of innovation with latest sustainable polyamide offering
  • Premiere of partnerships with MITSUBISHI and MARTOR demonstrate power of collaboration on sustainability journey
  • DOMO commits to double share of sales in circular solutions

Leading engineered materials provider DOMO is presenting groundbreaking polyamide solutions at Fakuma 2023 (Hall B4, Stand 4216). DOMO’s globally renowned TECHNYL® brand celebrates 70 years of innovation in flame and temperature resistance, light-weighting, as well as sustainable polyamide solutions at the booth.

As the owner of the premier sustainable engineered materials brand TECHNYL® 4EARTH®, DOMO will unveil new formulations at Fakuma in collaboration with internationally prominent customers including MITSUBISHI Chemical Group and MARTOR.

DOMO’s latest partnerships further testify the company’s ambition of doubling sustainable sales by 2030.  1,000 km battery

MITSUBISHI’s greener power tools

In the field of power tools and home appliances, a pioneering experimental solution will be announced at Fakuma 2023. It is the result of a joint project between DOMO and MITSUBISHI Chemical Group (MCG), Performance Polymers Division, and consists of the first combination of PA6/TPE that combines excellent adhesion and haptics with sustainability through the use of recycled raw materials and unlimited color choices.

Both TECHNYL® 4EARTH® (PA6) and TEFABLOC™ (TPE-S) have a 30% recycled content matrix.

“We were looking for a recycled polyamide grade able to meet the requirements of the most common power tool colors,” says Fabien Resweber, Sales and Marketing manager, MITSUBISHI Chemical Group / Performance Polymers EMEA. “Customized color is an important part of product design features because it enhances brand recognition with the end consumer. With DOMO we have found the right partner. With their broad portfolio of sustainable polyamides, we have been able to find the right solution that will synergize the value of our new circular TPE compound for two-component injection molding applications with polyamides.”  1,000 km battery

Delphine Huguenot, Commercial Director Engineered Materials, DOMO, embraces the recent partnership with MITSUBISHI: “It’s imperative for us to accompany and empower our customers and partners on our shared ambition to reduce our product carbon footprint. Next to MITSUBISHI, we are proud to have joined forces with MARTOR on the production of sustainable safety knives in the consumer goods segment. Ultimately, we want to double our share of sales in circular solutions by 2030, which includes our leading TECHNYL® 4EARTH® sustainable polyamide.”

MARTOR’s more sustainable safety knives

For MARTOR, a leading maker of premium cutting tools, DOMO’s recycled polyamide solutions will enable it to produce its new ECO line of sustainable safety knives. DOMO’s PA6-based TECHNYL® 4EARTH® materials will be used to mold MARTOR’s new ECO line of safety knives. Already existing models previously developed with prime material will further expand the ECO-series. “Making use of recycled raw materials with certified environmental benefits is a first achievement,” said Sylke Wendt, Head of Product Management at MARTOR. “The next phase will be the reuse of end-of-life knives to become truly circular.”  1,000 km battery

At the booth, DOMO will also present the latest progress of TECHNYL® in the development of drinking and non-drinking water management solutions for PPA replacement in sanitary, heating and home appliances. In addition, visitors can expect breakthrough solutions supporting mobility electrification with newly-launched high voltage, electro-friendly and cooling grades.

Come celebrate DOMO’s significant strides in the chemical sector, setting a precedent for industry sustainability, at Fakuma 2023, Hall B4, Stand 4216. Please also join the DOMO team for a drinks reception on October 18 starting at 5 pm.

1,000 km battery

NIO’s 1,000 km battery will soon be across the entire lineup

The company has presented the documentation to adopt 150 kWh semi-solid state batteries on 11 models
Last spring, NIO announced that it was ready to fit its 1,000 km range battery in three of the electric models it produces. The batteries in question, made by the Chinese specialist WeLion, have a capacity of 150 kWh and are equipped with a semi-solid electrolyte.
Today, as reported by the Chinese automotive news site CNEVPost, the Shanghai company has presented all the documentation to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Technology to be able to adopt that type of battery on 11 models.
Available across the entire range
The NIO range is constantly evolving. Leaving aside the EP9 supercar, dating back to 2016, the company initially put two SUVs on the market – the ES8 and the ES6 – and two sedans, the ET5 (also available with a station wagon body) and the ET7. It is now expanding the offer with other SUVs (EC6, ES7, EC7).  1,000 km battery

The NIO ET5, competitor of the Tesla Model 3
According to local media reports, the request made to the ministry would be formulated to adopt the 150 kWh battery on 11 models. Of these, 2 would be sedans (the ET5 and ET7, in all likelihood) and 9 would be SUVs. Which means that the range will be expanded with the arrival of new cars with this type of bodywork.
An interchangeable battery
If the ministry accepts the request, NIO will then be able to fit its 1,000 km battery on all cars on the market, beating the competition to the punch. The battery with semi-solid state electrolyte was first announced in January 2021, and WeLion started its production in November last year. Starting from the summer it has been fitted on some models of the company, which is adopting it more and more widely.
The NIO ES8: large SUV recently subjected to restyling
An interesting thing about this type of battery is the fact that it is interchangeable with the others proposed by NIO on its electric ones. It has the same dimensions as a traditional pack and the same attachments.  1,000 km battery
NIO, as is known, believes more than anyone in battery swap technology and has put into operation, mainly in China but not only, over 1,000 automated stations for on-the-fly battery changes. At these stations, by paying a special subscription, the company’s customers will be able to replace their battery with the 150 kWh one even for a limited period of time. Maybe for when they need to face a long journey.

1,000 km battery

Polyolefins producer details its catalytic pyrolysis process

LyondellBasell says its chemical recycling technology presents environmental benefits over competing pyrolysis processes, particularly because the company can use both the liquid and gas outputs as feedstock for new plastics. 

One of the world’s largest polyolefins producers, LyondellBasell, held a Sept. 26 webinar to showcase MoReTec, which stands for Molecular Recycling Technology. That’s the name of its proprietary chemical recycling technology, which breaks down post-consumer scrap plastics to produce chemicals that are used to make new plastics.

While hyping the benefits of MoReTec, the executives also acknowledged the current-day shortcomings of chemical recycling – which they called “advanced recycling” – in general.

“When we look at the current landscape for advanced recycling, we see it’s in early stage and limited, and it’s faced with higher costs than mechanical recycling.

It’s struggling to reach commercial scale as it goes through its learning curve, and it has lower energy and carbon efficiency,” said Yvonne van der Laan, executive vice president of Circular and Low Carbon Solutions at LyondellBasell.  1,000 km battery

“As LyondellBasell, we recognize these challenges and are tackling them piece by piece with our integrated hub approach that allows us to build scale, reduce operating costs and capture value.”

During the webinar, which was broadcast from LyondellBasell’s R&D Center in Ferrara, Italy, where the company has a semi-industrial-scale MoReTec plant, van der Laan and Jim Seward, executive vice president and chief innovation officer at the company, explained the competitive advantages of the technology, as well as plans to scale it up in Europe and the U.S.  1,000 km battery

Catalyst reduces energy usage

Pyrolysis, which involves heating plastic in the absence of oxygen, breaks polymer chains in plastics to produce gas and liquid fractions, as well as some percentage of solid contaminants. The gas is often burned to produce energy to heat the process. Environmentalists have pointed to that reduced yield and combustion when they criticize pyrolysis as inefficient and polluting.

“Pyrolysis is actually a fairly relatively intensive-energy-using process, but we are applying our long history of catalyst development in this space as well, looking at how we can convert polymers back to monomers,” Seward said in his presentation.

The MoReTec pyrolysis process is able to use the gas fraction to produce new plastics, as well as the liquid, further displacing fossil-based feedstocks, he said. By using its catalyst, MoReTec lowers reaction temperatures, which reduces energy usage, and improves the plastic-to-plastic yield.  1,000 km battery

Seward said that recovering gas for use as feedstock rather than fuel yields Scope 1 greenhouse gas generation benefits, using electrically heated systems and lower temperatures lower Scope 2 emissions, and replacing fossil-based feedstocks with scrap plastic reduces Scope 3 emissions.

“Combining all of this, we believe the pyrolysis feedstock produced from MoReTec has less than 50% of the carbon footprint of fossil-based feedstocks,” Seward said.

He acknowledged that purification of the pyrolysis oil and gas outputs will be required if they make up higher and higher percentages of the feedstock going into the company’s ethylene crackers, where they replace naphtha and natural gas liquids.

“This is an element of our industrialization path,” he said.  1,000 km battery

The crackers then process the inputs into monomers, which are fed to existing polymerization plants to be made into new plastics for use in demanding applications, such as food and healthcare packaging, according to the presentation.

Plans for scaling up 

In terms of scaling up, Seward said LyondellBasell is first looking to build a plant near Cologne, Germany, capable of processing 50,000 tons per year, with a final investment decision on that project likely to come before the end of this year. If approved, that plant would be scheduled to come on-line in 2025.

Then, the company will likely move its attention to a larger MoReTec unit – one capable of producing 100,000 tons per year – at its Houston refinery, he said.

“We anticipate MoReTec units within each of our integrated hubs,” he said.

Van der Lann said LyondellBasell currently plans to continue operating its Houston refinery until the end of the first quarter of 2025. Before that date, the company will decide on repurposing assets from the refinery to create MoReTec 2 there.  1,000 km battery

Globally, LyondellBasell has a goal of marketing 2 million tons of circular and renewable-based polymers by 2030. They’re sold under the company’s Circular brand portfolio.

Last year, the company sold less than 80,000 tons of Circulen plastics, far short of its goal.

More…

1,000 km battery

LyondellBasell Acquires Stake in De Paauw Sustainable Resources

LyondellBasell today announced it has acquired a 50% stake in Rodepa Vastgoed B.V., the holding company of De Paauw Sustainable Resources (“DPSR”). The Dutch plastic waste recycling company is involved in the sourcing, processing and trading of post-consumer and post-industrial plastic packaging waste. DPSR operates production facilities located in Hengelo and Enschede, the Netherlands, with an annual processing capacity equivalent to the amount of plastic packaging waste generated by over 1.7 million Dutch citizens per year.

“Investing in DPSR aligns with our strategy to increase our access to plastic waste feedstock, which supports  our  integrated hub strategy that allows us to build scale and expand our production and offering of CirculenRecover products,” says Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell executive vice president, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions. “Demand for recycled plastics continues to grow as consumers and brand owners ask for sustainable materials.  1,000 km battery

Through this collaboration, we can further expand our CirculenRecover portfolio of mechanically recycled polymers, creating solutions for our customers”.

DPSR was founded in 1956 and has over time built up an extensive network of plastics waste sources. DPSR has grown into a leading recycler in the Benelux region, processing plastic waste into recycled polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) materials.

“With a great team of driven employees, we have steadily built our business over the years by responsibly and carefully finding new use for used plastics,” says Roy de Paauw, CEO of DPSR. “I greatly appreciate the cooperation we had with ING CI. I am proud that LyondellBasell is participating in our company and that we are now joining forces to recycle even more plastic waste into high-quality raw material.”  1,000 km battery

LyondellBasell acquired its 50% share from DPSR CEO Roy de Paauw and ING Corporate Investments, the investment branch of the Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation ING Group.

“Our investment in DPSR always fitted perfectly in the sustainable ambitions of ING and over the past years ING Corporate Investments has been able to work together with DPSR’s management team in further professionalizing the organization, expanding its production platform and preparing the company to realize future sustainable growth. We are extremely glad to see DPSR has found a sound new strategic partner in LyondellBasell for entering its next growth phase after all that has been achieved so far,” says Mathijs Henzen, Investment Director at ING Corporate Investments.  1,000 km battery

1,000 km battery

Could Stellantis Partner with Chinese Leapmotor for Electric Vehicle Platforms?

Recent reports suggest that Stellantis is edging closer to striking a deal with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leapmotor to utilize their platforms for electric cars. While Chinese electric cars may pose a challenge to Western automotive giants, they also offer an exciting opportunity for growth and advancement in future vehicle models. Chinese manufacturers boast readily available technologies, including platforms and batteries, which can serve as the foundation for creating new product lines. This line of thinking appears to be gaining traction within Stellantis as well.

According to information from CarNewsChina, Stellantis, under the leadership of Carlos Tavares, is poised to finalize an agreement with Leapmotor, allowing them to license the LEAP 3.0 platform. This platform is designed for both fully electric models and series plug-in hybrids.  1,000 km battery

According to these rumors, Stellantis may also consider becoming a shareholder in Leapmotor, giving them the opportunity to leverage these new technologies initially for the Chinese market and potentially expanding into other countries.

The LEAP 3.0 platform made its debut in July in China and was officially showcased at the 2023 Munich Motor Show in September with the introduction of the Leapmotor C10, a midsize SUV presented by the Chinese startup as its first global model. The C10 can utilize either a fully electric powertrain or an EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle), where the car is primarily driven by an electric motor with thermal unit-powered batteries, resembling the concept seen in the Mazda MX-30 R-EV. It’s more accurately described as a series hybrid.  1,000 km battery

As of now, neither of the involved parties has officially confirmed or denied these rumors. However, it’s worth noting the recent statement from Leapmotor’s CEO, Zhu Jiangming, who stated, “We don’t want to be just an electric car brand but also a supplier of vital technologies for electric vehicles.” Zhu also mentioned ongoing negotiations with two manufacturers, although no names were specified.

If this agreement does come to fruition, Stellantis would be following in the footsteps of Audi and Volkswagen. Audi entered into an agreement with SAIC to utilize the iO Origin platform for electric vehicles in China, while Volkswagen is set to purchase 5% of Xpeng and secure a license to use the Edward platform, serving as the foundation for two upcoming models catering to the Eastern market.  1,000 km batteryCould Stellantis Partner with Chinese Leapmotor for Electric Vehicle Platforms?

Electric cars, Volkswagen stops production, now it’s a black crisis

Black crisis, very black indeed. The future of electric cars is becoming increasingly uncertain, so much so that even Volkswagen is doing an about-face and interrupting production due to an excessive drop in demand. The sector is proving to be too volatile. There are those who claim that the problem is the few charging stations present in our country, but at this point there could be multiple faults.
Stop production
The electric car sector is not taking off, in fact it risks going backwards. In our country there is a strong shortage of charging stations, furthermore the list prices of these cars are still too high for our families. Meanwhile, politics continues to impose limits and pushes towards this sector.  1,000 km battery
The objective is to eliminate the sale of combustion engine cars by 2035. An imposition that risks being unworkable, given that at the moment zero-emission cars continue to have a highly fluctuating market. If we thought that the crisis was limited only to our country, we were very wrong, given that in Germany Volkswagen has decided to stop production. In reality, this was to be expected, given that a sad time ago the German car manufacturer had clearly spoken of an electric crisis. Specifically, the company has stopped production of some zero-emission models. Two factories in the country stop. Specifically, stop the production of Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID.3 as demand has fallen sharply. At the moment, what we know is that the factories will stop for two weeks, limited to the assembly activities (which are also limited) of the two battery-powered models of the Volkswagen Group. Rumors state that at the moment only one assembly line will remain active in order to slow down work. However, the production of the Audi Q4 e-tron, Q4 Sportback e-tron, Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 will continue without changes, at least for the moment. However, we cannot know what will happen after this stop, whether it will be extended or whether production activities will resume.  1,000 km battery
Electric cars in crisis
It is another heavy blow to sustainability. After the debacle of solar cars, with interesting companies admitting the flop and focusing on something else, comes another blow to the green economy which made mobility one of the essential musts for a more eco-sustainable world. And to think that just a few weeks ago we reported on Volvo’s courageous decision to say goodbye to diesel engines by discontinuing their sale starting next year. However, Volkswagen’s decision deserves all the attention it deserves, given that we are talking about a production that represents 70% of its specific sector, that of electric cars, in fact. As we were saying, the reasons can be attributed to the sharp decline in demand for the two models produced by the German company. One wonders why this drastic drop in demand. Even in this case the reasons for the contraction are quite clear. Incentives in Germany for the purchase of electric cars have been significantly reduced and in some cases disappeared completely.
In fact, in the country the incentives intended for private individuals will go from 4,500 to 3,000 euros starting from 1 January 2024. Furthermore, since last September 1st the Government has stopped providing the bonus for the purchase of electric cars. In short, a chain reaction that led to an inevitable decrease in demand from the Germans. This is a significant problem which also has repercussions on the world of work, given that the company has had to cut 296 jobs.  1,000 km battery
Electric cars, Volkswagen stops production, now it's a black crisis

How Coca-Cola is supporting the circular economy

An ambitious sustainable packaging strategy, World Without Waste, was launched in 2018 by The Coca-Cola Company. This strategy aims to create systemic change by focusing on the circular economy for packaging, from how bottles and cans are designed and manufactured to how they’re recycled and reused.

Simply put, World Without Waste is a global sustainable packaging strategy focused on three primary goals: Design, Collect and Partner.  1,000 km battery

The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola) has stated that it has a responsibility to help solve the global plastic waste crisis by leveraging its scale and reach across markets to reach its sustainability goals, suppress waste pollution, and reduce its carbon footprint.

“Sustainability is core to our business strategy and focuses on the interconnection between water, packaging, and climate. To realise these goals, we invest in solutions and partnerships across industry, governments, and society.

“By 2030, Coca-Cola’s manufacturing facilities, that we designate as high priority leadership locations, we will reduce, reuse, recycle and replenish the water used in operations in the local correlated watersheds for beneficial social, economic and/or uses by other stakeholders and nature,” says Babongile Mandela, director of public affairs, communication and sustainability at Coca-Cola.  1,000 km battery

Collection

In South Africa, Coca-Cola is a member of the PET Recycling Company (Petco), an extended producer responsibility (EPR) organisation for PET, since 2004 to support collection.

The partnership and membership in Petco create economic opportunities by supporting the recycling sector to increase collection efforts and divert packaging waste from landfills.

Petco’s published 2022 Annual Report identifies the collection and recycling rates for the products its members have registered with the organisation.

That includes Coca-Cola.  1,000 km battery

The report shows that 121,369 tonnes of packaging was placed on the market by all Petco members in 2022. Of this, 83,967 tonnes (69%) of post-consumer packaging were collected for recycling, and 79,571 tonnes were recycled – achieving a 66% recycling rate. According to the Waste Pickers Association, South Africa has approximately 90,000 informal waste pickers who play an increasingly important role in waste management.

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How Coca-Cola is supporting the circular economy

Biodegradable plastic – Biodegradable plastic: now flies will produce it 18-10-2023

1,000 km battery

Biodegradable plastic – Biodegradable plastic: now flies will produce it 18-10-2023

Biodegradable plastic

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Biodegradable plastic: now flies will produce it

Soldier flies can lend a hand in the production of biodegradable plastic. Let’s find out all the details.
Until a few years ago, the mere idea of creating biodegradable plastic from the cultivation of flies would have aroused disbelief and even made people smile. However, in the meantime, several changes have occurred. Firstly, it has finally been recognized and accepted that plastic is a highly polluting material. As a result, an active search for concrete alternatives has begun, with a number of proposals for biodegradable plastic. Secondly, there is also the increase in soldier fly breeding, which has become increasingly widespread in the meantime.  Biodegradable plastic
Soldier fly breeding: more and more all over the world
Even if many don’t know it, soldier fly farms are spreading all over the world – including Italy. The soldier fly, also known by the international name of black soldier fly, is native to tropical areas and has been used by humanity in recent years as a solution to tackle the problem of food waste.
The distinctive characteristic of this insect, or more precisely of its larvae, is their ability to feed on organic matter in an advanced state of decomposition, both of vegetal and animal origin. Consequently, it is possible to obtain high-quality fertilizers and flours that can be used as animal feed from animal waste.
Several farms of this type have developed in Italy.
For example, we can mention Biogest-Siteia, an interdepartmental research center dedicated to the improvement and valorisation of the agri-food biological resources of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia or Bef Biosystems, located in the province of Alessandria. Biodegradable plastic
Flies help produce biodegradable plastic
The carcasses of soldier flies do not find applications in the food sector and can be considered as a “by-product” of farming, which derives its value mainly from the larvae. Therefore this represents a motivation behind the production of biodegradable plastic derived from flies.
The plastic made by flies is really very interesting and has peculiar characteristics that certainly attract attention. What makes the use of deceased soldier fly carcasses for the production of bioplastic extremely fascinating is the presence of chitin, a sugar-based polymer known to strengthen the exoskeleton of insects and crustaceans. It is no coincidence that shrimp shells, for example, have previously been exploited for the production of biodegradable plastic.  Biodegradable plastic
However, soldier fly carcasses contain higher quality chitin and also completely eliminate concerns related to seafood allergies. Hence the inspiration of Karen Wooley, a researcher at Texas A&M University, who is currently conducting tests to develop this innovative biodegradable plastic.
Biodegradable plastic, flies can help produce it
Biodegadable plastic can therefore be produced with the help of flies. This discovery represents something very important that may perhaps provide many positive results in the future.  Biodegradable plastic
Biodegradable plastic

Honda, Toray Explore Polyamide Chemical Recycling

The Japanese automaker and fellow Japanese firm Toray plan to recycle glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide parts recovered from end-of-life vehicles

Toray Industries has signed an agreement with Honda Motor to jointly develop chemical recycling technology for glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide (PA) 6 parts recovered from end-of-life vehicles. The partners have begun verifying a technology that entails depolymerization using subcritical water to obtain raw caprolactam.

Toray and Honda are focusing on the high permeability, dissolving power, and hydrolysis effect in resins of subcritical water in developing a technology that successfully depolymerizes PA 6. Subcritical water is water maintained at an elevated temperature and pressure.  Biodegradable plastic

It is free of catalysts; additives do not affect it; and it can depolymerize PA 6 in several minutes to create high yields of raw monomer. Separating, refining, and repolymerizing the monomer enables regeneration of PA 6 that performs like a virgin material.

Japan’s road map to a circular economy

Japan’s Ministry of the Environment adopted this technology for a fiscal 2023 project to establish a decarbonized circular economy system, including the validation of recycling systems for plastics and other resources. Toray and Honda plan to participate in this project, set up a pilot facility with a processing capacity of 500 tonnes annually of raw resin, and conduct validation testing.  Biodegradable plastic

The first step is to recycle used automotive plastic parts into the same automotive materials. The two companies will develop depolymerization and monomer separation and refining technologies by employing intake manifolds as raw materials for engine intake system parts. They seek to apply these technologies for recycling chemicals in automotive resin parts by around 2027.

Broadening scope of chemical recycling

Down the track, they look to broaden the scope of their chemical recycling technology to encompass apparel, films, and other non-automotive applications. They also envisage inviting other companies to take part in their effort and set up a chemical recycling scheme for nylon 6 in Japan. This endeavor would help the realization of a circular economy and cut greenhouse gas emissions.  Biodegradable plastic

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Biodegradable plastic

Carbios demonstrates superior performance of its enzyme in world-renowned scientific publication

  • The publication in ACS Catalysis, one of the world’s most influential scientific journals, compares the four best performing enzymes for PET degradation under industrial conditions and confirms the superior performance of Carbios’ enzyme
  • Carbios proposes an international standardized method for enzyme comparison thereby confirming its position as the world leader of enzymatic PET depolymerization
  • Since the publication of the LCCICCG enzyme in the journal Nature in 2020, three years of R&D has optimized its performance to produce a new, more efficient generation of enzyme that will be used in the world’s first PET biorecycling plant

Carbios (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB), a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastics and textiles, announces the publication in ACS Catalysis, one of the world’s most influential scientific journals (Impact Factor 13.7), of an article entitled “Assessment of Four Engineered PET Degrading Enzymes Considering Large-Scale Industrial Applications.”

The article demonstrates that Carbios’ enzyme LCCICCG (published in Nature in 2020) outperforms all three competitors considered most promising in scientific literature: two variants of the IsPETase enzyme produced by Ideonella sakaiensis described by the University of Manchester and the University of Austin (Texas) and a variant of PES-H1 (also known as PHL7) described by the University of Greifswald.

By using a standardized method for comparing PET degrading enzymes under industrial conditions, Carbios and Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI) validate the superior performance of Carbios’ enzyme and confirm Carbios’ leadership in the field. Moreover, since 2020, Carbios has significantly enhanced the enzyme used in this article, further extending its lead.  Biodegradable plastic

This next-generation enzyme (results not yet published) will be used in the world’s first PET biorecycling plant due for commissioning in 2025.

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Biodegradable plastic

KBR launches new technology for green methanol production

KBR, Inc. has launched a new green methanol technology, PureM, which is designed to provide a cleaner pathway for downstream production of fuels or high-value chemicals. The technology utilizes bio or captured carbon-dioxide and green hydrogen as primary feed components, which are key ingredients in sustainable coatings, adhesives, and other materials that support a net-zero transition12.  Biodegradable plastic

PureM is an advanced green methanol technology that augments KBR’s portfolio of clean ammonia and hydrogen technologies1. It provides a much-needed capability of converting bio or captured carbon dioxide into green methanol and ultimately other high-value downstream products1. The technology is expected to provide greater flexibility to KBR’s clients for CO2 capture while diversifying their value chains1.

KBR is a world leader in ammonia technology with approximately 50% market share of licensed capacity2. Since 1943, KBR has licensed, engineered, or constructed over 250 grassroot ammonia plants worldwide2. The company’s proven technology will enable the conversion of bio or captured carbon dioxide into green methanol and other high-value downstream products1.  Biodegradable plastic

The launch of PureM represents a significant advancement in green methanol technology. By incorporating bio-based or captured carbon dioxide and green hydrogen as primary feed components, PureM provides a cleaner path for producing high-value fuels and chemicals3. The technology supports the development of sustainable coatings, adhesives, and other materials essential for a net-zero transition3.

In conclusion, KBR’s new green methanol technology, PureM, is expected to provide greater flexibility to clients for CO2 capture while diversifying their value chains. The technology utilizes bio or captured carbon-dioxide and green hydrogen as primary feed components to provide a cleaner pathway for downstream production of fuels or high-value chemicals. It represents a significant advancement in green methanol technology and supports the development of sustainable coatings, adhesives, and other materials essential for a net-zero transition.  Biodegradable plastic

KBR launches new technology for green methanol production

The inaugural Plastics Recycling Show India (PRS India) is set to make its debut in Mumbai from December 4th to December 6th, 2024, at the NESCO Bombay Exhibition Center (BEC)

This three-day event will mark India’s first dedicated exhibition and conference focused on plastics recycling.

PRS India is the latest addition to the rapidly expanding PRS series of annual global events catering to the plastics recycling sector. The PRS series includes established shows like the Plastics Recycling Show Europe in Amsterdam, the Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa in Dubai, and the Plastics Recycling Show Asia in Singapore.

Matt Barber, Director of Global Trade Shows at Crain Communications, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to bring the Plastics Recycling Show to India in 2024, driven by strong demand from all sectors of the plastics value chain in the region. Our recent events in Europe and the Middle East have garnered significant interest from exhibitors and visitors, and we are eager to replicate this success in India.”

Taher Patrawala, Managing Director of Media Fusion, noted the impact of the Plastics Recycling Show Middle East and Africa in Dubai, which spurred growth in plastics recycling and attracted key players from India. Biodegradable plastic

He emphasized the need for India to have its own plastics recycling event, as the country’s major corporations invest heavily in recycling technologies, while legislative changes drive the circular and sustainable use of plastics.

The Plastics Recycling Show India is tailor-made for professionals in the plastics recycling industry, offering a platform for showcasing cutting-edge technology, sharing best practices, networking, and conducting business. The event will feature a diverse range of industry players, including suppliers of plastics recycling machinery and equipment, plastic material suppliers, pre-processors, plastics recyclers, recycling and waste management experts, government and industry associations.  Biodegradable plastic

The accompanying conference will delve deep into the latest trends within the plastics recycling sector. It will provide a comprehensive overview of the entire plastic recycling value chain, uniting legislators, major brands, recyclers, and the plastics recycling and manufacturing industry. Local and international experts will explore crucial themes such as the circular economy, regulations, challenges, opportunities, innovations, technologies, and trends, offering insights and experiences that promote the sustainable use of plastics.

Organized by Crain Communications and Media Fusion, and supported by Plastics Recyclers Europe, the Plastics Recycling Show India will be an annual event commencing in December 2024. For more information about exhibiting at or visiting the Plastics Recycling Show India, please visit https://bit.ly/prseventindia.  Biodegradable plastic

PRS Event Calendar 2024:

  • Plastics Recycling Show Europe, RAI Amsterdam: June 19-20, 2024 – Website
  • Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa, Dubai: September 10-12, 2024 – Website
  • Plastics Recycling Show Asia, Marina Bay Sands Singapore: November 13-14, 2024 – Website
  • Plastics Recycling Show India, BEC Mumbai: December 4-6, 2024 – Website

The inaugural Plastics Recycling Show India (PRS India) is set to make its debut in Mumbai from December 4th to December 6th, 2024, at the NESCO Bombay Exhibition Center (BEC)

LyondellBasell Invests in First Close of the Plastic Circularity Fund

LyondellBasell today announced its investment in the first close of the Lombard Odier Investment Managers (LOIM) Plastic Circularity Fund SCSPp (“Plastic Circularity Fund”). This fund will focus on investments providing solutions to reduce pollution from plastic waste and decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the plastic value chain. This includes investing in companies offering innovative plastic materials designed for reuse and recyclability, and improved collection, sorting and recycling solutions. LyondellBasell has committed a total of $44 million since 2021 to venture capital funds.  Biodegradable plastic

“Advancing circular solutions to meet the global challenge of plastic waste requires engagement and collaboration across the value chain to increase available material supply to meet the robustly growing demand for sustainable products,” said Yvonne van der Laan, executive vice president, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions at LyondellBasell. “LOIM’s Plastic Circularity Fund aligns with our ambition to help end plastic waste in the environment and accelerate the development of a circular, low carbon economy.”

The company’s venture capital investments include Closed Loop Partners, Infinity Recycling, HX Venture, Chrysalix, and LOIM. These investments align with the company’s goal that for every dollar LyondellBasell invests in venture funds addressing critical sustainability challenges, the company helps catalyze another five dollars from co-investors.  Biodegradable plastic

For more information on the company’s sustainability goal, click here.

LyondellBasell Invests in First Close of the Plastic Circularity Fund

Celanese Launches New PA Solutions to Improve Performance of Electric Vehicle Components

Celanese Corporation, a global specialty materials and chemical company, announced the global commercial launch of two new polyamide solutions for manufacturers of Electric Vehicle (EV) powertrain components and EV battery applications, said the company.
The Frianyl® PA W-Series of flame-retardant polyamide solutions enables the manufacturing of large, thick-walled, flame-retardant components for EV batteries.

With the W-Series solutions, manufacturers can improve the safety of these components, introduce novel new designs and enhance manufacturing efficiency.

Potential applications include battery module housings, e-box housings and covers, and more.  Biodegradable plastic
The W-Series solutions achieve V-0 flame retardance at 1.5mm, combined with excellent flow characteristics. Compared to standard PA66 grades with 30% glass fiber reinforcement, the equivalent grade of the new W-Series offers a 10-20% improvement in flow in an injection mold, depending on the pressure applied.

Improved flow means manufacturers can consider new designs and more readily fill molds during processing, potentially leading to cycle time reductions.

The W-Series solutions also have excellent laser markability with all common laser marking processes.
In addition, the Frianyl® PA W-Series solutions exhibit an excellent Comparative Tracking Index (CTI) even after aging at 125°C for 1,000 hours.

Long-term color stability of parts manufactured from these materials, measured at 125°C, is also notable with no visible change to the eye, and even only a nominal change when measured in a color lab.  Biodegradable plastic

More…

Celanese Launches New PA Solutions to Improve Performance of Electric Vehicle Components

Pyrolysis Recycling – Climate crisis: Coca-Cola trial to make bottle tops from CO2 emissions 17-10-2023

Biodegradable plastic

Pyrolysis Recycling – Climate crisis: Coca-Cola trial to make bottle tops from CO2 emissions 17-10-2023

Pyrolysis Recycling

RadiciGroup, a leading manufacturer of engineering polymers, will be showcasing its latest products at Fakuma 2023 in Friedrichshafen, Germany from October 17 to 21 

The company’s R&D team has developed new products that meet increasingly stringent requirements, aesthetic parameters, and environmental targets.

RadiciGroup Specialty Chemicals and RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers will present their latest highly technological proposals for various sectors at the fair . 

These include materials for e-mobility, electronics, solar industry, and white goods . Pyrolysis Recycling

RadiciGroup AutoInsight, a new digital tool that provides a 3D map of the main applications in which RadiciGroup’s technopolymers, yarns, fibers, and non-wovens can be used in the automotive sector, will be launched at Fakuma 1. The tool is intuitive and effective and emphasizes applications for e-mobility.

The company’s vertical integration in the polyamide supply chain has enabled it to develop new polymer solutions for challenging markets and end applications 1. RadiciGroup has production sites in both chemical intermediates and compounding in Germany, making Fakuma an important event for the company. Pyrolysis Recycling

Erico Spini, Global Marketing Director of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, said that the company is increasingly focused on high-tech applications.

He added that the company’s product range includes Radiflam A FRX products with excellent laser marking versions for terminal blocks in the electrical sector.

The company also offers materials for electric vehicles such as hydrolysis-resistant PA6-based material with 35% glass fiber suitable for prolonged contact with cooling liquids up to 90°C.  Pyrolysis Recycling

Other flame-retardant products are ideal for applications in the home appliance sector .

Fakuma is an important event for RadiciGroup as it attracts major European industry professionals and practically all German industry professionals.

The automotive sector is central to Germany’s economy, making Fakuma an ideal platform to launch RadiciGroup AutoInsight .

RadiciGroup, a leading manufacturer of engineering polymers, will be showcasing its latest products at Fakuma 2023 in Friedrichshafen, Germany from October 17 to 21 

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Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

EFS-plastics investing $17M to enhance recycling capabilities

Improvements at the company’s Pennsylvania and Alberta locations are expected to come online over the next two years.

EFS-plastics, a Listowel, Ontario-based plastics reclaimer, says it intends to invest around $17 million in recycling technology upgrades at its plants in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, and Lethbridge, Alberta, with the aim of increasing its capacity to process films and rigid scrap.

According to Hendrik Dullinger, EFS-plastics U.S.’ vice president of business development, each facility will receive half of the funding. At the company’s Hazelton plant, which primarily focuses on recycling flexibles, the goal is to open up its capability to accept different grades.  Pyrolysis Recycling

“We have a full film recycling line there already, but we want to open up our sales floor for a greater spec of materials,” Dullinger says.

The facility currently recycles Grade A commercial films, but, citing increased competition for those bales, Dullinger says upgrades to its sorting, washing and extrusion equipment will allow it to take on Grade B and C bales. In addition, the site also will start testing curbside collectible films. “We’re considering changing parts along the entire line to meet that,” Dullinger says.

Dullinger says new sorting equipment is expected to be operational in early 2024, while the third processing line is expected to be up and running by the summer.

The expansion in film processing capability is designed to meet potential requirements under extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation and help brands meet circularity goals, Dullinger says.  Pyrolysis Recycling

“Because we have a large footprint on the Canadian side of the border, this is what we have to focus on when it comes to curbside film, is the upcoming EPR legislation,” he says. “It requires the PROs [producer responsibility organizations] to look at films and flexibles and make sure they can become circular, so we’ll use Hazelton as a test facility as well to see how well it can do on curbside.

“But also in the U.S., if you look at some of the brands, brand commitments are a little weak at this point, but we still believe in the long-term,” he adds. “Brands will have to take action. We know that they’re increasingly looking at flexibles, so there will be a push eventually to take more of the residential film materials.”

The 70,000-square-foot plant in Lethbridge, which was added in 2022 and has primarily served as a secondary sorting facility feeding the company’s Listowel operation, will add washing and extrusion equipment.  Pyrolysis Recycling

The facility processes Nos. 1-7 mixed rigid plastic bales sourced from material recovery facilities (MRFs) in the western U.S. and Canada.

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Pyrolysis Recycling

Climate crisis: Coca-Cola trial to make bottle tops from CO2 emissions

Coca-Cola has unveiled plans to make its bottle tops from carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere.

The firm – one of the world’s biggest users of plastic – is funding a three-year trial at Swansea University as part of the company’s target of net zero by 2040.

Much of its current plastic packaging is made cheaply, from fossil fuels.

But it aims to “capture” CO2 from the air, or from factory emissions, to produce a key ingredient for plastics.  Pyrolysis Recycling

“The plastic we make today releases a lot of carbon dioxide into the environment,” said the project’s principle investigator, Professor Enrico Andreoli.

“Our starting material is carbon dioxide,” he said, “so we entirely de-fossilise the process and make plastic free from fossil fuels and fossil carbon.”

Plastic free from fossil fuels

Prof Andreoli, an industrial chemist, said the “magic happens” in a small black electrode where an electric charge passes through a mixture of CO2 and water, producing ethylene, a key ingredient in the flexible type of plastic used in bottle tops.

“We want to prove the technology in the laboratory works,” he said, explaining how “success” would suggest ways to scale up the process.

Coca-Cola says it will have to make “radical bets” on new technologies to try to reach its net zero by 2040 goal  Pyrolysis Recycling

Coca-Cola’s goal is to use “captured” CO2 as a resource, taking it either from the air near its factories or directly from its own smoke stacks.

Ethylene is currently made as cheap by-product of refining petrochemicals, with fossil fuels heated to more than 800C (1472F), “cracking” off the molecules needed to make plastic.

Reducing carbon footprint

The process produced more than 260 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2020, or nearly 1% of the world’s total CO2 emissions, according to the climate tracking group the Global Carbon Project.

Craig Twyford, director of Coca-Cola’s venturing division for Europe and the Pacific, said the company’s promise for a 30% reduction in its carbon footprint by 2030 will mostly come from using more recycled plastics.

“From 2030 to 2040 we need to start making the more radical bets… looking at lots of different technologies.  Pyrolysis Recycling

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Pyrolysis Recycling

Pyrolysis-based Recycling Has Significant Environmental Benefits, Study Shows

New plastic made with just 5% pyrolysis oil produces up to 23% fewer greenhouse-gas emissions than crude-oil derived polymer, according to US Department of Energy research.

Pyrolysis-based advanced recycling can reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions and increase US recycling rates, according to a peer-reviewed life-cycle study published in the November 2023 issue of Journal of Cleaner Production.

The research conducted by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory reportedly is the first to look at the full cycle of post-use plastic from recycling to its integration in new plastic products at multiple facilities.

The study collected operating data from 2017 to 2021 at eight companies that use pyrolysis oil production processes. The oil replaces a portion of fossil fuel ingredients in the manufacture of ethylene and propylene.  Pyrolysis Recycling

In this study, the new plastics made with the pyrolysis oil were low-density (LD) and high-density (HD) polyethylene (PE). When new plastic was made with just 5% pyrolysis oil, GHG emissions were reduced by as much as 23% compared with crude-oil derived LDPE and HDPE, according to the study. When current end-of-life practices for plastics in the United States, such as incineration, are factored in, there is a further 40% to 50% reduction in GHG emissions, the study found. In the European Union, where more post-use plastics are incinerated, the reduction may be as much as 131%. Other beneficial environmental outcomes include a 65% to 70% reduction in fossil energy use; up to 55% less water use; and a 116% to 118% reduction in solid waste.

Pyrolysis-based advanced recycling can reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions and increase US recycling rates, according to a peer-reviewed life-cycle study published in the November 2023 issue of Journal of Cleaner Production.

The research conducted by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory reportedly is the first to look at the full cycle of post-use plastic from recycling to its integration in new plastic products at multiple facilities. The study collected operating data from 2017 to 2021 at eight companies that use pyrolysis oil production processes. The oil replaces a portion of fossil fuel ingredients in the manufacture of ethylene and propylene.

In this study, the new plastics made with the pyrolysis oil were low-density (LD) and high-density (HD) polyethylene (PE).  Pyrolysis Recycling

When new plastic was made with just 5% pyrolysis oil, GHG emissions were reduced by as much as 23% compared with crude-oil derived LDPE and HDPE, according to the study. When current end-of-life practices for plastics in the United States, such as incineration, are factored in, there is a further 40% to 50% reduction in GHG emissions, the study found. In the European Union, where more post-use plastics are incinerated, the reduction may be as much as 131%. Other beneficial environmental outcomes include a 65% to 70% reduction in fossil energy use; up to 55% less water use; and a 116% to 118% reduction in solid waste.

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Pyrolysis Recycling

How to solve the common processing pain points of color masterbatches & filler masterbatches

Color is one of the most expressive elements, the most sensitive form element that can cause our common aesthetic pleasure. Color masterbatches as a medium for color, are widely used in various plastic products which are closely related to our daily life, adding colorful colors to our life. In addition, in plastic products, filler masterbatch also plays an important role in reducing the cost of products, improve production efficiency, enhance the rigidity of products and other aspects play an indispensable role.

Common Processing Pain Points of Color masterbatches & Filler Masterbatches:

Color masterbatch is a new type of special colorant for polymer materials. In order to make the pigment evenly dispersed in the masterbatch and no longer coagulate, enhance the weather resistance of the pigment, improve the dispersibility and coloring power of the pigment, it is often necessary to add dispersant in the process.  Pyrolysis Recycling

Filler masterbatch is composed of carrier resin, filler and various additives. In the production process of filler masterbatch, in order to improve the processing fluidity of the masterbatch and promote the uniform dispersion of the masterbatch in the matrix resin, dispersants are also used.

However, in the actual production process many dispersants are difficult to solve the following problems, thus causing the production cost of color masterbatches & filler masterbatches to increase:

  1. Color powder agglomeration, filler agglomeration, thus affecting the final plastic products, such as products of different shades of color, the formation of many white hard particles or “clouds” on the products;  Pyrolysis Recycling
  2. The accumulation of material in the mouth mold due to poor dispersion during the production of color masterbatches & filler masterbatches;
  3. Insufficient coloring and color fastness of color masterbatches.

SILIKE Silicone powder S201 is a powder processing aid containing ultra-high molecular weight polysiloxanes dispersed in silica, specially developed for masterbatches, polyolefin/filler masterbatches and other masterbatches, which can greatly improve the processing properties, surface properties and dispersion of fillers in the plastics system.

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How to solve the common processing pain points of color masterbatches & filler masterbatches

Birla Carbon Acquires Nanocyl to Drive Growth In Battery Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

  • Expanding material portfolio for key markets
  • Establish leadership position in material critical to LiB performance
  • Leveraging innovation to drive growth beyond Carbon Black

Birla Carbon, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon solutions, completed the acquisition of Nanocyl SA, a worldwide leader in multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT’s) based in Sambreville, Belgium. The acquisition expands Birla Carbon’s presence in the Energy Systems market, creating a leadership position in material critical to Lithium Ion battery performance along with other conductive applications.  Pyrolysis Recycling

Speaking about the acquisition, Dr. Santrupt Misra, Group Director, Birla Carbon; Director, Chemicals & Director, Group H.R., Aditya Birla Group, said, “Birla Carbon has been nurturing a number of innovation opportunities in its effort to realize its multi-prong sustainability agenda. The acquisition of Nanocyl is a clear step towards executing its strategy in that direction. We hope that this partnership will enable Birla Carbon to be a significant player in the emerging energy systems space. He further added, “Aditya Birla Group has been concentrating on investing in sustainability and circularity-driven initiatives led by innovation in order to be future-ready. The same is in line with our Purpose: to enrich lives by building dynamic and responsible Businesses that “inspire” trust.”

Sharing his thoughts on the acquisition, John Loudermilk, President and Chief Executive Officer, Birla Carbon, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Nanocyl into the Birla Carbon family.    Pyrolysis Recycling

Laurent and his experienced team have been pioneers in the field of carbon nanotubes that provide unique performance characteristics for a wide range of applications, most notably energy systems such as lithium-ion batteries.”

He further shared, “Birla Carbon’s commitment to driving growth through innovation in sustainability aligns well with the potential for MWCNTs to enable the electrification of the transportation industry, deliver enormous environmental benefits, and prevent climate change.  We are committed to partnering with our growing family of customers to create unprecedented value with the expanded carbon portfolio of products and technologies.”

 Laurent Kosbach, Chief Executive Officer, Nanocyl, stated, “We are proud of our journey to develop and commercialize MWCNT’s successfully over the past 20 years as an entrepreneurial start-up, with the support of our current partners and investors. However, with growing needs for our products, the time has come to join a Global industry leader in order to maximize the synergies and the potential of these materials across many end uses.”  Pyrolysis Recycling

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Birla Carbon Acquires Nanocyl to Drive Growth In Battery Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Closing the bottle cap loop: Greenpath and TOMRA pioneer mechanical sorting solution for separating polyolefins by polymer type and colour…

California-based full-service recycler, processor and manufacturer, Greenpath Enterprises, has partnered with TOMRA Recycling Sorting to install and optimise a plastic flake sorting production line designed to identify and separate mixed polyolefin caps from beverage bottles.

Operating for more than 25 years, the vertically integrated Greenpath accepts a wide range of materials, and the infeed stream is somewhat inconsistent. Greenpath creates value being a one-stop solution by accepting mixed infeed loads with variable supply streams and producing consistent, quality products.

In terms of post-consumer polyolefins – low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) – Greenpath accepts film, rigid plastics and bottle caps.  Pyrolysis Recycling

“Polypropylene and polyethylene (PE) are together the most abundant plastic family on earth, but the mixed polyolefin market is limited for valuable applications,” comments Eric Olsson, area segment manager, plastics for TOMRA.

PE and PP have very close density characteristics and are challenging to separate. So, mixed polyolefins are primarily downcycled into more forgiving applications that allow for more contamination.

The quest for cap to cap

A more mature PET recycling infrastructure has led to brand owners incorporating up to 100% post-consumer recycled content (PCR) material in their bottles. As regulations tighten to increase the percentage of recycled content, the next logical container component to address is the cap. “We are at the genesis of creating a sorting system for caps that is similar to what is more common today for bottles. Following Greenpath’s approach, the industry can move toward a 100% PCR by weight package using only a mechanical sortation,” says Olsson.  Pyrolysis Recycling

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Closing the bottle cap loop: Greenpath and TOMRA pioneer mechanical sorting solution for separating polyolefins by polymer type and colour...

Petrochemicals EV-Cars – Slow or fast charging: what is better for the “health” of the battery? 16-10-2023

Pyrolysis Recycling

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin – Has the electric car won the war against the hydrogen car? 16-09-2023

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

  • Polymers : PET – r-PET – Filament grade semidull chips -Filament grade bright chips – Ny6 – Ny66 – PP
  • Feedstocks  PX – PTA – MEG – CPL – Adipic Acid – Benzene – ACN – Ethylene – Phenol – Naphtha
  • Textile : Polyester POY – DTY – FDY – PSF – Recycled Polyester POY – Nylon POY – DTY – FDY Spandex 20-30-40 -Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  Acrylic Staple Fiber 

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

Polyestertime
ITEM 09/10/2023 16/10/2023 +/-
Bottle grade PET chips domestic market 7,025 yuan/ton 7,000 yuan/ton -25
Bottle grade PET chips export market 890 $/ton 885 $/ton -5
Filament grade Semidull chips domestic market 6,980 yuan/ton 6,860 yuan/ton -120
Filament grade Bright chips domestic market 7,010 yuan/ton 6,900 yuan/ton -110
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA domestic market 6,005 yuan/ton 5,860 yuan/ton -145
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA export market 760 $/ton 730 $/ton -30
Monoethyleneglycol MEG domestic market 4,025 yuan/ton 4,025 yuan/ton –
Monoethyleneglycol MEG export market 467 $/ton 467 $/ton –
Paraxylene PX FOB  Taiwan market

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 1,050 $/ton 1,033 $/ton
 -17
Paraxylene PX FOB  Korea market 1,027 $/ton 1,010 $/ton -17
Paraxylene PX FOB EU market 1,250 $/ton 1,185 $/ton -65
Polyester filament POY 150D/48F domestic market 7,900  yuan/ton 7,675 yuan/ton
 -225
Recycled Polyester filament POY  domestic market 7,550 yuan/ton 7,550 yuan/ton –
Polyester filament DTY 150D/48 F domestic market 9,150 yuan/ton 9,000 yuan/ton -150
Polyester filament FDY 68D24F

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 9,100 yuan/ton 8,950 yuan/ton -150
Polyester filament FDY 150D/96F domestic market 8,500 yuan/ton 8,300 yuan/ton -200
Polyester staple fiber 1.4D 38mm domestic market 7,620 yuan/ton 7,550 yuan/ton -70
Caprolactam CPL domestic market 12,500 yuan/ton 12,600 yuan/ton
 +100
Caprolactam CPL overseas  market 1,600 $/ton 1,600 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips overseas  market 1,900 $/ton 1,900 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips conventional spinning domestic  market 13,500 yuan/ton 13,500 yuan/ton -550
Nylon 6 chips  high speed spinning domestic  market

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 14,400 yuan/ton 14,050 yuan/ton -350
Nylon 6.6 chips domestic  market 19,400 yuan/ton 19,100 yuan/ton -300
Nylon6 Filament POY 86D/24F domestic  market 16,500 yuan/ton 16,150 yuan/ton -350
Nylon6 Filament DTY 70D/24F domestic  market 18,700 yuan/ton 18,500 yuan/ton- -200
Nylon6 Filament FDY  70D/24F  17,500 yuan/ton 17,250 yuan/ton -250
Spandex 20D  domestic  market

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 36,500 yuan/ton 36,500 yuan/ton –
Spandex 30D  domestic  market 35,000 yuan/ton 35,000 yuan/ton –
Spandex 40D  domestic  market  32,200 yuan/ton 32,200 yuan/ton –
Adipic Acid domestic market 9,800 yuan/ton 9,500 yuan/ton -300
Benzene domestic market

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 7,940 yuan/ton 7,930 yuan/ton -10
Benzene overseas  market 908 $/ton 920 $/ton +12
Ethylene South East market 900 $/ton 920 $/ton +20
Ethylene NWE market 772 $/ton 729 $/ton -43
Acrylonitrile ACN  domestic market

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 10,000 yuan/ton 9,700 yuan/ton -100
Acrylonitrile ACN  overseas market 1,200 $/ton 1,200 $/ton –
Acrylic staple fiber ASF  domestic market 14,600 yuan/ton 14,600 yuan/ton –
Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  domestic market 13,400 yuan/ton 13,450 yuan/ton +50
PP Powder domestic market

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

 7,450 yuan/ton 7,400 yuan/ton -50
Naphtha overseas market  648 $/ton 657 $/ton +9
Phenol domestic market 9,112 yuan/ton 8,575 yuan/ton -537

r-PET high end eco-friendly chips =7,800 yuan/ton  — 7,800 yuan/ton   –

 

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

Has the electric car won the war against the hydrogen car?

The debate between electric and hydrogen cars has been ongoing for years. While both technologies have their advantages and disadvantages, it seems that electric cars have emerged as the clear winner.

According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not likely to catch up to battery-electric vehicles, even for commercial trucks 1. The study confirms what common sense has made clear for years: hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not as efficient as battery-electric vehicles 2. The organization forecasts that battery-electric vehicles will improve to 81% overall efficiency by 2050, whereas hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles will improve to 42% 2. Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

Another advantage of electric cars is that they can depend on an existing power generation and distribution system – the electrical grid. An electric vehicle can be recharged wherever there is access to a plug socket 3. On the other hand, hydrogen cars require a separate infrastructure for producing and transporting hydrogen 4.

Despite the fact that hydrogen fuel cell cars emerged as an alternative to both the electric and combustion engine vehicle in the early 2000s, they have now all but disappeared 3. Toyota and Hyundai, the only vehicle manufacturers to produce hydrogen cars for the UK market, sold just 12 hydrogen cars in the country in 2021 3. Meanwhile, electric vehicles have surged in popularity. In 2010, 138 electric vehicles were sold in the UK. This grew to roughly 190,000 annual sales in 2021 3.

In conclusion, it seems that electric cars have won the war against hydrogen cars. While both technologies have their advantages and disadvantages, electric cars are more efficient and practical than hydrogen cars. They can depend on an existing power generation and distribution system – the electrical grid – and do not require a separate infrastructure for producing and transporting fuel. Therefore, it is safe to say that electric cars are here to stay. Petrochemicals r-PET Resin

Has the electric car won the war against the hydrogen car?

Petrochemicals EV-Cars – Slow or fast charging: what is better for the “health” of the battery? 16-10-2023

Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Petrochemicals r-PET Resin  –Has the electric car won the war against the hydrogen car?

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Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Electric cars – Slow or fast charging: what is better for the “health” of the battery?

When it comes to charging electric car batteries, slow charging is better than fast charging.

This is because slow charging reduces the heat and pressure that accompanies charging your battery, which benefits the long-term health of your electric car battery 1.

Frequent charging cycles from 0% to 100% can cause your vehicle’s battery to degrade, especially if you’re using rapid or ultra-rapid chargers often, as these refill the battery at a much faster rate 2.

However, according to a study carried out by Recurrent, an independent company that provides reports on the health of batteries and projections on their autonomy, examining over 12,500 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the software and safety mechanisms of the battery management system are actually able to prevent any damage caused by disorderly charging processes or counterproductive habits. Petrochemicals EV-Cars

The study compared cars that are connected to fast charging (effectively Superchargers) for at least 90% of the time and those that use it in 10% of cases (or less).

For the Model 3 (produced since July 2017), the period considered by Recurrent covers more than five years and the graphs seem to indicate a substantially similar level of degradation between the two types of charging, at least at the level of the final “balance”: in both cases, we start from an autonomy close to 100% with a charged battery and end up around 89% after five years, with continuous “overtaking” between the two methods.

In the case of Model Y (in production since January 2020), however, the study period drops to just under three years and highlights a slight difference between the two types of charging 1.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Low demand and high imports endanger the European plastics recycling industry

The European plastics recycling industry has been destabilized throughout 2023 due to low demand and high imports of materials from outside the EU. Since the beginning of the year, prices of recyclates have decreased by up to 50%1. The PET industry has been hit the hardest, with PET imports to the EU increasing by 20% from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, resulting in low demand for EU rPET. Consequently, these disruptive market dynamics led to an estimated 10% decrease in rPET over the same period1.

If urgent measures are not taken to alleviate the pressure on recyclers, there is a risk that Europe will fall short of achieving its legally binding and newly proposed recycling and recycled content targets.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Ton Emans, PRE president, commented that “the future of the recycling industry is at stake and immediate action in form of enforcement measures is needed to avoid a shutdown of recycling plants across Europe. Ceasing recycling activities would have knock-on effects on jobs, overall economy in Europe and the environment” 1.

With the targets set by the Single Use Plastics Directive nearing, the pressure to boost the use of recycled content in PET beverage bottles is high. However, rather than supplying the demand with rPET produced in Europe, this has given rise to non-transparent imports from non-European countries1. Legislation has proved itself as one of the most effective instruments in setting the course for a circular plastic future. However, enforcement measures are a must for its effective implementation. Without this, Europe risks untraceable, unverified imports of plastics participating toward the European recycling targets1.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Petrochemicals EV-Cars

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Cabopol Polymer announces new production unit in Monterrey,  Mexico

We are delighted to announce that Cabopol – Polymer Compounds, a leading European company in the production of thermoplastic & crosslinked compounds, is expanding its global presence with the opening of a new production unit in Monterey, Mexico. This new unit is part of our long-term strategy to provide our clients with even better products and services and to reach new markets.

This new production unit represents our commitment to growth and innovation in the polymer industry. With an initial configuration of 2 production lines and the potential for expansion, we expect to achieve a production capacity of 25,000 tons per year.

Notably, this is the first production unit in the American continent, paving the way for our expansion in this region. It follows the successful operations of our production units in Serbia, Morocco, and Portugal.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

With an expected conclusion date of December 2023, this new production unit, located in the heart of Monterey’s industrial zone, will cover an area of 10,000 square meters. Equipped with the latest technology and equipment, it will enable us to produce high-quality polymer compounds at a competitive cost. This expansion will significantly increase our production capacity, improve supply chain efficiency, and reduce lead times for our customers in the Mexican and American markets.

In response to this significant development, the Sales Director of Cabopol Polymer Compounds, Anselmo Mendes, expressed his enthusiasm: “The opening of our new production unit in Monterey, Mexico, marks a pivotal moment for Cabopol. We are dedicated to delivering the highest-quality polymer compounds, and this expansion allows us to further our commitment to excellence. We are excited to better serve our customers and contribute to the growth of the local economy.”

We look forward to working closely with our partners and new customers in the region and to building lasting relationships.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

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Petrochemicals EV-Cars

The energy sector has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with the advent of new technologies and innovations.

In this article, we will discuss the six key innovations in the energy sector that have revolutionized the way we produce, store, and consume energy.

  1. Renewable Energy: Renewable energy is a form of energy that is derived from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, and geothermal heat. It is a clean and sustainable source of energy that has gained significant traction in recent years. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewable energy sources accounted for 29% of global electricity production in 20201. The increasing adoption of renewable energy sources has helped reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars
  2. Energy Storage: Energy storage is an essential component of the energy sector that enables us to store excess energy generated from renewable sources. It helps balance the supply and demand of electricity and ensures a stable power supply. Energy storage systems such as batteries, flywheels, and pumped hydro storage have gained significant attention in recent years due to their ability to store large amounts of energy efficiently2.
  3. Smart Grids: Smart grids are an advanced version of traditional power grids that use digital technology to manage electricity supply and demand more efficiently. They enable two-way communication between power generators and consumers, allowing for better management of electricity consumption. Smart grids also help reduce power outages and improve the reliability of the power supply3.
  4. Electric Mobility: Electric mobility refers to the use of electric vehicles (EVs) powered by batteries or fuel cells instead of traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles. EVs are environmentally friendly and emit fewer greenhouse gases than traditional vehicles. The increasing adoption of EVs has led to a significant reduction in carbon emissions from the transportation sector4.
  5. Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency refers to the efficient use of energy to achieve maximum output with minimum input. It involves using energy-efficient appliances, lighting systems, and building materials that reduce energy consumption without compromising on performance. Energy efficiency measures have gained significant attention in recent years due to their ability to reduce carbon emissions and save costs.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars
  6. Green Hydrogen: Green hydrogen is a form of hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power. It is a clean and sustainable source of fuel that can be used in various applications such as transportation, heating, and power generation. The increasing adoption of green hydrogen has the potential to reduce carbon emissions significantly.

In conclusion, the six key innovations in the energy sector have revolutionized the way we produce, store, and consume energy. The increasing adoption of renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, smart grids, electric mobility, energy efficiency measures, and green hydrogen has helped reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

The energy sector has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with the advent of new technologies and innovations.

Monash University scientists unveil sustainable lithium-sulfur battery with enhanced efficiency

Researchers at Monash University have unveiled a new lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery design that aims to reduce costs, lower environmental impact, and enhance recycling options.

In particular, this innovative battery design introduces a nanoporous polymer-coated lithium foil anode, effectively reducing the amount of lithium required in each battery, and offering a host of advantages.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

In a news release, the university said Li-S batteries are emerging as a highly efficient energy storage solution that can deliver more energy per gram than traditional lithium-ion batteries.

However, these batteries typically contain a lithium anode and a sulfur cathode, which undergo significant stress during the charging and discharging process.

Additionally, lithium, while efficient, comes with the environmental cost of mining and transportation.

In their research paper, a team of scientists from Monash University, led by PhD student Declan McNamara, and including Professor Matthew Hill and Professor Mainak Majumder, in collaboration with Dr Makhdokht Shaibani of RMIT University, demonstrated that applying a nanoporous polymer coating directly to the lithium foil anode can address these issues.

McNamara introduced a thin polymer coating on the lithium anode, significantly enhancing the battery’s cycling capacity.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

“The polymer contains tiny holes less than a nanometre in size – one billionth of a metre – which allow lithium ions to move freely while blocking other chemicals that would attack the lithium. The coating also acts as a scaffold for lithium, and helps it charge and discharge repeatedly,” he explained.

Professor Majumder emphasised the importance of Li-metal protection technologies, particularly in lithium metal-based energy storage systems.

“The study establishes a new framework to protect Li-metal from rapid decay or catastrophic failure which has been an Achilles heel for Li-S batteries,” he said.

Meanwhile, Professor Hill highlighted the immediate potential of this technology, especially in the growing markets of electric vehicles, drones, and electronic devices.

More…

Monash University scientists unveil sustainable lithium-sulfur battery with enhanced efficiency

From fibre to fibre: polyester textiles recycling

Over half of the world’s clothes are made from polyester. With most of these garments failing to be recycled, Resource explains the problem with polyester textiles recycling and what barriers are being overcome to mainstream it.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

In the absence of clear signposting or legislation, such as the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles being developed in the EU, the UK public is largely confused as to where is best to dispose of waste textiles – and what types of textiles can be reused or recycled.

The issue of sorting and separating textiles extends to the industry itself too. The textile waste stream is comprised of many different types of material between cotton, wool, synthetic fibres and so on – all of which need to be sorted for different recycling techniques. Progress in the area of sorting is being made through novel sorting methods, such as the infrared technology ‘Fibersort’ being developed and used by SATCoL – the trading company of the Salvation Army – which is able to sort ‘textiles by fibre type, blend and colour for recycling back into the circular textiles supply chain’.

Other projects, such as the Trace4Value initiative, are working to create Digital Product Passports (DPPs) for textiles which will increase traceability and transparency in the textile industry.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

The pilot is set to align with the EU textiles strategy which mandates the introduction of DPPs for textiles sold in Europe by 2030. This legislation will make it much easier to track and sort textiles based on their respective components.

However, tracking and sorting the different fabrics is just one part of the challenge – they then have to be recycled. Synthetic fibre ‘polyester’ accounts for 65 per cent of the global fibre market but there is yet to be any real use of textile-to-textile polyester recycling in the fashion industry.

But loads of brands sell ‘recycled polyester’ clothing?

There is a general misconception about polyester recycling – clothing items that are marketed as ‘recycled polyester’ are almost never made from other polyester textiles, but usually from other sources of polyester such as PET bottles.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the chemical name for polyester. After cleaning and sorting into respective colours, the bottles are shredded into flakes, melted down and extruded – a squeezing process – into plastic filaments. The filaments are then spun into a yarn which can be used to produce clothing. This is a mechanical recycling process which is relatively simple and used in many industries. Textile-to-textile polyester recycling requires a more complex process – chemical recycling.

Georgia Parker, Innovation Platform Director at Amsterdam-based Fashion for Good, explains: “The chemical recycling of textiles, as the name suggests, uses chemical processes to break down textile waste to a molecular level. The different outputs of chemical recycling offer multiple points of re-entry into the fashion supply chain and allow for a more versatile product range than mechanical recycling. Chemical recycling is also thought to increase the purity of the output products in comparison to mechanical recycling.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars 

“Most of the recycled polyester on the market is actually made from plastic bottle sources rather than textiles. As such, the fashion industry is currently trying to ease the reliance on the bottling industry and push for circularity by investing in innovations in textile-to-textile polyester recycling.”

To summarise the problem, ‘recycled polyester’ is very different from recyclable polyester. Turning polyester fabric back into polyester fabric – i.e. textile-to-textile, fibre-to-fibre recycling –is yet to be deployed extensively in the fashion industry.

Recycling polyester textiles at scale

Considered by many to be one of the key changes needed to make the textiles industry sustainable, there are many projects around the world trialling polyester textile-to-textile recycling at scale.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

SATCoL’s Project Re:claim – a joint venture with Project Plan B – launched plans for the first commercial-scale, post-consumer polyester recycling plant in the UK this year. The exclusive textile-to-textile polyester recycling system uses a thermomechanical recycling process through what they call the ‘Thermo Mechanical Extrusion Recycler’ (TMER) machine and recycles polyester garments and offcuts into rPET pellets made from textiles. SATCoL installed the machine at one of its processing centres in Kettering which already sorts and processes around 65,000 tonnes of donated textiles every year. SATCoL says that the first trials, which began this September, will give it an understanding of how the quality of feedstock affects the output.  Petrochemicals EV-Cars

To maximise the volume and potential of the recycling process, SATCoL cannot rely on clothing bank donations alone and is calling for corporate partners to commit to donating 100 per cent polyester textiles. The project already has several retail and commercial customers, with many of the partnerships focused on the long-term goal of a fibre-to-fibre circular model. Commercially, it hopes to partner in the future with organisations that have excess polyester such as the NHS and the laundry industry which both use large amounts of polyester products.

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From fibre to fibre: polyester textiles recycling

EU recycling targets – Magna Introduces Industry-First, 100% Melt Recyclable Foam and Trim Seating Solutions 14-10-2023

Petrochemicals EV-Cars

EU recycling targets – Magna Introduces Industry-First, 100% Melt Recyclable Foam and Trim Seating Solutions 14-10-2023

EU recycling targets

Magna Introduces Industry-First, 100% Melt Recyclable Foam and Trim Seating Solutions

  • Solution utilizes PET mono-materials in both foam and trim, contributing to the circular economy
  • Sustainable option without compromising comfort, style or performance
  • Magna partnering with TWE Group to create 100% recycled trim foundation

AURORA, Ontario, October 11, 2023 – Magna announces its EcoSphere™ product family, an industry-first solution that eliminates the disposal of seating foam pads and trim covers in landfills by utilizing mono-material polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with the company’s innovative 100% Melt Recyclable Foam and Trim system. Magna’s new EcoSphere product family is comprised of sustainable trim materials, trim padding, structures and foam.

The product family leverages Magna’s expertise in the integration of foam chemistry, trim manufacturing, craftsmanship and tooling to develop a seamless and affordable solution. In addition, the 100% Melt Recyclable Foam and Trim technology ensures that the look and feel of the seating materials remain consistent with industry standards, while significantly reducing the environmental impact.  EU recycling targets

“As a top priority for our stakeholders, we recognize the need for innovative solutions that minimize environmental impact,” said Carrie Young, Chief Engineer, Seating Innovation, at Magna. “This unique product family enables our seating materials to be repurposed and reused in the creation of new polyester products, contributing to a circular economy approach. Our technology offers automakers a game-changing opportunity to enhance sustainability without compromising on comfort, quality or performance.”

Magna EcoSphere Trim Foundation is an essential part of the 100% Melt Recyclable Foam and Trim technology. Trim foundation can be found in every seat produced. It is laminated to the back of trim materials to provide support and a crisp appearance. To source 100% recycled materials for EcoSphere Trim Foundation, Magna has partnered with TWE Group, a multinational company that specializes in manufacturing technical textiles and nonwovens. TWE’s rePEaT® solutions include products made from recycled and biodegradable fibers.  EU recycling targets

Magna’s sustainable seating approach contributes to the company’s net-zero goal by utilizing recycled and bio-based materials, implementing energy-efficient manufacturing processes and considering end-of-life management. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lowers the carbon footprint of Magna’s products.

To learn more about these new seating products, visit www.magna.com/products/seating-systems/sustainable-seating.    EU recycling targets

EU recycling targets

Opaque white milk bottles to be recycled in Resilux and Inex collaboration

Resilux and Inex have unveiled the Rebirth series, which recycles opaque white milk bottles into new ones. The solution seeks to close the loop on ultra-high-temperature milk packaging.

In collaboration with Fost+, Resilux’s Poly Recycling division sorts the collected bottles into a separate stream, where they are ground, washed, and regranulated into food-grade feedstock. The Rebirth series claims to be between 20% and 40% lighter than HDPE bottles and thus offer a lower carbon footprint, alongside the establishment of a circular economy for the bottles.  EU recycling targets

Inex’s aseptic PET line is set to enable flexible switching between different bottle sizes. The absence of an aluminium seal is also thought to be environmentally beneficial for the pack and enable horizontal storage without risking leakage.

The companies hope that the Rebirth solution will bring the industry together in a collaborative effort to close the loop on opaque white bottles and secure a more sustainable future for milk packaging. It also adheres to Resilux’s People, Planet, Product philosophy, in which collaboration with customers and stakeholders aims to develop the best solutions for protecting products.  EU recycling targets

“At Resilux, we believe in the power of collaboration to address the pressing environmental challenges of today and tomorrow,” explains CEO Dirk De Cuyper. “By joining forces with Inex, we have achieved to develop our Rebirth series, an innovation that significantly reduces the reliance on virgin PET resources for packaging.

“This breakthrough enables us to recycle white opaque bottles into new ones without compromising on food safety or quality, while also providing optimal protection for a longer shelf life, through our ResiBlock light barrier solutions.”  EU recycling targets

In similar news, One Stop and Veolia are working together on a system for in-store collection and bottle-to-bottle recycling – aiming to recycle over 380,000 milk bottles annually.

EU recycling targets

Coca-Cola and Grab Bring Back ‘Recycle Me’ Program

Beverage giant Coca-Cola has partnered with Southeast Asia’s super app Grab to launch the ‘Recycle Me’ recycling program, which seeks to nudge consumers into recycling their polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles.

This initiative is also in partnership with Yayasan Mahija Parahita Nusantara and Waste4Change.  Post-consumer PET

Consumers who recycle their empty PET plastic bottles through the programs will get reward points that they can exchange for phone credits, electricity tokens, and e-wallets (electronic wallet money) on OVO. Consumers only need to submit eight used PET plastic bottles from Coca-Cola Indonesia’s range of beverage products. The Grab delivery service will deliver all the collected PET bottles to eight Mahija Parahita Nusantara collection centers located in the DKI Jakarta, Bekasi, and Tangerang areas.

According to a press release, the first 20,000 participating consumers can get a shipping fee subsidy of up to Rp 30,000. Also, the chance to earn e-wallets worth a maximum of Rp 15,000 on OVO.  EU recycling targets  Post-consumer  PET

“We’re on a mission to collect more empty bottles so we can make new ones with them,” Triyono Prijosoesilo, Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability Director at PT Coca-Cola Indonesia was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

“It’s a great fit with our ‘World Without Waste’ vision, under which we are working to support a closed-loop circular economy for our packaging in Indonesia,” Triyono said.

Coca-Cola Indonesia in June launched bottles made from 100% recycled PET (rPET), excluding its caps and labels. Coca-Cola Indonesia said one out of every three bottles that the company introduced into the Indonesian market is made from locally produced 100% recycled PET plastic.  EU recycling targetsPost-consumer PET

Yayasan Mahija Parahita Nusantara will send the collected PET plastic bottles to Amandina Bumi Nusantara recycling facility. This is where the bottles will get recycled and become raw material so they can be converted into new bottles.

Amandina Bumi Nusantara processes locally sourced post-consumption PET bottles provided by Mahija Parahita Nusantara and converts them into new bottles, specifically into Coca-Cola’s 100% recycled PET plastic bottles. The facility is a joint cooperation between Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Indonesia (CCEP) and Dynapack Asia.

“Grab has set a Carbon Neutral and Zero Waste to Nature by 2040 goal. We believe that preserving the environment and minimizing climate change impact would ensure long-term economic success for our partners and community. Therefore, through this partnership with Coca-Cola, Yayasan Mahija Parahita Nusantara, and Waste4Change, we are actively supporting the promotion of recycling habits in Indonesia as our concrete step to achieve zero packaging waste in nature by 2040,” Tirza Munusamy, Chief of Public Affairs, Grab Indonesia said.  Post-EU recycling targetsEU recycling targetsconsumer PET

This marks the third year of the Recycle Me program which grows in scale and partner involvement every year. Every time a consumer takes part in the program, it also helps plastic bottles to have another life.

“Once again, we look forward to consumers joining the ‘Recycle Me’ program by collecting, sorting, and sending in their empty PET plastic bottles.

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EU recycling targets

Sinopec NZRCC Selects Lummus’ Polypropylene Technology for Large-Scale Plant in China

Novolen® technology recognized for sustainability benefits, product flexibility, minimizing CAPEX and OPEX, and maximizing financial returns

HOUSTON, Oct. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced a contract from Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co. Ltd. (Sinopec NZRCC), a subsidiary of the Sinopec Group and its flagship refining and petrochemical company. Sinopec NZRCC will license Lummus’ Novolen® technology for a new 500 kilo ton per annum polypropylene plant in Ningbo, China.  EU recycling targets

“With this award, our Novolen business strengthens its position in China and globally, reinforcing it as the industry’s leader and preferred process for producing high-quality polypropylene,” said Romain Lemoine, Chief Business Officer of Polymers and Petrochemicals, Lummus Technology. “We look forward to supporting Sinopec NZRCC’s project to build this highly competitive plant by providing timely, superior process design- and implementation services.”

Lummus’ scope includes the technology license, basic design engineering, training and project engineering services.

Today, Novolen is the industry’s leading polypropylene technology and can deliver a sustainable route for polymers production, while maximizing the financial benefits of operations through lower CAPEX and OPEX. The technology is highly flexible, robust, energy efficient and allows production of a full grade slate of leading polypropylene products of all product families, including homopolymers, random copolymers, terpolymers, impact copolymers and rTPO’s.  EU recycling targets

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EU recycling targets

High imports and low demand for European plastics threaten EU recycling targets, says Plastics Recyclers Europe

Plastics Recyclers Europe warns that the European plastics industry could be threatened by low demand for recyclate produced in the EU and high imports from outside the continent – recommending an independent third-party certification system to ensure transparency and traceability.

Since the beginning of 2023, recyclate prices have apparently decreased by up to 50% and cheap material imports from outside the EU have gone up. All recycled polymers are said to have been affected; to name one example, PET imports to the EU have reportedly increased by 20% between Q2 2022 and Q2 2023, lowering demand for EU rPET and reducing rPET production by an estimated 10%.  EU recycling targets

Manufacturers of PET beverage bottles are looking to increase their use of recycled content as the Single Use Plastics Directive’s targets are approaching, Plastics Recyclers Europe explains – but, instead of rPET produced within Europe, non-transparent imports from non-European countries are thought to have become increasingly popular for meeting this demand.

The organization calls for action to be taken to reduce pressure on recyclers, cautioning that Europe could fail to meet its newly proposed, legally binding recycling and recycled content targets if nothing is done. It recognizes legislation as a powerful tool in the pursuit of circularity for plastics, yet underlines that it must be adequately enforced to ensure it is effective.  EU recycling targets

An independent third-party certification system is suggested as a means of preventing untraceable, unverified plastics imports and declarations. Similarly, it is expected to boost traceability, especially for food contact materials, and increase the transparency of the origin of recycled plastics.

“The future of the recycling industry is at stake and immediate action in form of enforcement measures is needed to avoid a shutdown of recycling plants across Europe,” said Ton Emans, president of Plastics Recyclers Europe. “Ceasing recycling activities would have knock-on effects on jobs, overall economy in Europe and the environment.”

Mark Victory, senior editor, Recycling at ICIS, recently spoke with Packaging Europe about the effect of lowering prices on demand for recycled materials. Although he states that rPP and rHDPE made a comeback last month, recycled polyolefins are expected to remain low in demand for the rest of the year.  EU recycling targets

In another article, he examined the shortage of mechanically recycled polymers suitable for packaging application and the pressure from regulators and consumers for sustainable solutions, and what this means for the industry.

High imports and low demand for European plastics threaten EU recycling targets, says Plastics Recyclers EuropePenn Color receives a joint Recyclability Approval from RecyClass and EPBP

Latest independent testing proves Penn Color’s ‘66UV11964’ UV blocker as compatible with the clear transparent and coloured PET bottle recycling streams in Europe.

UV light exposure can induce the degradation of specific vitamins, flavours, colorants, and additives, resulting in diminished potency and a shortened shelf life. Penn Color’s ‘66UV11964” UV blocker can be used in PET bottles to safeguard UV-sensitive contents against photodegradation when exposed to direct light, thereby protecting essential product characteristics like aroma, flavour, and colour. Recyclability evaluation was carried out to ensure that the additive does not cause yellowing on the PET matrix during the recycling process.  EU recycling targets

Trials were carried out at Plastic Forming Enterprises (PFE) following the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for PET bottles from EPBP[1], and results show that no significant deviations were observed on the quality of the produced recyclates. The stated approval is valid under the condition that the concentration of the UV stabiliser does not exceed 0.6 wt% in a PET bottle[2].

Following this process, Penn Color’s technology will be integrated within the RecyClass Online Tool[3] and will also be considered within the scope of RecyClass Recyclability Certifications[4] for plastic packaging.  EU recycling targets

In general, the use of additives in the PET stream has caused issues for recycling due to the subsequent yellowing of the final recycled materials. What this approval shows to the industry is that with innovation it is possible to limit or avoid such adverse impacts on recyclates – and, therefore, move closer to a circular plastic future.

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Penn Color receives a joint Recyclability Approval from RecyClass and EPBP

Environmentally friendly microcapsules made from biopolymers

Biopolymers as shells for microcapsules will be the focus of a workshop on November 16, 2023, at the Fraunhofer Conference Center at the Potsdam Science Park. Biodegradable polymers and natural materials ensure manufacturers and users of microcapsules get their products approved under the EU Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Experts from the Fraunhofer Technology Platform Microencapsulation will discuss how to apply natural raw materials to manufacture environmentally friendly microcapsules. The network concentrates current findings and identifies new opportunities for the use of microcapsules.  EU recycling targets

In the future, new regulations in the European Union will prohibit the sale of products that contain intentionally added conventional microplastics and release them during use. Transitional periods of four to twelve years apply to applications in cosmetics, fertilizers, as well as detergents and cleaning agents. Natural materials and biodegradable polymers are key for products to not be subject to such regulations.  EU recycling targets

“We are developing biodegradable microcapsules that are functional and cost-effective,” emphasizes Dr. Alexandra Latnikova, an expert in microencapsulation at Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP. For this, a deep understanding of polymer and particle formation processes is essential Latnikova adds. Microcapsules, for example, efficiently protect active ingredients and allow for targeted release. They thus improve the effectiveness and durability of products. The desired functionality of microcapsules often contradicts the requirements for rapid biodegradability in many applications. Parameters such as availability, stable quality, price, and sustainable sourcing of capsule wall materials also determine the basis for environmentally friendly microcapsules.

Developing new materials to meet these requirements is a focus of the scientists at Fraunhofer IAP.  EU recycling targets

“All these parameters must be met to obtain solutions with high market potential. In recent years, we have seen a great interest in chemically cross-linkable, water-soluble polymers. These polymers save the use of solvents and avoid new investments, as it allows to use existing equipment. Water-soluble cellulose sulfate and aqueous nanocellulose dispersions are good examples,” adds Dr. Latnikova.

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Environmentally friendly microcapsules made from biopolymers

Advanced Recycling Reduces GHG Emissions in Plastic Production

 

Producing new plastic by advanced recycling of post-use plastic (PUP), instead of fossil-based production, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and increase the U.S. recycling rate, according to research by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. The peer-reviewed life cycle analysis study appears in the November 2023 issue of Journal of Cleaner Production.  EU recycling targets
This is the first analysis of multiple U.S. facilities taking PUP all the way to new plastics again. Specifically, the new plastics are low-density and high-density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE, respectively). The recycling process used is pyrolysis, whereby plastics are heated to high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment. The main product is pyrolysis oil, a liquid mix of various compounds that can be an ingredient in new plastic. The oil can replace fossil ingredients like naphtha and gases to manufacture ethylene and propylene. They are two important monomers, or building blocks, for plastic production.  EU recycling targets

 

“Advanced recycling can transform hard-to-recycle plastics into a multitude of high-value raw materials, reducing the need for fossil resources and potentially minimizing the environmental impact of waste management.” — Pahola Thathiana Benavides, Argonne principal energy systems analyst

The study collected 2017-2021 operating data from eight companies with varying pyrolysis oil production processes. The analysis shows an 18% to 23% decrease in GHG emissions when making plastic with just 5% pyrolysis oil from PUP compared to crude oil-derived LDPE and HDPE, respectively.  EU recycling targets

When factoring in current end-of-life practices for many plastics in the U.S., such as incineration, there is a further 40% to 50% reduction in GHG emissions when manufacturing pyrolysis-based LDPE and HDPE, respectively, according to the analysis. Reductions are much higher (up to 131%) in the European Union as more PUP is currently incinerated.

“As advanced recycling becomes increasingly efficient, it is poised to play a major role in achieving global sustainability goals by reducing waste and GHG emissions,” said Argonne Principal Energy Systems Analyst Pahola Thathiana Benavides, a study author. ​”It can transform hard-to-recycle plastics into a multitude of high-value raw materials, reducing the need for fossil resources and potentially minimizing the environmental impact of waste management.”  EU recycling targets

Advanced Recycling Reduces GHG Emissions in Plastic Production

Post-consumer PET – thyssenkrupp Uhde inks service contract with Hive Energy for Spanish green hydrogen plant 13-10-2023 

EU recycling targets

Post-consumer PET – thyssenkrupp Uhde inks service contract with Hive Energy for Spanish green hydrogen plant 13-10-2023

Post-consumer PET

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RadiciGroup Inaugurates New Production Facility in India

With a commercial presence dating back to 2006, RadiciGroup has marked a significant milestone by opening its first industrial facility in India, consolidating its commitment to the Asian continent. The establishment in Halol, Gujarat, is a substantial investment, occupying over 100 employees and encompassing an expansive 19,000 square meters, with a remarkable 11,000 square meters dedicated to the production of technopolymers. These technopolymers serve as fundamental components for various sectors, including automotive, electrical/electronic, consumer/industrial goods, and telecommunications.

The decision to establish a manufacturing base in India is the result of more than 15 years of commercial engagement in the country, providing invaluable insights into the local market. Over time, RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers has evolved into a key partner for numerous clients in the region, and the new facility equips the company to tackle global challenges more effectively.

Maurizio Radici, Vice President of RadiciGroup, remarked, “This is a historic moment for us. Now, we have a manufacturing presence in India, which becomes an integral part of the global production network of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, supported by seven other facilities and numerous commercial locations across Europe, America, and Asia. From the beginning, we envisioned expanding our roots worldwide, with the goal of being close to our global and local customers, collaboratively developing high-quality products and innovative solutions for the market. The opening of this plant underscores the success of this vision and represents the long-term commitment we, as shareholders, have in the Indian region.”

India is a market where a strong presence is essential to capture growth in sectors that require short and responsive supply chains. Federico Percassi, Country Manager India of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, emphasizes, “With this facility, we can respond much more rapidly to our customers’ needs. It allows us to shorten material development and supply times by developing tailor-made solutions on-site, leveraging the expertise of our Indian specialists while continuing to benefit from the support of the global structure. I am confident that, through teamwork, valuable synergies will be created, fostering mutual growth. Moreover, the new facility is located in an area that can accommodate increases in production capacity should the need arise to harness the growth potential of not only the Indian market.”

The Halol site is an addition to the facility inaugurated in Suzhou, China, just last April. This marks another step in RadiciGroup’s internationalization journey, aimed at strengthening the Group’s footprint throughout the Asian continent. The strategy is to serve diverse markets punctually and efficiently, following a proximity-driven approach that positions the company close to the industrial realities of its clients.

Federico Percassi adds, “In addition to the over 100 people at the new Halol site, Radici Plastics India PVT LTD has around 30 other professionals located in various Indian cities, covering the entire country. The company also has two large warehouses and a commercial office. We hope that further opportunities for development and market growth will emerge, contributing to the success of the entire RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers Business Area.”

The inauguration of the Halol facility signifies RadiciGroup’s commitment to long-term growth in India, supporting the region with high-quality technopolymers and customized solutions across various industries. With its extensive experience and dedication to global and local clients, RadiciGroup is well-positioned to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the dynamic Indian market.

RadiciGroup Inaugurates New Production Facility in India

thyssenkrupp Uhde inks service contract with Hive Energy for Spanish green hydrogen plant

thyssenkrupp Uhde has been engaged by Hive Energy Limited to deliver a pre-FEED to support the development of Hive’s first green hydrogen / ammonia production plant in Spain. The pre-FEED was awarded following a comprehensive techno-economic study for the power-to-ammonia facility, which was performed in 2022 using thyssenkrupp Uhde’s proprietary RHAMFS methodology.

The key goal of the pre-FEED is to enhance the technical concept and commence key engineering activities for the plant. thyssenkrupp Uhde will base the pre-FEED on its dynamic uhde ammonia synthesis technology, which has been specifically developed to tackle the unique challenges of dynamic ammonia production and will also provide integration engineering for the process facility. The pre-FEED will allow Hive Energy to advance through the subsequent commercial and regulatory phases of the project development.  Post-consumer PET

Dr. Cord Landsmann, CEO thyssenkrupp Uhde, said: “We at thyssenkrupp Uhde are making a significant contribution to the green transformation. With our technologies and new partnerships like this one with Hive Energy Limited, we are building a sound business case for this groundbreaking green energy project. This marks another important step towards the sustainable and climate-friendly production of green ammonia.”

Shirvine Zhang, Head of Hydrogen and Hybrid Energy at Hive Energy Limited, commented: “Hive’s mission is to implement sustainable and clean technologies to mitigate the impact of climate change. We look forward to progressing this project with world-class and equally climate-minded companies, like thyssenkrupp Uhde, to support the energy transition.”

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Post-consumer PET

After Tesla, other manufacturers turned to Idra from Brescia(Italy) to obtain gigantic body molding machines

Tesla has shown the way for megacasting, the creation of large body parts for electric cars in one go. It did so thanks to the Giga Presses created by Idra, an Italian company based in the province of Brescia.
Now those same Giga Presses will also be used by Hyundai and Ford. The House of the Blue Oval, in particular, asked for the creation of a Giga Press which is currently being tested and fine-tuned in the Idra factories in Brescia.  Post-consumer PET
We start with 6,000 tons
Ford’s Giga Press, complete with the American manufacturer’s logo printed on it, is identified by the acronym 6,100, which indicates a power of 6,000 tons. The new Giga Press was also shown to a selected audience of industry experts during an event organized by Idra at its headquarters.
During the event, Idra technicians also put into operation another Giga Press, even larger, with a power of 9,000 tons. This one, unlike the other, was not “branded”. Two similar machines, also produced by the Brescia company, were sent to Tesla (which already has 14 from Giga Press) for the production of the Cybertruck.  Post-consumer PET
Idra, up to now, has signed 25 contracts for as many Giga Press. It has already produced and delivered 21. Among the customers, in addition to Tesla and Ford, there is also Hyundai, which has understood the advantages of this production method and which, in addition to the Italian Giga Presses, is working to develop its own.
The other Giga Press coming soon
Among the companies that are updating their lines to introduce presses with similar performance (and dimensions) is Zeekr, a brand owned by Geely, which will be able to eliminate as many as 800 welding points thanks to the molding of larger components.
Volvo also ordered two Giga Presses, but they are produced in Switzerland by Bulher. To these are also added NIO, General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen: each with its own times and suppliers.

Post-consumer PET

Advanced Battery Technologies (ABAT) Announces Start of Operations at its Recycling Facility in Nevada

American Battery Technology Company , an integrated critical battery materials company that is commercializing its technologies for both primary battery minerals manufacturing and secondary minerals lithium-ion battery recycling, announced the operational start-up of its commercial-scale, lithium-ion battery recycling facility located in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) in McCarran, Nevada, initiating implementation of its first-of-kind lithium-ion battery recycling technologies at an industrial scale.

“We are excited to have achieved this major milestone and to now be generating commercial-scale quantities of domestic recycled battery metal products,” stated ABTC CEO Ryan Melsert. “By securing our move-in-ready industrial facility in early 2023, we were able to greatly accelerate our timeline to operations, and the last step of receiving approvals for the updated operational permits for our specific internally-developed processes were received over the past week.”  Post-consumer PET

ABTC’s first-of-kind integrated battery recycling system utilizes a strategic de-manufacturing and targeted chemical extraction train in order to recover battery materials with high yields, low cost, and with a low environmental footprint. These processes are fundamentally different than conventional methods of battery recycling, which utilize high temperature furnaces, such as in smelting operations, or non-strategic shredding or grinding systems. The ABTC system results in efficient separation, recovery, and purification of high-value battery-grade products with less environmental impact and greater cost efficiencies than conventional methods.

This commercial facility has the capacity to process over 20,000 metric tonnes of battery feedstock materials per year when fully ramped, and this first phase of operations will process these battery feedstock materials into recycled products including copper, aluminum, steel, a lithium intermediate, and a black mass intermediate material that will be sold through an already executed marketing agreement with the global metals trader TechMet-Mercuria.  Post-consumer PET

Once the second phase of this integrated recycling facility is operational, this lithium intermediate will be further refined into a battery grade lithium hydroxide product, and the black mass intermediate material will be further refined into battery grade nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium hydroxide products.

“Our research & development, engineering, project management, and operations teams have been working with the commissioning of this facility as our highest priority, and we are proud to have accelerated our timelines to have installed our first piece of equipment within a month of gaining access to this new site, and to now have begun commercial operations less than six months later,” stated Andrés Meza, chief operating officer for American Battery Technology Company. “We appreciate Storey County and Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) in their work to permit and establish these processes, and we look forward to our continued engagements as we move through operations.”  Post-consumer PET

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Post-consumer PETPET recycling in Brazil

How likely is it that a passer-by in the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, would know the price of recycled PET resin? Not very, perhaps, but considerably more probable than most people would assume. Around 55% of PET packaging is recycled in Brazil, compared to around 24% for plastic packaging in general. In a city of more than 12 million inhabitants, there are anywhere between 2,000 and 30,000 ‘catadores’, informal recycling workers that collect plastic, carboard, aluminium, and other waste from the city streets.
The numbers vary widely because the vast majority of the workers aren’t registered. However, the Brazilian newspaper A Folha de Sao Paulo put its estimate at 2,100 while a survey from Cataki, an app that connects catadores with waste producers, calculated this to be closer to 30,000 workers.  Post-consumer PET

The National Movement of Catadores of Recycled Materials (MNCR, from the Portuguese) estimates that there are around 800,000 active catadores in Brazil, with women making up 70% of the category. Overall, catadores are responsible for collecting around 90% of everything that is recycled in Brazil.

Polymer prices
Much like the rest of the world, the increased offer of cheap virgin materials from Asia has led to a drop in demand and price of recycled polymers in Brazil. According to the Interministerial Committee for the Socioeconomic Inclusion of Waste Pickers and Collectors of Reusable and Recyclable Materials (CIISC), the inflow of plastic waste into Brazil rose by 7.2% between 2019 and 2022, while resin prices have dropped an average of 28% over the last 12 months.  Post-consumer PET
According to data collected by Sustainable Plastics, during the first two weeks of August, European polymer prices for rPET clear flake prices fell by €100/tonne, clear food-grade pellet prices were down by €90/tonne and coloured flake prices fell by €40/tonne.
Dwindling demand for rPET resin is impacting recyclers in Brazil and the catadores are amongst the first to feel the impact. At the end of August, national broadcaster Globo aired an interview with catadores from the streets of Sao Paulo, who shared they were shocked at the unprecedented drop in prices.

In an attempt both to slow the fall in prices and to shore up the national recycling industry, on 1 August the Brazilian Chamber of Foreign Trade (Camex) raised the import tax on waste plastic, paper, and glass to 18%.  Post-consumer PET

Until this August, these products had been exempt from import taxes, and plastic waste was taxed at 11.2%.

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PET recycling in Brazil

SGR deploys new flake analyser for post-consumer PET

The analyser utilises a combination of infrared radiation, AI, and colour identification to map the rPET.

France-based Société Générale de Recyclage (SGR) has announced the deployment of a new analyser for post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes.

The new 4.0 analysis tool from Canadian manufacturer Eagle Vizion will allow the company to produce premium-quality recycled PET (rPET) for its customers in the food industry.

The equipment, named Flake Analyzer, is intended for the analysis of post-consumer polymers.  Post-consumer PET

SGR has an annual production capacity of 12,000 tonnes of rPET for the food industry.

Dubbed CIRPET, the company’s produced rPET received a positive opinion from the European Food Safety Authority last year.

Integrated directly into the CIRPET production line with continuous sample analysis, Flake Analyzer is used for validating flake purity in real time.

This identification of potential contaminants enables rapid automated responses when purity levels fluctuate.

The machine simultaneously utilises infrared identification, AI, and colour identification to map the material within the rPET.

Designed to detect each particle, the scalable system quantifies the different constituents of the rPET flow at parts per million precision.  Post-consumer PET

According to SGR, rPET quality will be based on a combination of the initial purity of the inbound PET flakes and the efficiency of the sorters used to purify that stream.

SGR de Chalon-sur-Saône plant manager Jean-Marc Wiencek said: “We are giving ourselves the means to strengthen our position and offer the best possible quality of rPET to our customers, and above all consistent quality.”

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SGR deploys new flake analyser for post-consumer PET

The secret to better batteries? A different software management

An advanced Battery Management System (BMS) can increase density, charging speed and duration more than “hardware” innovations
The world of lithium ion batteries is destined to experience years of great growth. According to a survey signed by IDTechEx, the sector will be worth 360 billion euros by 2034. The reason is clear: the number of electric cars in circulation will increase and, consequently, manufacturers will ask for more and more accumulators to power them.
With these prospects on the horizon, it is obvious that battery companies will look for ways to gain an advantage over the competition by working on innovative products. But when you think of batteries with better performance or technical characteristics, your mind immediately goes to the solid state, to particular chemistries, to innovative architectures (read Tesla 4680).  Post-consumer PET

In truth, there is much more to pay attention to.

The Difference Between “Hardware” and “Software”

Let’s start from a general consideration. If you introduce a hardware innovation in the field of lithium ion batteries, you usually encounter a series of critical issues. First, large sums of money must be spent on the development and fine-tuning of that innovation. Second, you have to compromise somehow.
High-silicon anodes that can be used to replace graphite ones, for example, increase energy density and charging speed, but reduce lifetime. The solid electrolyte, however, can increase production costs.
However, there is a field in which great benefits can be obtained in terms of performance without necessarily having to face critical issues. It is that of the battery management software, or BMS (Battery Management System). Let’s see why.
The management of individual cells
Software engineers can improve multiple parameters of a battery by simply working (so to speak) on the control units that control the operation of the battery itself. With a better BMS, the energy density of a battery can be increased, its charging speed can be increased, its safety can be improved and its useful life can be extended.
Thanks to the software it will be possible to precisely monitor the health status of each individual cell that makes up a battery and it will be possible to modify the functioning of that single cell to optimize the functioning of the entire accumulator.

There are many companies that have understood that software will be the real secret ingredient for having better batteries, but all of them are only at the beginning of their journey. Certainly, names like Qnovo or Eatron Technologies, currently unknown to most, will soon end up being known globally. Post-consumer PET

The secret to better batteries? A different software management

BASF Supplies Asahi Kasei’s ROICA With Biomass Balanced Tetrahydrofuran

BASF is supplying biomass balanced tetrahydrofuran (THF BMB)2 to the ROICA Division of Asahi Kasei Corporation (Asahi Kasei), a multinational Japanese company. Asahi Kasei will use BASF’s THF BMB to produce its mass balance grade premium sustainable stretch fiber under the ROICA™ brand. This collaboration aims to support the launch of a new sustainable apparel collection by Asahi Kasei’s customers.

ROICA™ supplies its mass balance (MB) stretch fiber as an option for most of its portfolio products.  Post-consumer PET

The brand is making its debut in the market with MB stretch fibers and has already initiated discussions with several apparel manufacturers.

BASF’s THF BMB is recognized for its significant reduction in product carbon footprint compared to its standard grade of THF products. This is achieved by replacing a certain amount of fossil raw materials in the production with renewable feedstock in its Verbund setup. According to Asahi Kasei, utilizing BASF’s THF BMB can lead to an approximately 25% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to its existing products. Additionally, by introducing its own mass balance approach and renewable energy in the production, Asahi Kasei aims to further reduce CO2 emissions of its products by approximately 25%, resulting in a total reduction of CO2 emissions by approximately 50% compared to Asahi Kasei’s existing products.1 Without the need of large investments or changes to the product’s formulation, BASF’s THF BMB drop-in solution3 ensures identical quality and properties as the standard product.  Post-consumer PET

Choon Nga Phua, Director, Business Management Diols & Derivatives, Intermediates Asia Pacific, BASF, said, “We are excited about the progress we have made in our sustainability partnership with Asahi Kasei. We see a growing trend in the adoption of more sustainable raw materials in the global apparel market. As a pioneer in the development of the biomass balance approach, we will support our customers in accelerating the transition to a lower-carbon, circular bio-economy and help consumers make informed purchasing decisions about more sustainable products, thereby fashioning a more sustainable textile value chain.”

“As one of the global leaders in the development and manufacturing of innovative materials, we view this as another step in our efforts to bring our business pillar of originality and sustainability together,” said Takehiro Kamiyama, Senior Executive Manager of ROICA Division, Life Innovation SBU, Asahi Kasei.  Post-consumer PET

THF is a colorless, water-miscible liquid with an ether-like odor. In this case, THF is used to produce polytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF®), which is a raw material for the production of highly elastic spandex and elastane fibers. Furthermore, THF serves as an organic solvent with intermediate polarity for organic substances and is used as a reaction medium or starting material for various syntheses.

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BASF Supplies Asahi Kasei’s ROICA With Biomass Balanced Tetrahydrofuran

Biodegradable plastics – New Public-Private Partnerships Look to AI and Enzymes to Break Down Plastic and Textile Waste 12-10-2023

Post-consumer PET

Biodegradable plastics – New Public-Private Partnerships Look to AI and Enzymes to Break Down Plastic and Textile Waste 12-10-2023

Biodegradable plastics

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France becomes first country to implement Digimarc’s plastics recycling platform

France, selected by the HolyGrail initiative leadership team, will become the first country-wide implementation of Digimarc Recycle. Digimarc Recycle allows brand owners to digitize products and packaging, enabling a direct communication channel with consumers. When the digitized item is scanned with a Smartphone, consumers can see recycling instructions and sustainability content of the item.

Digimarc says that this marks a milestone in combatting plastic pollution and that the implementation of Digimarc Recycle is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of stakeholders who want to unlock the circular economy for plastics, address fast-approaching legislation, and create a more sustainable world. Biodegradable plastics

By linking covert digital watermarks (used to identify plastic packaging to any desired level of granularity deterministically) with an extensible cloud-based repository of product attributes (such as brand, SKU, product variant, packaging composition, food/non-food/cosmetics use, etc.), Digimarc Recycle helps drive a step change in the quality and quantity of recyclate. This improvement also unlocks new end markets for post-consumer recyclate that do not exist today. Moreover, the information used to drive this sortation in facilities provides product-specific and location-based disposal instructions via a brand-owned direct-to-consumer digital communication channel accessed via on-pack watermarks or QR codes.  Biodegradable plastics

“Digimarc applauds the vision and action of the France team and its pioneering member organizations, including P&G, L’Oreal, Henkel, Veolia, CITEO, and Pellenc ST,” said Riley McCormack, Digimarc president and CEO. “Moreover, we are committed to working alongside this group to expand the rollout to other facility operators, brands, and retailers in France, because when the only thing that stands in the way of progress is inertia, true leadership is defined by those who take action.”

In addition to providing the information necessary to power advanced sortation at recycling facilities, Digimarc Recycle captures and provides a view of the post-purchase product journey benefiting stakeholders across the value chain. Biodegradable plastics

Among these benefits, governments can gain insights into the size, scope, and content of their waste stream; producer responsibility organizations (PROs) can design and implement more meaningful and more accurate extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes; facility operators can unlock operational efficiencies and insights; and brand owners and retailers can access data to power design-for-recyclability improvements, packaging-usage reductions, consumer behaviour insights, and overall functional gains.

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Biodegradable plastics

Study stirs controversy over the benefits of biodegradable plastics

Research that suggests the breakdown products of compostable plastic bags could be toxic has been criticised by the bioplastics industry

Controversy has been sparked by a study that appears to show that when they break down, compostable plastic bags release more toxins into the environment than conventional plastic bags do.  Biodegradable plastics

European Bioplastics, which represents companies that produce various types of biodegradable plastics, has branded the research “scientifically questionable” and suggested that it does not replicate how plastics degrade in the real world.

The dispute highlights concerns over biodegradable plastics. To some, they are the answer to the world’s acute problem of plastic waste, but to others these materials are a distraction from what they see as the true answer – simply using less plastic.

What did the study find?

Carried out by scientists in Spain and released in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, the study involved testing the breakdown products of various types of plastic bag on zebrafish cells grown in the laboratory.  Biodegradable plastics

The researchers looked at compostable bags, which are a type of biodegradable plastic bag designed to break down under specific conditions, and compared them to conventional plastic bags.

It found that extracts of compostable bags decreased the viability of the cells, an effect that was made stronger if the bag had been exposed to ultraviolet light or had been composted.

However, similar remains from conventional plastic bags did not have the same toxic effect on the cells.

“These findings highlight the importance of investigating the effects of degradation mechanisms such as sunlight and composting on the toxicity of bioplastics,” the researchers wrote in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.  Biodegradable plastics

“It is also crucial to investigate the composition of newly developed formulations for bioplastics, as they may be more harmful than conventional ones.”

What criticism has been levelled at the study?

To extract chemicals from the plastics before they were tested on the zebrafish cells, the scientists used methanol, a type of alcohol.

In a statement issued this week, European Bioplastics said that there was no evidence in the study that the methanol did not change the chemical structure of the samples. As a result, the study, they suggested, may not reflect how these plastics behave in the real world.  Biodegradable plastics

Claims made by the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, one of the organisations behind the study, “are not supported by the scientific evidence”, according to European Bioplastics.

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Biodegradable plastics

Lummus’ Green Circle Announces Agreement for Advanced Plastic Recycling Technology with Dongyang Environment Group

Agreement strengthens Lummus’ experience developing and commercializing solutions for
plastics circularity

Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, has announced an agreement with Dongyang Environment Group to deploy Lummus’ advanced plastics recycling technology in South Korea. The plant will be located in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea, and will be operated by Dongyang Environment’s subsidiary, Seohae Green Chemical.  Biodegradable plastics
“We are pleased to announce this agreement with Dongyang Environment, one of South Korea’s leading providers of energy and environmental services,” said Greg Shumake, Vice President and Managing Director of Green Circle. “This is a significant step forward in our commitment to the circular economy and to deploying advanced plastics recycling technology in South Korea and other key markets around the world.”
Lummus’ Green Circle business unit will provide to Dongyang Environment its advanced plastic recycling technology, which effectively converts plastic waste into high-value chemicals and feedstocks, creating circularity. This technology is a proven, reliable and economic solution to address the global plastic waste problem, offering additional environmental benefits such as a lower carbon footprint and the elimination of char production.  Biodegradable plastics
“Dongyang’s resource recycling and energy conversion expertise and Lummus’ world-class technology will create strong synergies,” said Byung Jin Song, the head of Dongyang Environment R&D center. “Additionally, Dongyang will strengthen its position in the chemical recycling industry, offering more sustainable products and increased value to our customers.”
Green Circle concentrates and expands Lummus Technology’s capabilities to capture new opportunities in the energy transition and circular economy.

Green Circle is a leader in providing economically and technically sound solutions to process solid wastes containing plastics; process various renewable bio-based feedstocks to value-added chemicals, polymers and fuels; decarbonize refinery and petrochemicals assets; expand production of blue hydrogen and biofuels; and treat industrial wastewater.

Biodegradable plastics

New Public-Private Partnerships Look to AI and Enzymes to Break Down Plastic and Textile Waste

Protein Evolution, Inc. Partners with U.S. Department of Energy’s Agile BioFoundry, Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit, and the Joint BioEnergy Institute to Decarbonize the Chemicals Industry  Biodegradable plastics

Protein Evolution, Inc., a biological recycling company focused on decarbonizing plastic production, announced today that it is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Agile BioFoundry (ABF), Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU), and the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a DOE Bioenergy Research Center, both led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, on two separate projects.

The first project will leverage the team’s collective advancements in artificial intelligence to create enzymes that break down plastic and textile waste, and the second will streamline the methods for manufacturing these enzymes at scale. JBEI, ABF and ABPDU are part of Berkeley Lab’s BioManufactory – a collaborative group of programs that partner with industry to provide expertise and support as companies develop, optimize, and scale-up their bio-based projects.  Biodegradable plastics

“Our innovative process uses AI to design novel enzymes to transform various types of polyester waste back into the building blocks of new polyester,” said Maren Wehrs, Director of Bioprocess Development of Protein Evolution. “These partnerships provide access to cutting-edge research, infrastructure, and a wealth of domain expertise that will help us accelerate sustainable waste management and the global transition to a lower-carbon, circular economy.”

Protein Evolution’s innovative technology is the first in the U.S. to use enzymes as a catalyst to successfully produce new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from polyester textile waste. The PET resulting from Protein Evolution’s process is indistinguishable from the petroleum-derived virgin alternative, but with a far lower carbon footprint, and it is suitable for both textile and packaging grade applications.

The company is actively scaling its commercial capacity to take in greater quantities and more diverse types of plastic waste as feedstock to facilitate the production of low-carbon polyester.  Biodegradable plastics

Partnering to Decarbonize the Chemicals Industry

Protein Evolution’s partnerships with JBEI, ABF and ABPDU share the overarching goal to reduce emissions from petroleum-based plastic production and the landfilling and incineration of plastic waste.

“Identifying and cost-effectively producing highly catalytic enzymes to transform waste into new products has the potential to significantly reduce industry’s reliance on petroleum,” said Jay Konieczka, Chief Technology Officer at Protein Evolution. “At scale, our technology will divert millions of waste products from landfills and the environment, helping to reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and contribute to a more sustainable and cleaner future.”  Biodegradable plastics

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New Public-Private Partnerships Look to AI and Enzymes to Break Down Plastic and Textile Waste

Breakthrough study in post-consumer polypropylene packaging – Characterising contamination levels

Having just read UNEP’s recent Global Plastics Treaty draft policy, it is interesting to note their suggested approaches per country to the areas NextLoopp and Nextek have been focusing on. Reviewing and upgrading how we manage and maximise recycled plastic contents, through to reviewing product design for sustainability and enhancing waste management is our mission.
As such closing the loop on post-consumer food-grade polypropylene (PP) packaging is very much in-step with our commitment to save CO2e by extending the lifecycle of plastic. The reason for this is that, from a climate change perspective, 1.6 tonne/1.8 ton of CO2e could be saved if we were to use food-grade recycled PP versus using virgin PP resin.
Polypropylene accounts for more than 20 percent of global plastics production with food packaging being this prolific polymer’s primary product. In fact, some 55 percent of PP rigid packaging (1 Mt) is food-contact, equivalent to around 10 percent of total PP demand.  Biodegradable plastics
According to Plastics Recyclers’ latest report the net demand for PP in Europe is 10.5 Mt., yet PP recyclate from post-consumer rigid product applications only meets 3 percent of this demand.
This is the driving force behind NextLoopp’s continued science-based exploration to close the loop on post-consumer food-grade PP
Achieving this has required addressing each and every roadblock along the way and deep-diving into the specific sorting and decontamination requirements for the recycling processes for PP. This has led to our most recent investigations to determine the residual contamination levels of post-consumer PP packaging, which up until now, have not been characterised.  Biodegradable plastics
The lack of data showing the misuse rate within PP feedstocks has meant there was no reliable way of defining the residual levels that could potentially migrate into food as well as understanding which molecules to target via decontamination processes.

Nextek’s study aimed to identify substances that might cause samples to be outliers from the expected input stream which could represent challenges to the final safety of the recycled plastics. Key was to check whether the substances observed could potentially be genotoxic. This is a critical criterion for EFSA safety evaluations given that the substance could be derived from the mis-selection of an item of non-food PP packaging, which is not necessarily a case of misuse.  Biodegradable plastics
Although, being olefinic, PP has very similar properties to HDPE, the packaging format of PP reduces the chances of it being in a consumer-misuse scenario. A large proportion of PET packaging is relatively durable, with a tight closure, making it a container of choice when used for the storage of hazardous materials.
Likewise, HDPE packaging is also in bottle form with a closure, meaning it, too, may be used in such a scenario.

PP food containers, on the other hand, are less likely to come in bottle form and much more likely to be pots, tubs, or trays with limited closure capability.

More…

Breakthrough study in post-consumer polypropylene packaging - Characterising contamination levels

OMV Europe PE margin down year on year

OMV’s polyethylene (PE) indicator margin for Europe stood at €308/tonne in Q3 2023 versus €312/tonne in Q3 2022 and €320/tonne in Q2 2023, said the Austrian oil, gas and petrochemical group.  Biodegradable plastics
For the polypropylene (PP) indicator margin for Europe, the figures were €330/tonne, €357/tonne and €372/tonne, respectively.
For the propylene indicator margin for Europe, the figures were €330/tonne, €574/tonne and €459/tonne, respectively.
For the ethylene indicator margin for Europe, the figures were €455/tonne, €614/tonne and €567/tonne, respectively.
Also in the trading statement, the company put its European refining margin indicator (based on Brent crude) for the third quarter at $14.05/bbl compared with $14.38/bbl in the third quarter a year ago and $7.59 cents/barrel in the second quarter of this year.

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OMV Europe PE margin down year on year

Three new partners targeting recycled plastic packaging join the Canada Plastics Pact

Most recently, the CPP released its five-year roadmap (2023 to 2027) for advancing flexible plastic packaging in Canada.  Biodegradable plastics

The Canada Plastics Pact (CPP) has welcomed Omnia Packaging Inc., BASF Canada, and NSF to its expanding network of more than 95 partners in the third quarter of 2023.

Omnia Packaging Inc. joins as a signatory partner

Omnia Packaging Inc., a Canadian subsidiary of Sunino Group, is a food packager specializing in injection plastic production producing exclusively recyclable polypropylene (PP) plastic packaging. They are committed to collaborating with other PP producers in Canada to increase recycling efforts.

NSF joins as an implementation partner

NSF is a public health and safety organization that helps companies responsibly manage their corporate, facility, product, and supply chain materials with customized solutions. They are committed to assisting CPP partners to operate more responsibly through better materials management.  Biodegradable plastics

BASF Canada joins as a knowledge partner

BASF is focused on advancing sustainability and driving a circular economy by taking actions like designing materials for circularity, developing solutions that improve or enable recycling, and establishing product-specific recycling loops. They are committed to sharing professional, technical, and commercial systems knowledge to support CPP’s advancement on its roadmap and collaborate on programming, standards, policies, and solutions to further plastics circularity.

“We are excited to welcome these new stakeholders to the pact, each contributing unique perspectives to the plastics value chain,” said Cher Mereweather, managing director at the CPP. “Our collective commitment to advancing solutions to achieving a circular economy for plastics is strengthened by their involvement.”  Biodegradable plastics

Since the CPP launched in January 2021, various initiatives have been underway to address the opportunities and challenges to enacting systems change, such as forming nine working groups that bring together the key stakeholders to tackle the pressing issues around plastic waste and pollution.

The CPP’s guidance documents, driven by the collective expertise of its working groups, are a tool for supporting stakeholders to implement circular economy principles in their operations, by sharing knowledge and solutions. Most recently, the CPP released its five-year roadmap (2023 to 2027) for advancing flexible plastic packaging in Canada. It’s designed for stakeholders across Canada, including manufacturers, producers and brand owners, retailers, stewardship agencies, recyclers, and governments, to work together on clear and practical objectives.  Biodegradable plastics

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Three new partners targeting recycled plastic packaging join the Canada Plastics Pact

Carbon Footprint – Petronas Chemicals Group to Build Asia’s Largest Advanced Chemical Recycling Plant in Malaysia 11-10-2023

Biodegradable plastics

Carbon Footprint – Petronas Chemicals Group to Build Asia’s Largest Advanced Chemical Recycling Plant in Malaysia 11-10-2023

Carbon Footprint

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Petronas Chemicals Group to Build Asia’s Largest Advanced Chemical Recycling Plant in Malaysia

Plant would have a capacity of 33 kilotons, with a target start-up date of mid-2026.

Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) said Oct. 9 it plans to build Asia’s largest advanced chemical recycling plant in Malaysia with operations scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026.

The plant would have a capacity of 33 kilotons per year, the company said.

PCG, a division of Malaysia’s state-run oil giant Petronas, will convert end-of-life plastics into pyrolysis oil.

The company’s final investment decision includes the signing of a technology license agreement between PCG and Plastic Energy Limited and an engineering, procurement and construction agreement with Mutiara Etnik Sdn. Bhd.  Carbon Footprint

Plastic Energy will provide the chemical recycling technology for the plant through its TAC process, which heats mixed post-consumer plastic waste in the absence of oxygen. This process then produces hydrocarbon vapors that are condensed into pyrolysis oil, which can be used as a substitute for hydrocarbon feedstock in the production of food-grade recycled plastics.

The plant will help PCG meet its sustainability goals while contributing to the circular supply chain, said PCG CEO Mohd Yusri Mohamed Yusof.

“Through the advanced chemical recycling plant, we envision driving innovation across the plastics value chain while creating opportunities for all parties, from waste collectors to manufacturers, to jointly contribute to the circular plastics economy,” he said in a prepared statement.  Carbon Footprint

More…

Carbon Footprint

Berlin Packaging on the sustainable strengths of hybrid packaging

Packaging Gateway sits down with Berlin Packaging EMEA CMO Dario Bassetti to discuss sustainable hybrid packaging.

US-headquartered Berlin Packaging is well-known in the industry for its regular acquisitions, which have recently included Coropoulis Packaging and StyleGlass.

But the company is also aiming to make strides on its ESG goals as reportedly the “world’s largest hybrid packaging supplier”.  Carbon Footprint

Following a roundtable presented at Luxe Pack Monaco, Packaging Gateway spoke to company representatives for the EMEA region and chief marketing officer Dario Bassetti about Berlin Packaging’s “strategic pillar” of sustainable materials.

Bassetti explained that “Packaging plays a crucial role. We are aware that only through dialogue with our stakeholders, customers and suppliers, can we overcome the current challenges together.

“This involves consumers increasingly demanding sustainability, but they are not always ready to pay the price.”

Berlin Packaging’s business model aims to provide maximum freedom in the use of materials and processes that can be optimised, focusing on three main areas: circularity, optimisation, and reuse. These are integrated into the services and drive innovations and business proposals.  Carbon Footprint

The company’s 2022 Sustainability Report stated that it enabled its customers to eliminate over 2,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and conducted 120 Life-Cycle Assessments.

However, Bassetti highlighted the European Union’s regulations, which “are becoming more and more complicated”, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

The strengths of hybrid packaging

Berlin Packaging’s stands at Luxe Pack Monaco featured recyclable and refillable products for the spirits and beauty markets.  Carbon Footprint

Carbon Footprint

Dow launches recycled, bio-grades for perfume and cosmetic packaging

Chemicals company Dow has launched two new ionomers grades using renewable and circular feedstocks for perfume and cosmetic packaging applications, said Sustainableplastics.

The Surlyn Ren grade is produced from bio-waste such as used cooling oil, while Surlyn Cir grade contains chemically recycled plastic waste. Both grades are ISCC Plus certified according to the mass balance scheme. Dow claims the recycled and bio grades continue to deliver the properties that give the unique look, feel, and performance that the Surlyn line, based on fossil feedstocks, is known for.  Carbon Footprint

LVMH Beauty, a division of luxury conglomerate LVMH, will be the first user of the new grades following the brand’s announced collaboration with Dow earlier this year. Dow has started to supply the new sustainable Surlyn ionomer grades, which will be integrated into several of the multinational’s applications.

“Surlyn Ren and Surlyn Cir are a major step forward in creating sustainable packaging for the cosmetic industry,” said Daniella Souza Miranda, global business director for Circular & Renewable Solutions at Dow. “These products will not only support LVMH towards their sustainability goals but will also contribute to Dow’s bold ambition to transform waste and deliver 3 million metric tons per year of circular and renewable solutions by 2030,” she added.  Carbon Footprint

More…

Carbon Footprint

INVISTA halting production in Orange, impacting more than 200 employees

A representative of the INVISTA plant in Orange County confirms to KFDM/Fox 4 News it’s discontinuing production at its site in mid 2024, eliminating about 240 of the site’s 300 jobs by the end of that year.

Invista produces chemicals used in nylon products.

The company says it’s making the difficult decision due to lower than expected growth and an increase in the global supply.  Carbon Footprint

STATEMENT FROM INVISTA:

INVISTA today announced the decision to discontinue production at its site in Orange, Texas.

“We appreciate the diligent and innovative work of employees at the Orange site over the years,” said Francis Murphy, INVISTA president and CEO. “Unfortunately, lower than anticipated growth and an increase in global supply led to this difficult decision.”

The site will begin the safe shutdown of the adiponitrile (ADN) production unit right away and expects to cease production of hexamethylene diamine (HMD) in mid-2024.

About 240 of the site’s 300 roles will be eliminated by the end of 2024. All impacted employees will be eligible for severance benefits. Throughout this transition, the company is committed to treating every employee with dignity and respect.

INVISTA’s top priority now and always is the safety of employees, contractors and the surrounding community.  Carbon Footprint

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INVISTA halting production in Orange, impacting more than 200 employees

ARKEMA Continues to Lower the Carbon Footprint of the Global Production of Its Bio-Based Polyamide 11 Chain

The Group further decreased by 46% the carbon footprint of its bio-based Rilsan® polyamide 11 grades reaching less than 2 kg CO2e/kg (1), by using renewable or low carbon energy sources and by making several energy efficiency improvements in its production sites. It represents an improvement of around 70% relative to traditional polyamide resins using fossil-based raw materials and conventional energy sources.  Carbon Footprint

Derived entirely from renewable castor seeds, Rilsan® polyamide 11 is 100% segregated bio-based. Furthermore, the amino 11 monomer and the downstream polymers are produced using a significant proportion of low carbon and renewable energy – both in terms of electricity and combustible fuels. Arkema thus recently announced a biomethane supply agreement with ENGIE in France, and carried out several energy efficiency improvements in its polyamide 11 chain production sites over the last year.

“This is an important step for our customers and the markets we serve,” said Erwoan Pezron, Senior Vice President, Arkema’s High Performance Polymers. “The lower carbon footprint we announce today applies to our entire global production, not just a particular set of grades or a certain location. This allows our customers to deliver on their commitment to decarbonize and to develop more sustainable products at scale. Furthermore, we have a strong action plan in place to further decarbonize this range, with a 2030 target to reduce the carbon footprint by a further 50%. Our objective is to continue to offer our customers high-performance materials with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the market.”  Carbon Footprint

This represents a strong step forward in Arkema’s drive to ever-lower carbon footprint and lower climate change impact through a combination of sustainable raw materials, energy sources, and manufacturing processes.

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ARKEMA Continues to Lower the Carbon Footprint of the Global Production of Its Bio-Based Polyamide 11 Chain

Alpla, Tönissteiner launch reusable bottle made from 100% rPE

Packaging specialist Alpla has collaborated with Privatbrunnen Tönissteiner, a mineral water company based in Germany, on the development of a reusable PET bottle made entirely of recycled material. The new bottle, of which the development was worked on by the two companies for around a year, is also completely recyclable at the end of life. Currently only available in a one-litre size, the bottles have already been introduced at retail outlets in the country.  Carbon Footprint

The bottles are produced from 100% post-consumer recycled material, provided by Alplarecycling, with the exception of the closure and the label).

‘The packaging of the future is sustainable, light and safe,” said Georg Pescher, managing director of Alpla Germany. Alpla already delivers in this respect, he added, ‘with a circular economy based on the bottle-to-bottle principle, weight optimisation and systematic design for recycling’.

The new bottle has been designed for use with Tönissteiner’s existing twelve-bottle crates in which the bottles are also returned. Up to 160 crates can be transported per lorry load.

“In ALPLA, we have found an innovative partner for the introduction of our first own reusable rPET bottle. The climate-friendly bottle has been perfectly tailored to our sorting, bottling and transport processes,” said  Tönissteiner managing director Hermann-Josef Hoppe.  Carbon Footprint

The end of life of the reusable bottle is reached after a specified number of cycles. Laser markings indicate the number of cycles a bottle has been through and complement the quality controls at the refilling stage.

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Alpla, Tönissteiner launch reusable bottle made from 100% rPE

Here is the laser that halves battery production times

Manufactured by IGP Photonics, it uses a double beam to weld individual cells at double the speed of traditional methods
The car market wants more and more batteries. So producing them faster can give a big advantage to increase volumes and respond to growing demand.
Among the innovations in cell construction processes is the technology of IPG Photonics, which operates in the field of latest generation lasers and which has presented a new highly automated double beam system for welding cells.  Carbon Footprint
The double beam trick
This new laser, called AMB – an acronym that stands for Adjustable Model Beam or adjustable operation beam – can emit a 3 kW single-mode beam of power that reaches the individual cells to create welds with great precision and at double the speed of a traditional system .
The AMB laser also emits a second beam. If the main one carries out the actual welding, the secondary one, which has an annular section, serves to reduce spatter as much as possible and minimize the area subjected to overheating. Furthermore, this type of welding also reduces cracks and porosity in the weld itself.
  For cylindrical, prismatic or bag cells
The technology developed by IGP Photonics is suitable for any type of lithium ion cell. The EV-Cube system is designed for cylindrical cells and can weld 10 of them per second with a precision of 25 µm (micrometers). The LaserCell system, however, develops on 6 axes and can weld the inside of bag or prismatic (as well as cylindrical) cells.
Both systems come complete with a specific laser, processing setups and secondary equipment. Furthermore, they are equipped with integrated software that allows you to modify processes according to different needs. In addition, they can be enhanced with real-time laser welding measurement.  Carbon Footprint
“Our laser systems provide solutions that address real-world requirements, such as battery cell welding, and integrate patented technologies such as real-time laser weld measurement,” said Trevor Ness, senior vice president of worldwide sales and of IPG’s strategic business development.
Here is the laser that halves battery production times

Plastic Pollution – EU launches trade attack against China in a war it can’t win  10-10-2023

Carbon Footprint

Plastic Pollution – EU launches trade attack against China in a war it can’t win  10-10-2023

Plastic Pollution

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Plastic Recycling Technology: A Solution for the Plastic Pollution Crisis

Plastic is one of the most widely used materials in the world, but it also poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. Every year, more than 380 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally, but only 9% of it is recycled into new plastics. The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators, or the oceans, where it can harm wildlife, ecosystems, and human health.

To tackle this problem, scientists and engineers are developing new ways to recycle plastic waste more efficiently and sustainably. One of these methods is chemical recycling, which involves breaking down plastic molecules into smaller units that can be used as raw materials for new products.  Plastic Pollution

Q   How does chemical recycling work?

A.  Unlike mechanical recycling, which melts and reshapes plastic waste into new products without changing its chemical structure, chemical recycling transforms plastic waste into different substances. There are several types of chemical recycling technologies, such as pyrolysis, gasification, hydro-cracking, and depolymerisation.

Pyrolysis is a process that heats plastic waste in the absence of oxygen, producing a mixture of gases, liquids, and solids. The gases and liquids can be used as fuels or feedstocks for making new plastics or other chemicals. The solids can be used as carbon black, a material used in tyres, rubber products, and ink.

Gasification is a process that converts plastic waste into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, known as syngas. Syngas can be used to generate electricity or to produce synthetic fuels or chemicals.  Plastic Pollution

Hydro-cracking is a process that uses hydrogen and a catalyst to break down plastic waste into smaller hydrocarbon molecules, such as propane or ethane. These molecules can be used as fuels or feedstocks for making new plastics or other chemicals.

Depolymerisation is a process that reverses the polymerisation reaction that forms plastics from monomers. Monomers are the building blocks of plastics, such as ethylene or terephthalate. By using heat, pressure, or catalysts, depolymerisation breaks down plastic waste into its original monomers, which can be purified and reused to make new plastics.

Q    What are the benefits of chemical recycling?

A.  Chemical recycling offers several advantages over mechanical recycling. First, it can recycle plastics that are difficult or impossible to recycle mechanically, such as mixed or contaminated plastics, multilayer plastics, or plastics with additives or colours. Second, it can produce high-quality recycled materials that have similar properties to virgin materials, avoiding the loss of quality or performance that often occurs with mechanical recycling.  Plastic Pollution

Third, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by saving energy and resources that would otherwise be used to produce new plastics from fossil fuels.Q

Q    What are the challenges of chemical recycling?

A.  Chemical recycling also faces some challenges that need to be overcome before it can be widely adopted. One of them is the high cost and energy consumption of the processes, which depend on the type and quality of the plastic waste and the desired output. Another challenge is the availability and accessibility of suitable plastic waste streams that can be collected and sorted for chemical recycling. A third challenge is the regulation and standardisation of chemical recycling processes and products, which vary across different countries and regions.  Plastic Pollution

Q    How can chemical recycling help solve the plastic pollution crisis?

A.  Chemical recycling is not a silver bullet that can solve the plastic pollution crisis alone. It needs to be combined with other strategies, such as reducing plastic production and consumption, improving plastic design and quality, enhancing mechanical recycling systems and infrastructure, promoting circular economy principles and practices, and raising awareness and education among consumers and stakeholders.

However, chemical recycling can play an important role in closing the loop of plastic waste management and creating a more sustainable future for plastics.

By transforming plastic waste into valuable resources that can be reused again and again, chemical recycling can help reduce environmental impacts, conserve natural resources, create new economic opportunities, and support innovation and development in the plastics industry.  Plastic Pollution

References:

1 Recycling technologies • Plastics Europe

2 The world’s first ‘infinite’ plastic – BBC Future

3 Plastic Recycling Technology: What are the Environmental Benefits …

4 Plastic pollution: how chemical recycling technology could help fix it

5 New process could enable more efficient plastics recycling

Plastic Pollution

EU launches trade attack against China in a war it can’t win

The European Union is preparing new anti-China measures. BYD is sticking Tesla to the crown, but sales are also increasing at other Chinese EV builders. The large state-owned enterprises are investing heavily in emerging high-tech sectors. Human-like robots are in the spotlight, but the gaming sector is also catching up on the AI road. We end with a chips section.  Plastic Pollution

As part of its economic security strategy, the EU Commission has unveiled 4 technologies in which it seeks to de-crist: advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and biotechnology. Although China is not mentioned in particular, it is clear who is targeted. The Commission is now going to flea by the end of the year to what extent the 27 Member States are exposed to risks. Ultimately, restrictions could be placed on the export or investment of European companies in high-tech sub-sectors that are classified as high risk. By next spring, four other technologies would be eligible. It involves advanced connectivity, navigation and digital technology-including IoT and blockchain-advanced sensor technology, space and propulsion technology, energy technology, robotics and advanced materials. of SCMP    Plastic Pollution

EU Commissioner for Justice Reynders has revealed on the French BFM TV that the Commission is considering a similar investigation of the windmills by analogy with the investigation into government support for electric vehicles. Interest association WindEurope has been complaining stone and leg over Chinese competition FT for some time

The European Parliament, for its part, has approved an ‘anti-compulsive’ instrument that would allow Brussels to impose tariffs, quotas, export controls or market frostbites on countries that are believed to engage in economic harassment.

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Plastic Pollution

Toray Expanding European Carbon Fiber Production Facilities

Toray Industries, Inc., announced that it has decided to expand French subsidiary Toray Carbon Fibers Europe S.A.’s production facilities for regular tow* medium- and high-modulus carbon fibers. This move will increase annual capacity at the Abidos plant (South-West France) from 5,000 metric tons annually, to 6,000 metric tons. Production is expected to start in 2025.  Plastic Pollution
Demand for medium- and high-modulus carbon fibers is rising in Europe, driven by a push to move towards a net-zero society. This growth is mainly due to higher build rates for commercial aircrafts (secondary structures and engines), as well as centrifuge for energy production, satellites, and high-end automobiles. By boosting carbon fiber production capacity in Europe, Toray is responding to its customers’ demand for medium and high-modulus carbon fibers, as befits the market leader.

Toray has made sustainable growth pivotal to Project AP-G 2025, its medium-term management program. Accordingly, the company has developed solutions to tackle climate change with its carbon fiber composite materials. Toray will fully leverage its resources to help achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, in keeping with its corporate philosophy of contributing to society by creating new value.  Plastic Pollution

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Plastic Pollution

 World plastic production and consumption per capita

Plastic recycling is the process of recovering plastic waste and transforming it into new products.    Plastic Pollution

There are different methods of plastic recycling, such as mechanical, chemical and direct recycling1. Here is a brief overview of each method:

The plastic recycling metric ton by 2022 is not easy to estimate, as there are different sources and methods of measuring plastic waste and recycling.

We can resume so :

As you can see, these estimates vary widely depending on the data source and methodology used. Therefore, it is important to be cautious and critical when interpreting these numbers, and to consider the uncertainties and limitations involved in measuring plastic waste and recycling.  Plastic Pollution

World plastic production and consumption per capita

Saudi Arabia, Russia to continue voluntary oil cuts

Saudi Arabia and Russia said they were continuing voluntary oil cuts to year end as tightening supply and rising demand support oil prices,said Reuters.

The Saudi and Russian statements come hours before a ministerial monitoring panel of the OPEC+ group of leading oil producers convenes online later on Wednesday. The panel, called the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, can call for a full OPEC+ meeting if warranted but sources have told Reuters it is unlikely to tweak current oil output policy.

Oil prices continued a downward trend directly following the news with Brent futures falling $1 to $89.92 a barrel but they were trading at $90.40 a barrel by 0854 GMT. OPEC+, which comprises the countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and leading allies including Russia, has been cutting output since last year in what it says is preemptive action to maintain market stability.  Plastic Pollution

The U.S. and Western allies have argued that the world needs lower prices to support economic growth and the global economy. Saudi Arabia, the OPEC de facto leader, said it would continue with its voluntary oil output cut of one million barrels per day (bpd) for the month of November and until the end of the year and that it would review the decision again next month.

The kingdom’s production for November and December will be approximately 9 million bpd, the energy ministry said in a statement. “This voluntary cut decision will be reviewed next month to consider deepening the cut or increasing production,” the statement said.

Saudi Arabia first implemented the additional voluntary cut in July and has been renewing it monthly. It said in September the cut would last until year end but would be reviewed on a monthly basis. Russia in August said it would reduce exports by 300,000 bpd until the end of this year.  Plastic Pollution

The Saudi and Russian additional voluntary cuts come on top of April cuts agreed by them and several OPEC+ producers, which extend to the end of 2024.

Saudi Arabia, Russia to continue voluntary oil cuts

Borouge and Tadweer sign partnership to explore recycling opportunities in Abu Dhabi

Borouge, a leading petrochemical company that provides innovative and differentiated polyolefin solutions and Tadweer signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities in the management and adoption of best practices in waste management, sorting and mechanical recycling of polymers, said the company.
Tadweer, part of ADQ, is the sole custodian of waste management for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is committed to developing an integrated waste management sector and becoming a leader in extracting value from waste to contribute to national sustainability ambitions.  Plastic Pollution
Borouge and Tadweer will explore further opportunities in polymers waste sorting for mechanical recycling and the development of a sustainable ecosystem, to secure the generation of high-quality polymer recyclates using different technologies. Furthermore, the partners will join forces to establish business development and benchmarking frameworks which unlock value added business opportunities through potential joint investments in brown and greenfield assets. The agreement reinforces Borouge and Tadweer’s leading industry positions and supports their circular economy ambitions.
Both companies will be collaborating in supporting local regulatory frameworks related to the sustainable and efficient management of polymer waste. This includes the launch of public initiatives and campaigns to boost awareness about best practices in polymer waste management and recycling.  Plastic Pollution
Committed to driving circularity for a zero-waste environment, Borouge has increased the number of strategic partnerships with recycling companies and expanded its product portfolio of sustainable solutions. Today, Borouge has 18 partnerships across eight countries serving its key territories in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, marking an important milestone in its ambitions towards realising its 2030 strategy.
Borouge is a responsible petrochemical company with a portfolio of sustainable solutions. The Company works with customers, suppliers and value chain partners to address global challenges, with a comprehensive roadmap to reduce emissions. In addition, Borouge collaborates with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi to combat a multitude of environmental issues related to waste management.  Plastic Pollution
As part of its commitment to sustainability, Tadweer has built partnerships with leading global entities in Greece, Spain, Jordan, and more. These partnerships, which are focused on the exchange of knowledge and experience, contribute to driving a circular economy and achieving a sustainable future. Tadweer’s partners play a pivotal role in supporting the company to develop an integrated waste management system, in line with the UAE’s sustainability objectives.

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Borouge and Tadweer sign partnership to explore recycling opportunities in Abu Dhabi

UK implements new restrictions on single-use plastics

Commencing on 1 October 2023, the sweeping ban marks a watershed moment in the global fight against plastic waste.

On 1 October 2023, England took a significant step in its fight against plastic pollution with the introduction of new regulations banning several single-use plastic items.

In a bid to address the escalating problem of plastic pollution and litter, the UK government has implemented a series of bans and restrictions on single-use plastic items, taking effect on Sunday 1 October 2023.  Plastic Pollution

These measures, announced in January, will prohibit the sale of single-use plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, polystyrene cups and food containers across various sectors, including retailers, takeaways, food vendors and the hospitality industry.

Restrictions will also be placed on the supply of single-use plastic plates, trays and bowls.

Environmental impact and public support

Single-use plastics are known for their long-lasting environmental impact, taking hundreds of years to decompose and causing harm to oceans, rivers and land.

Furthermore, the production and disposal of plastic items contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Research indicates that in England alone, approximately 2.7 billion single-use plastic cutlery items and 721 million single-use plates are used annually, with only a meagre 10% being recycled.  Plastic Pollution

These items, if lined up, would circle the globe more than eight-and-a-half times.

The public has overwhelmingly supported these measures, with 95% of respondents in favour of the prohibitions following a government consultation. This broad support reflects a shared commitment to reducing plastic waste and littering, particularly as plastic cutlery ranked among the top 15 most littered items in the country in 2020.

Collaboration and future initiatives

The government has worked closely with industry stakeholders to facilitate their transition to compliance with the new regulations. Businesses were provided with nine months from the publication of the consultation response to prepare and deplete existing stock.

Collaboration with trade bodies and local authorities has also played a crucial role in ensuring businesses and Trading Standards officers are well-prepared for the implementation of the new rules.  Plastic Pollution

The ban does not extend to single-use plastic plates, trays and bowls used as packaging in shelf-ready pre-packaged food items. These items will be addressed within the government’s plans for an extended producer responsibility scheme, designed to incentivise producers to minimise packaging and meet higher recycling targets.

These new measures are part of the UK government’s broader commitment to combat plastic pollution and eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

Prior actions included banning microbeads in personal care products in 2018, restricting the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds in 2020 and introducing the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022.  Plastic Pollution

More…

UK implements new restrictions on single-use plastics

Recycling Technology – Petrochemicals Polymers – German industrial orders rebound in August but outlook uncertain  09-10-2023

Plastic Pollution

Petrochemicals Polymers – German industrial orders rebound in August but outlook uncertain 09-09-2023

Petrochemicals Polymers

Petrochemicals Polymers

  • Polymers : PET – r-PET – Filament grade semidull chips -Filament grade bright chips – Ny6 – Ny66 – PP
  • Feedstocks  PX – PTA – MEG – CPL – Adipic Acid – Benzene – ACN – Ethylene – Phenol – Naphtha
  • Textile : Polyester POY – DTY – FDY – PSF – Recycled Polyester POY – Nylon POY – DTY – FDY Spandex 20-30-40 -Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  Acrylic Staple Fiber 

Petrochemicals Polymers

Petrochemicals Polymers

Polyestertime
ITEM 02/10/2023 09/10/2023 +/-
Bottle grade PET chips domestic market 7,200 yuan/ton 7,025 yuan/ton -175
Bottle grade PET chips export market 905 $/ton 890 $/ton -15
Filament grade Semidull chips domestic market 7,100 yuan/ton 6,980 yuan/ton -120
Filament grade Bright chips domestic market 7,170 yuan/ton 7,010 yuan/ton -160
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA domestic market 6,240 yuan/ton 6,005 yuan/ton -235
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA export market 790 $/ton 760 $/ton -30
Monoethyleneglycol MEG domestic market 4,050 yuan/ton 4,025 yuan/ton -25
Monoethyleneglycol MEG export market 470 $/ton 467 $/ton -3
Paraxylene PX FOB  Taiwan market

Petrochemicals Polymers

 1,117 $/ton 1,050 $/ton
 -67
Paraxylene PX FOB  Korea market 1,094 $/ton 1,027 $/ton -67
Paraxylene PX FOB EU market 1,250 $/ton 1,250 $/ton –
Polyester filament POY 150D/48F domestic market 8,050 yuan/ton 7,900 yuan/ton
 -150
Recycled Polyester filament POY  domestic market 7,550 yuan/ton 7,550 yuan/ton –
Polyester filament DTY 150D/48 F domestic market 9,350 yuan/ton 9,150 yuan/ton -200
Polyester filament FDY 68D24F

Petrochemicals Polymers

 9,200 yuan/ton 9,100 yuan/ton -100
Polyester filament FDY 150D/96F domestic market 8,650 yuan/ton 8,500 yuan/ton -150
Polyester staple fiber 1.4D 38mm domestic market 7,800 yuan/ton 7,620 yuan/ton -180
Caprolactam CPL domestic market 13,000 yuan/ton 12,500 yuan/ton
 -500
Caprolactam CPL overseas  market 1,600 $/ton 1,600 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips overseas  market 1,830 $/ton 1,900 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips conventional spinning domestic  market 14,050 yuan/ton 13,500 yuan/ton -550
Nylon 6 chips  high speed spinning domestic  market

Petrochemicals Polymers

 14,900 yuan/ton 14,400 yuan/ton -500
Nylon 6.6 chips domestic  market 19,500 yuan/ton 19,400 yuan/ton -100
Nylon6 Filament POY 86D/24F domestic  market 17,000 yuan/ton 16,500 yuan/ton -500
Nylon6 Filament DTY 70D/24F domestic  market 19,150 yuan/ton 18,700 yuan/ton- -450
Nylon6 Filament FDY  70D/24F  18,100 yuan/ton 17,500 yuan/ton -600
Spandex 20D  domestic  market

Petrochemicals Polymers

 36,500 yuan/ton 36,500 yuan/ton –
Spandex 30D  domestic  market 35,000 yuan/ton 35,000 yuan/ton –
Spandex 40D  domestic  market  32,200 yuan/ton 32,200 yuan/ton –
Adipic Acid domestic market 9,900 yuan/ton 9,800 yuan/ton -100
Benzene domestic market

Petrochemicals Polymers

 8,240 yuan/ton 7,940 yuan/ton -300
Benzene overseas  market 975 $/ton 908 $/ton -67
Ethylene South East market 870 $/ton 900 $/ton +30
Ethylene NWE market 785 $/ton 772 $/ton -13
Acrylonitrile ACN  domestic market

Petrochemicals Polymersv

 10,000 yuan/ton 10,000 yuan/ton –
Acrylonitrile ACN  overseas market 1,200 $/ton 1,200 $/ton –
Acrylic staple fiber ASF  domestic market 14,100 yuan/ton 14,600 yuan/ton +500
Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  domestic market 13,400 yuan/ton 13,400 yuan/ton –
PP Powder domestic market

Petrochemicals Polymers

 7,600 yuan/ton 7,450 yuan/ton -150
Naphtha overseas market  711 $/ton 648 $/ton -37
Phenol domestic market 9,477 yuan/ton 9,112 yuan/ton -365

r-PET high end eco-friendly chips =7,800 yuan/ton  — 7,800 yuan/ton   –

 

Petrochemicals Polymers

German industrial orders rebound in August but outlook uncertain

German industrial orders rose more than expected in August due to a strong increase in computing, electronic and optical products, but the outlook for the sector remains challenging.

Orders rose by 3.9% on the previous month on a seasonally and calendar adjusted basis, the federal statistics office said on Friday.

A Reuters poll of analysts had pointed to a rise of 1.8%.

“This means that incoming orders have stabilised after a two-year decline,” said Ralph Solveen, chief economist at Commerzbank. However, this stabilisation is at a lower level than before and companies will have to gradually adjust their production in the coming months.  Petrochemicals Polymers

The less volatile three-month on three-month comparison showed that new orders were 4.9% higher in the period from June to August than in the previous three months.

The increase in August follows a sharp decline the previous month. The statistics office revised July’s drop to 11.3% compared with June, from a provisional decline of 11.7%.

In August, an increase of 37.9% on the month in the manufacturing of computer, electronic and optical products drove the expansion in industrial orders. The manufacturing of electronic components was largely responsible for the increase, the statistics office said.

Foreign orders were up 3.9% on the month and domestic orders rose by 4.0%, the data showed.  Petrochemicals Polymers

“The weak external environment and the high level of uncertainty in Germany still call for caution,” said Bastian Hepperle, senior economist at Hauck Aufhaeuser Lampe Privatbank. He said the weak period in the manufacturing sector was likely to continue.

Despite the positive data for August, Germany’s manufacturing sector, which accounts for about a fifth of its economy, remains mired in a downturn.

More…

German industrial orders rebound in August but outlook uncertain

Geneva Motor Show (GIMS) in Qatar

Sheikhs from oil to electricity. And they take Ginevra to the desert

From oil to electricity, even sheikhs change. The car is not the end, but the means to get into. Just as the rest of the world seems to want (or have to) go down: investing on four wheels is now officially the new frontier of the richest Arab countries. The strategy is always the same: attract the best to your home, exactly as has already happened for football and other forms of business. Nothing is impossible, nor too expensive for them. Not even carrying Guinevere into the desert.  Petrochemicals Polymers
This is exactly what is happening, given that the most prestigious and oldest car show in the world, after a few years of trouble, increasingly lukewarm participation from manufacturers and cancellations due to Covid, opened its awaiting Middle Eastern edition on Saturday in Doha to return to Switzerland next February. The Geneva Motor Show (GIMS) in Qatar – which will be organized every two years and always in conjunction with the Formula 1 Grand Prix – is not a scandal at all but a sign of the times, with a fundamental variant.  Petrochemicals Polymers
The idea of Middle Eastern countries is to ride the change in global mobility and invest the money earned from oil and natural gas in renewables and electric cars. The desire, in many cases, is to support a foreign brand and then find a way to also invite it to build its cars in the Emirates, contributing to the growth of the local economy.
Rich Arab entrepreneurs continue to buy European luxury cars to show off behind the wheel on the Corniche in Doha or at the Dubai Marina, where Ferraris and Lamborghinis, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces circulate as if they were giving them away: traditional custom-built cars remain a status symbol here. But this attraction, which was also reflected at the level of investments for Gulf companies that purchased shareholdings in traditional brands, seems to be over. Today, with the ecological transition, Arab funds are looking less and less at Europe and more and more at China, master of the electric car with its brands, still little known in our latitudes but very popular elsewhere.  Petrochemicals Polymers
CYVN Holding, for example, recently signed a deal to buy 7% of NIO. The Abu Dhabi government fund will thus contribute to giving an injection of liquidity (700 million euros) to the Shanghai company. While the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia has declared that it is ready to invest around 5 billion euros in Human Horizons, a Chinese brand that has recently made its debut in Europe with two premium electric cars under the HiPhi brand.
Not only participations, but also production. It happened with Iconiq Holding Limited, a startup founded by Chinese entrepreneur Allen Wu in 2016 and purchased in 2022 by NWTN, a Dubai-based company financed by Sultan Investments, a giant in the Emirati real estate sector. NWTN has built a factory in China and one in Dubai where it assembles cars coming from China. Saudi Arabia, which is already ready to debut on the market with Ceer, the first brand of the monarchy which is part of a joint venture between the sovereign fund Pif and the Taiwanese multinational, is also the main investor of the American Lucid Motors which has received an order for 100 thousand vehicles over ten years from local authorities, and which will produce its 100% battery-powered vehicles in a factory near Jeddah, near the Red Sea. The initiative is part of the program launched by the Riyadh government to diversify the local economy and achieve, by 2030, a 30% sales mix covered by battery-powered cars.  Petrochemicals Polymers
It is normal, with these premises, that a country like Qatar brings home the most famous event dedicated to the sector, with the participation of many Chinese manufacturers alongside Toyota, Kia, Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini, Mercedes and BMW which here they obviously brought their most luxurious models (but not only) and 10 world “firsts”. «We have created a completely new car festival, respectful of the Geneva tradition but with an innovative format – explains Sandro Mesquita, CEO of GIMS who has signed an agreement with the Qatari authorities for 5 editions over the next ten years -. No longer just an exhibition, but dynamic tests on the track and in the desert for the public.”
But Doha is focusing on broader projects.  Petrochemicals Polymers

«For our country – explains the Qatari Minister of Tourism Saad Bin Ali Kharji – the GIMS is the most prestigious and influential automotive experience in the Middle East. An important step also in terms of hospitality in the strategy that will help us become the fastest growing destination in this part of the world by 2030.”

Petrochemicals Polymers

Petrochemicals Polymers

Recycling Technology – Petrochemicals Polymers – German industrial orders rebound in August but outlook uncertain  09-10-2023

Recycling Technology

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Petrochemicals Polymers – German industrial orders rebound in August but outlook uncertain 

More…

Recycling Technology

Toray Develops Glass Fiber-Reinforced PPS Recycling Technology

Matches performance of virgin content, reduces CO2 emissions

Toray Industries, Inc. has developed a technology that makes it possible to recycle glass fiber-reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS-GFRP) whose performance matches initial performance of virgin resins. By Increasing recycling ratio of PPS GFRP, it will contribute to reducing CO2 emission.  Recycling Technology

PPS resin is an engineering plastic with excellent heat resistance and chemical resistance. More than 90% of PPS resin is glass fiber reinforced and applied for various types of industrial applications. Also, PPS resin has excellent insulation resistance. It is applied for electronic parts such as semiconductors and EV parts. Demand of PPS resin is expected to increase along with these applications and the need of PPS recycling reins.

The conventional process for recycling PPS-GFRP shortens glass fibers and breaks them. This significantly decreases mechanical strength. To meet the performance requirements of resin molded products, manufacturers generally apply them in applications with lower quality requirements.  Recycling Technology

This makes it difficult to increase the recycling ratio of PPS resin.

Toray developed pellets for recycling materials by leveraging proprietary compounding technology to blend PPS resin with special reinforcing fibers. Blending these pellets with recycled material makes it possible to maintain comparable performance with virgin material and can be applied to same application, such as horizontal recycling and expected to be used for various applications.

This technology can deliver comparable mechanical strength with injection grade moldings wholly made with virgin material. This is even when recycled material accounts for 50% or more of the PPS-GFRP. Another benefit of 50% recycled content is that it reduces CO2 emission by at least 40%.  Recycling Technology

The company is working on technologies to broaden variations by designing different resins and additives in pellets for recycling materials. It looks to supply recycled PPS- GFRP pellets after engineering optimal pellet blend ratios and formulations that meet customer demand requirements and by drawing on Materials Informatics-based prediction technologies.

Collaborating with several molding companies and other business partners, Toray has already embarked on closed recycling initiatives with its technology. One move has been to supply customers with recycled PPS-GFRP pellets blended with those for materials recycling based on process remnants from customer plants. The company is also conducting tests to verify horizontal recycling and prepare for commercialization with cooperations from customers.  Recycling Technology

Toray plans to seek more partners to create a recycling scheme and will foster the use in open recycling for materials recovered from the marketplace, thus helping to realize a sustainable economy. A first step will be to develop sample work, primarily for customers in Japan, thereafter, launching offerings under Ecouse, Toray’s integrated brand for recycled materials and products.

One goal of the Toray Group Sustainability Vision for 2050 is to contribute to a world in in which resources are sustainably managed.  Recycling Technology

Recycling Technology

Coca-Cola India has expanded its 100% recycled PET bottles for its packaged drinking water brand Kinley, launching the bottles in pack sizes of 250 milliliters and 750 milliliters for Coca-Cola.

The recycled bottles are manufactured by Coca-Cola’s bottling partners Moon Beverages, and SLMG Beverages. They are made from 100% food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), except for the caps and labels. The recycled plastic is approved by the U.S. FDA and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food-grade recycled material and repurposed into new PET bottles.  Recycling Technology

“PET plastic bottles have value beyond their first life,” Sanjeev Agarwal, chairman, Moon Beverages (part of MMG Group), said in a statement. “Our new bottles made with food-grade rPET are recyclable and can become another bottle giving it another life. Recycled PET is a big move in the right direction to embrace plastic circularity in India.”

The company said it was the first to launch a one-litre bottle made from 100% recycled PET. Coca-Cola now offers the recycled bottles in more than 40 markers. The iconic brand also has a goal, dubbed World Without Waste, to meet 50% of recycled content by 2030.

In addition, Coca-Cola is aiming to collect and recycle the equivalent of a bottle or can for every one the company sells globally by 2030. Plus, it wants to make 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2025.  Recycling Technology

“We produced the first bottle of Coca-Cola in India and are proud to be amongst the first bottlers to produce the rPET variant,” said Paritosh Ladhani, managing director, SLMG Beverages. “We are committed to sustainability and SLMG is enthused to drive meaningful change and build a sustainable future.”

The use of recycled PET in food packaging was approved by the Food Safety Authority of India. Other agencies, including the Government of India’s, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Bureau of Indian Standards, have facilitated the use of recycled plastics in food and beverage packaging.  Recycling Technology

The actions in India follow the Coca-Cola Bangladesh launch of 100% rPET bottles in December 2022 — making it the first market in Southwest Asia to introduce Kinley water bottles in one-liter packages.

Coca-Cola also has a “Return and Recycle” initiative with Zepto that gathers bottles directly from consumers.

More…

Recycling Technology

Mandatory Bottle Return System to be Introduced Next Year

From January 1, 2023, the mandatory bottle return system will start in Hungary. The government’s aim is to enable Hungary to switch to a circular economy as quickly as possible.  Recycling Technology

A mandatory bottle return system will be in place from the beginning of next year, with the decree laid down in the latest issue of the Hungarian Gazette published on Wednesday evening. The products subject to the mandatory return fee include all glass, metal, plastic bottles and cans of beverage products with a capacity of between one deciliter and three liters, with the exception of milk and milk-based beverage products.

Manufacturers are obliged to place a legally required marking on these products, the communications department of the Ministry of Energy announced.

Anikó Raisz, Secretary of State responsible for environment and circular economy, stated that this system will contribute to Hungary achieving a 90 percent PET bottle recycling rate in a few years.  Recycling Technology

The fee for mandatory returnable non-reusable beverage packaging will be HUF 50 (EUR 0.13) per item.

For products and refillable bottles with a voluntary return fee, the manufacturers will determine the amount that customers can get back after returning them.

The mandatory return of the bottles must be provided by reverse vending machines in groceries with a sales area of more than 400 square meters, and mandatory return points in municipalities with more than 1,000 inhabitants. Retail outlets that are obliged to operate reverse vending machines will soon be able to register at MOHU MOL Waste Management Zrt., while stores with smaller sales areas can join the system on a voluntary basis.  Recycling Technology

More….

Mandatory Bottle Return System to be Introduced Next Year

Polyplastics launches new material at Fakuma 2023

Polyplastics, a specialist in the development and production of engineering thermoplastics, will launch a new high-performance engineering thermoplastic and a sustainability initiative at Fakuma (Hall B5-Stand B5-5219) in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

During Fakuma, the company will present its latest product portfolio and discuss how it meets the requirements of the medical industry, as well as expectations for environmental sustainability  Recycling Technology

Polyplastics Group will introduce to its lineup SARPEK polyetherketone (PEK), a material solution for metal replacement and applications requiring the highest heat resistance of any injection mouldable resin without requiring post-curing.

SARPEK PEK is an engineering plastic in the upper end of the crystalline super engineering plastic hierarchy, an advancement upon polyetheretherketone (PEEK) that delivers a high crystallisation rate and high moulding efficiency. It also features higher heat resistance and superior strength to replace metals in harsh environments where other crystalline super-engineering plastics fail and metals are heavy and noisy.  Recycling Technology

Meanwhile, Polyplastics’ parent company, Daicel Corp., has undertaken a new sustainability initiative which is trade named CAFBLO. The new bioplastic is a non-edible biomass cellulose acetate resin for injection moulding and extrusion applications. This new brand of cellulose acetate is a marine biodegradable and transparent clear resin. Compared to typical bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA), CAFBLO has well-balanced mechanical and thermal performance which is comparable to acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). CAFBLO absorbs moisture so pre-drying is necessary before moulding.

CAFBLO is made from cellulose acetate, acetic acid, and biodegradable plasticisers. In seawater, these materials are biodegraded by microorganisms and eventually converted into water and carbon dioxide. CAFBLO resins also hold high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.  Recycling Technology

CAFBLO is targeted for a range of uses including 3D printing applications using the melt stacking method (FDM) which can print large-scale parts. This bioplastic can be recycled multiple times with little physical property deterioration during repeated moulding compared to other biodegradable resins.

More…

During Fakuma, the company will present its latest product portfolio and discuss how it meets the requirements of the medical industry, as well as expectations for environmental sustainability 

Committed to the Future of Bioenergies

As renewable, low-carbon resources, bioenergies have a vital contribution to make in reducing emissions, particularly in transportation. Bioenergies are therefore a perfect fit with our ambition to become the responsible energy major. As a pioneer in biofuels for more than 20 years as well as a bioplastics producer, we have a role in the future of the bioenergies sector and the development of all biomass conversion pathways.  Recycling Technology

Bioenergies:Helping to Reconcile Growth and Climate Change

Biomass encompasses all organic material derived from plants, animals and microbes.
Biomass can be converted to produce biofuels and bioplastics, and thereby help meet three major challenges.

Meeting the energy needs of a growing world population

The increase in global energy needs goes hand in hand with global population growth and economic and social development. In the transportation sector, energy needs are increasing by 31% per year. Demand for plastics is growing by 3% annually.

Limiting global warming

According to the 2°C scenario put forward by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world economy must undertake major changes in order to limit energy-related carbon emissions.  Recycling Technology

One of the drivers identified to achieve this shift is an increase in the share of renewable energies, particularly through the development of biofuels.

More than 20% of worldwide CO2 emissions are attributable to transportation. Biofuels, which lower carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50% compared to fossil fuels, are key to reducing this sector’s environmental footprint. Today, biomass represents the only renewable alternative to fossil fuels in the production of liquid fuels, on which transportation still largely depends. A significant amount of legislation has been passed to encourage and channel the development of biofuels.  Recycling Technology

In Europe, for example, 14% of transportation fuel must come from renewable sources by 2030.

Also offering interesting prospects for reducing the environmental footprint is the development of bioplastics. Polylactic acid (PLA) polymers, for example, are biodegradable and less carbon-intensive than conventional polymers.

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Committed to the Future of Bioenergies

New dyeing technology slashes greenhouse gas emissions

DyeCoo’s waterless dyeing technology, operated by CleanDye’s factory in HCMC, generated 58% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional vendors, an independent lifecycle assessment (LCA) commissioned by Adidas shows.  Recycling Technology

As brands like Adidas are reshaping the apparel industry to address climate concerns, technologies such as DyeCoo‘s supercritical CO2 dyeing that reduce both carbon emissions and water pollution are essential. Adidas will, based on these results, incorporate CO2 dyeing into its supply chain.

The LCA was conducted by Sphera, a third-party consultant with a proven track record of producing reliable sustainability reports across several industries.

Sphera compared CleanDye and DyeCoo’s waterless dyeing process to three of Adidas’ conventional fabric vendors to show their difference in carbon footprint, with the results showing CleanDye produces 58% lower carbon emissions.  Recycling Technology

CleanDye’s Ho Chi Minh factory is unique in that it is the world’s first and only textile factory purpose built to exclusive use supercritical CO2 dyeing technology, while completely bypassing conventional water-based technologies that use huge water resources, generate large amounts of waste water and have far higher carbon emissions.

DyeCoo’s technology has received interest from firms all over the world, including manufacturers in Turkey, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, and Central America, as well as large international brands and retailers that seek to reduce their carbon footprint over the coming years.

It received enthusiastic feedback at ITMA, the world’s largest international textile and garment technology exhibition, which was held in Italy in June.  Recycling Technology

During the exhibition, DyeCoo introduced a range of new CO2 dyeing solutions, including a smaller, fully electric CO2 dyeing machine suitable for sampling and small-scale production, as well as an advanced lab system for R&D purposes.

“We are thrilled about this report and that CO2 dyeing is gaining momentum in textile manufacturing,” said Kasper Nossent, Commercial Director at DyeCoo. “We look forward to expanding our technology beyond our current customers to other factories around the world in collaboration with our brand partners.”

Simon Weston, CEO of CleanDye Vietnam, said that the LCA is a testament to the company’s Vietnam facility, where they use sustainable supercritical CO2 technology to deliver high-quality, sustainably manufactured fabric at competitive prices.

CleanDye has already produced fabrics for brands such as Decathlon, Tom Tailor, s.Oliver, Marco Polo, and Bonprix, and many other global apparel and footwear brands are in discussions to incorporate DyeCoo and CleanDye into their supply chains.

“After analyzing the LCA, we have made further improvements to CleanDye’s process, and we are confident that our carbon emissions are even lower than the already impressive LCA figures,” Weston said.  Recycling Technology

According to Kenneth Katz, Managing Director and Head of Asia at TAU Investment Management who is a shareholder in CleanDye and DyeCoo, they already knew that innovation like this was critical.

More…

New dyeing technology slashes greenhouse gas emissions

Textile-to-textile – PCR and Bio-based Closures for Circular Flexible Packaging 07-10-2023

Recycling Technology

Textile-to-textile – PCR and Bio-based Closures for Circular Flexible Packaging 07-10-2023

Textile-to-textile

Renewcell Expands The CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network To 116 Members, Increasing The Marketplace For Textiles Made With CIRCULOSE®

Renewcell, featuring textile-to-textile recycling at scale, announces the expansion of the CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network (CSN) to 116 members, marking a significant milestone in the journey toward a circular textile industry. This expansion brings an infusion of innovation, diversity, and global reach, increasing the number of materials made with CIRCULOSE® that are available to source now.

The CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network, initially composed of 47 yarn and textile producers, has now evolved to include a diverse range of 116 members. Particularly of note is the geographical expansion, with new members joining from regions such as Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Czech Republic.  Textile-to-textile

The extension into the Southeast Asian region reaffirms Renewcell’s commitment to advancing circular fashion on a global scale.

In addition to the geographic diversification, this growth includes onboarding a dozen knitters and more than thirty yarn spinners, enhancing the variety of qualities made with CIRCULOSE® that are available for all brands to source. This expansion signifies a considerable step forward in ensuring that brands worldwide have access to a wide array of materials made with CIRCULOSE®.

A significant development within this expansion is the inclusion of home textile suppliers for the first time, including Sharadha Terry Products, The Kadri Mills, and Yang Tsu. This strategic addition opens up new possibilities for integrating CIRCULOSE® into various facets of the textile industry, reaffirming the network’s adaptability and potential.

Patrik Lundström, CEO at Renewcell, emphasizes the importance of this expansion: “The CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network plays a pivotal role in scaling up the availability of yarns and fabrics made with CIRCULOSE®. With a more diverse network across the textile supply chain, fashion brands now have a broader range of sustainable options to incorporate CIRCULOSE® into their designs.”  Textile-to-textile

“Right now, Sustainability is not just a trend. It’s our need to make the future green,” states Shakaib Nazim, General Manager Marketing at Indigo. “Indigo Textile mill isn’t just a place of production; it’s a hub of innovation for sustainable denim. Our CIRCULOSE® denim fabric range is the perfect fit for style and sustainability. Our next step towards sustainability growth is to convert our core line fabrics with CIRCULOSE® fiber.”

Hatice Ates, Product Design and Development Manager at Ekoten, explains, “At Ekoten Fabrics, we are aware that circularity is the key to the fashion industry’s fight against climate change. We believe that the circularity of the fashion industry will be achieved through timeless designs and sustainable material selection. In this direction, we attach great importance to the use of cellulosic raw materials from secondary raw materials with low environmental impact.

We are delighted to join the CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network, which carries out disruptive innovation endeavors in this field.”  Textile-to-textile

More… Textile-to-textile

Europe has the evidence: China violates the rules on electric cars

Chinese electric cars receive subsidies from the People’s Republic of China, in violation of European Union rules.

Announced a few weeks ago by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles from China has already yielded initial results.

And the situation revealed is what many had suspected: Chinese electric cars benefit from subsidies from the People’s Republic.

This operation violates the European article for “defense against subsidized imports from non-European Union countries.”  Textile-to-textile

Here is the evidence: In the document published on the official website of the European Commission, the evidence supporting the thesis is outlined:

• Direct transfer of funds and potential direct fund transfers or bonds.

• Waiver by the public administration of otherwise due revenues or non-collection of the same.

• Provision of goods or services by the public administration for a consideration lower than the appropriate amount.

Additionally, as reported by the European Commission, “various subsidies, loans, export credits, and lines of credit granted by state-owned banks” are added to these elements.

In summary: the Chinese government subsidizes its manufacturers, economically incentivizing them through favorable loans, minimal or even absent taxation, to export their electric cars.  Textile-to-textile

An Urgent Issue “These subsidies have allowed a rapid increase in the market share of subsidized imports in the EU, to the detriment of the Union’s industry,” the document states, emphasizing how Chinese policies are creating an unfair competitive situation, threatening manufacturers in Europe.

Indeed, pricing is one of the key issues in the global automotive transition, with prices higher than those of conventional models but artificially lowered by the People’s Republic. The evidence available to the Commission also indicates that subsidized import prices are significantly lower than those of the Union’s industry, to the extent that they exert downward pressure on prices or prevent price increases that would otherwise have occurred, consequently putting significant pressure on sales, market shares, and profit margins of the Union.    Textile-to-textile

This is particularly important in a context where the Union’s industry will need to achieve higher sales volumes in the battery electric vehicle market to absorb the substantial investments it must make to remain competitive in the transition to full electrification.

The increased imports of low-priced battery electric vehicles originating from the People’s Republic of China, capturing significant shares of a growing market, would result in heavy losses for the Union’s industry, which could quickly become unsustainable.

Tariffs on the Horizon? The evidence gathered so far does not conclusively resolve the issue, with investigations and discussions expected to continue for some time.

According to European regulations, the maximum limit is set at 13 months, meaning that any conclusions must be presented by the beginning of November 2024.

However, the European Union can begin taking action earlier: according to Union regulations, protective market measures can be implemented within nine months. In other words: customs tariffs.  Textile-to-textile

By doing so, the gap between European and Chinese models would be narrowed, with the latter subject to higher taxes to offset the tax breaks and economic benefits granted by the People’s Republic.

Textile-to-textile

Milliken & Company Brings Plastic Additive Portfolio to ArabPlast 2023

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231005188625/en/

DeltaMax performance modifiers help balance melt flow, impact strength, and stiffness to increase overall performance and enable wider recycled polypropylene (rPP) use. (Photos © 2023 Milliken & Company)

Fortified and enhanced by Milliken’s innovative portfolio, plastics can take on performance-driven characteristics like increased clarity and strength and improved recyclability and emissions reductions, while supporting inter-material replacement opportunities and enabling recycled content utilization during production. Brands and manufacturers can also harness tangible gains from utilizing Milliken’s additive portfolio that help advance their own sustainability goals and metrics. These benefits align with Milliken’s enterprise-wide sustainability goals, including contributing to plastics end-of-life solutions, and reinforce Milliken’s path to achieving its SBTi-verified near- and long-term net-zero targetsSBTi-verified near- and long-term net-zero targets.  Textile-to-textile

“As experts in the field of additive and colorant technologies, Milliken is uniquely positioned to help further the circular economy for plastics with a range of solutions that promote reduction, reuse, recycling and replacement strategies—solutions that very much align with Milliken’s overarching sustainability commitment,” shared Wim Van de Velde, global vice president of plastic additives for Milliken.

ArabPlast attendees can explore Milliken’s leading clarifier, modifier and additive products, including:

  • Millad® NX® 8000 ECO, a clarifying agent for polypropylene (PP) that boosts clarity, enables faster production rates and reduces energy use. This product is certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to provide average energy savings of 10% for the production of injection molded clarified PP parts.
  • Hyperform® HPN®, performance additives for PP, deliver an improved balance in stiffness and impact-resistant properties while reducing energy use. The Hyperform line is certified by UL to enable 5% to 8% energy savings when this product is used as a nucleator when producing thin-wall injection-molded PP container lids and similar PP applications.  Textile-to-textile
  • DeltaMax®, performance modifiers for virgin and recycled PP, is unique in its ability to balance melt flow, impact strength, and stiffness to increase overall performance. DeltaMax helps converters reduce energy by running machines with faster cycle times or lower temperatures.
  • DeltaFlow™ Viscosity Modifiers are solid concentrates designed to specifically help PP recyclers by increasing the melt flow rate of recycled polypropylene (rPP) for extrusion and injection molding processes.
  • UltraGuard™ Solutions are concentrates that improve barrier properties in polyethylene (PE) to enable downgauging for reduced material usage and part weight, allowing designers to create more mono-material products to improve end-stage recyclability.  Textile-to-textile

“We are a technology leader in the plastics ecosystem,” added Van de Velde. “But we understand the importance of collaboration to achieve critical sustainability milestones, which is why we’re working within the industry to envision the future of circular plastics.”

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Textile-to-textile

revalyu Resources Breaks Ground On Its First PET Recycling Facility In The United States

Leaders from revalyu Resources, Heraeus Group, and the Development Authority of Bulloch County were joined by state and local officials to celebrate revalyu breaking ground on their first advanced PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling facility in America located at Gateway Regional Park in Statesboro, GA.   revalyu is investing over $200 million to build a plant capable of recycling 200 million pounds (90,000 metric tons) of post-consumer PET plastic a year.

Customer applications have shown that the quality of recycled PET from plastic bottles is equivalent to that of virgin PET and can be used as a direct replacement. Once converted into high quality recycled PET, revalyu’s rPET chips can be used to produce any kind of sustainable PET product.  Textile-to-textile

Currently, it is mostly used in the textile industry for applications such as seamless knitting, weaving, denim, automotive, furniture or technical textiles.

revalyu has already recycled over 6 billion bottles in India. Due to its unique recycling process based on glycolysis, the quality of revalyu’s rPET (recycled PET) products enables its customers to replace conventional oil-based PET with revalyu’s more sustainable rPET. Compared to conventional PET, revalyu’s rPET is produced using 75% less water, 91% less energy, and saves around 0.7 barrels of oil and 0.2 cubic meters of landfill space per 2000 pounds of PET recycled.

According to Jan van Kisfeld, Managing Director of revalyu, the company plans to recycle the equivalent of 25 million plastic bottles per day at its Georgia facility. He noted that, “Our first plant in the US is a very important step for the global expansion of our company. Our existing and future US customers have a huge demand for our 100% recycled pellets, which are equivalent in quality to conventional oil-based PET pellets. This advanced recycling plant will serve our customers directly from the US, enabling quicker transportation time, lower cost and a smaller CO2 footprint.”  Textile-to-textile

Dr. Vivek Tandon, Founder of revalyu states: “Used PET plastic can now be efficiently, profitably and easily recycled again and again without degradation of quality.  Our already commercialized revolutionary process will transform the PET plastic industry as we know it.  In the years to come, less and less PET will be manufactured from oil as it is replaced by high quality recycled material. I thank Bulloch County for their incredible support, we could not have chosen a better partner for our international expansion.”
Textile-to-textile

Lanxess Mesamoll plasticizer made more sustainable

Reduces carbon footprint; no impact on product quality

Sustainability, plasticizer, plastics, Mesamoll, sustainable raw materials, reduced product carbon footprint, PCF

In an important step towards more sustainability in its plasticizer portfolio, specialty chemicals company Lanxess‘ polymer additives (PLA) business unit now offers a more sustainable solution for its plasticizer Mesamoll. The phthalate-free, well-gelling and saponification-resistant plasticizer can be applied for a wide range of polymers, such as PVC, PUR and rubber.  Textile-to-textile

“The switch to a more sustainable raw material base in the production of Mesamoll is a testament to Lanxess’ commitment to sustainability,” says Karsten Job, head of the Polymer Additives business. “Helping our customers to reduce their carbon footprint while meeting the demands of our customers for phthalate-free, reliable, and performing solutions makes us a front-runner in the market.”

In the future, more than 30% of the input materials for Mesamoll will come from fully sustainable sources resulting in a reduction in the product carbon footprint (PCF) of around 20%. As this is calculated via the mass balance approach by the supplier of the respective raw materials, there is no impact on the product quality or performance of Mesamoll.

“We want to actively shape the transformation of our industry,” says Stefan Tiebach, Head of Global Marketing at PLA. “At Lanxess, we firmly believe in leading by example and that is why we decided to stop the distribution of our conventional Mesamoll and are solely distributing the more sustainable version starting on 1 October, 2023. Our customers will continue to receive the usual product quality with the additional benefit of an improved sustainability profile.”  Textile-to-textile

Lanxess says it is committed to further reduce the PCF for its plasticizer Mesamoll in the future, even though the current, reduced PCF is significantly lower than most alternative plasticizers on the market.

Lanxess is a specialty chemicals company with sales of 8.1 billion Euros in 2022. Its core business is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives and consumer protection products.

The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.

A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.  Textile-to-textile

As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.

The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.  Textile-to-textile

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Lanxess Mesamoll plasticizer made more sustainable

Partnership previews upcoming sustainable packaging to enable circular economy at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023.

Accredo Packaging, a member of the API Group, and Presto Specialty Products, a business unit of Reynolds Consumer Products, came together to create the Child Guard flexible package for retailer Costco’s signature Kirkland Ultra Clean laundry detergent in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which won the 2023 Gold Sustainability award from the Flexible Packaging Association.  Textile-to-textile

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023, the companies previewed a post-consumer recycled (PCR) edition of the Child Guard that has since launched.

The PCR Child Guard is made up of at least 25% PCR materials. The closure is opened by pressing down into a small notch with the mechanism. Pressing down on any other section of the zipper, the flexible pouch will remain closed.

“The level of recycled content inside the zipper helps to enable higher recycled content in the overall structure because it’s all done by weight. We are really excited about the partnership with Presto on that specific and we’ve got some exciting things on the horizon,” says Jonathan Quinn, vice president of marketing and sustainability at Accredo, a vertically integrated converter with a strong focus on sustainability.

Presto’s Fresh-Lock+ is also releasing a new line of closures made from bio-based materials, originating from sugar cane, which absorbs carbon during its growth cycle. These closures can be processed and recycled in the recyclable recovery stream.

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PCR and Bio-based Closures for Circular Flexible Packaging

Netstal presents new brand positioning

Shortly before Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Netstal is presenting itself with a new brand identity. The company has defined the values ‘Leading, Reliable and Value-creating’ as the core of the corporate brand. With a contemporary corporate design, this positioning is intended to be communicated to the outside world.

The self-formulated mission is to sustainably maximise the added value of customers from the strategic application fields of thin-wall packaging, closures, PET preforms and medical technology.    Textile-to-textile

With the new message to the target groups ‘Your best choice’, Netstal also hopes to address new target groups: “Today the shortage of skilled employees is an urgent challenge. More than ever, we want to present ourselves as an attractive employer, retain existing employees and attract new talent,” emphasises Renzo Davatz, CEO of Netstal and member of the KraussMaffei Executive Board.

New logo, new homepage

The heart of the new corporate design is the graphically revised company logo. “In modernizing it, we have been careful to respect Netstal’s long tradition. Clearly recognizable remains the familiar diamond shape, which has been opened up on the sides and forms a harmonious frame for the lettering,” says Michael Birchler, Head of Marketing and Communications at Netstal. “In a figurative sense, this also says that we are opening ourselves up to new opportunities and challenges. These include topics such as digitalisation and sustainability or the conscious use of the valuable plastic material. At the same time, we remain true to our core competence, and that is the injection moulding machine,” adds Renzo Davatz.  Textile-to-textile

On the new Netstal website, customers, partners, and job seekers can gather information and get in touch with the company. In the new download centre, technical data is available for all current series of Netstal injection moulding machines. With user-oriented filter options, the selection can be narrowed down according to application area, drive technology, shot weight and tie-bar distance. The data sheets are available for download with either metric or imperial units of measurement. “We want to reduce hurdles and provide our customers and interested parties with the best possible support in the planning phase. That’s why we are also opening in this regard and making the required data freely available on the internet,” explains Wolfgang Zangerle, Head of Business Intelligence at Netstal.

Injection moulding machines reflect the new look

With the switch to the latest Axos 9 controller generation, Netstal has also applied its new corporate design to the current machine portfolio. The dominant colours of the covers are dark blue and white. Three-dimensional logos in chrome steel look has been designed to emphasise high quality and independence. Large window areas continue to provide insights into the inner workings of the clamping units of the machines, all of which are equipped with toggle lever technology.  Textile-to-textile

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Netstal presents new brand positioning

Plastic Pyrolysis Oil – Microban Launches Ascera™: A Patent-Pending, Cutting-Edge Antimicrobial Technology Inspired By Nature 06-10-2023

Textile-to-textile

Plastic Pyrolysis Oil – Microban Launches Ascera™: A Patent-Pending, Cutting-Edge Antimicrobial Technology Inspired By Nature 06-10-2023

Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

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Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes: Shaping the Future of Plastic Waste Recycling

In the ongoing battle against plastic waste, the need for reliable pricing indicators has become more critical than ever. In a significant development, ICIS, a renowned consulting firm known for its expertise in tracking prices of virgin and recycled plastics and other chemical commodities, has unveiled a groundbreaking service known as the Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes. This innovative index aims to shed light on the pricing dynamics of pyrolysis oil, a product obtained through the chemical recycling of waste plastics. The Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes will be seamlessly integrated into the existing Mixed Plastic Waste – Europe report, introduced in 2021, leading to a name change for the report itself: it will now be known as Mixed Plastic Waste and Pyrolysis Oil.

The existing Mixed Plastic Waste pricing service has already been instrumental in capturing the prices of mixed polyolefin bales and high-plastic-content waste bales, two key sources from which pyrolysis oil is derived.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

With the addition of pyrolysis oil pricing data, this comprehensive index will cover the pricing trends and market dynamics of the two primary methods of plastic waste recycling: mechanical and chemical recycling.

One significant aspect highlighted by ICIS is that pyrolysis oil prices do not necessarily follow the trends observed in equivalent virgin feedstocks. This divergence underscores the unique nature of this emerging market, where reliable and independent price indicators have been notably absent.

As per ICIS Recycling Supply Tracker – Chemical, waste plastic pyrolysis plants, particularly those focused on mixed polyolefins, currently constitute approximately 60% of all chemical recycling capacity in Europe. This sector is poised for remarkable growth, with European capacity projected to increase nearly sevenfold by 2028, reaching approximately 600,000 tons annually based on projects that have reached the final investment decision (FID) stage.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Moreover, when considering projects that are still in the announcement phase but have not yet reached FID, the total capacity for pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste could potentially reach a staggering 1.7 million tons annually within the next five years. This forecast demonstrates the immense potential of chemical recycling in addressing the plastic waste crisis and transforming waste materials into valuable resources.

The introduction of the Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes is a pivotal moment in the field of plastic waste recycling. By providing accurate and up-to-date pricing information for pyrolysis oil, ICIS is empowering stakeholders across the industry with the data they need to make informed decisions. This includes recyclers, manufacturers, investors, policymakers, and environmental advocates who are all dedicated to creating a sustainable future by reducing plastic waste.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

One of the key advantages of the index is its ability to bridge a significant gap in the market. Unlike traditional recycling practices, which often rely on mechanical processes, pyrolysis represents a chemical recycling method. This means that it can handle a wider range of plastics, including those that are challenging to recycle mechanically. Pyrolysis offers a pathway to recycle mixed and contaminated plastics effectively, helping to divert more waste from landfills and incineration.

Additionally, the Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes will promote transparency and stability in the pyrolysis oil market. This is crucial for the industry’s long-term growth and the development of a circular economy for plastics. Transparent pricing mechanisms encourage investment, innovation, and the adoption of sustainable practices, further driving the transition away from linear, disposable plastic consumption.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

As the demand for sustainable solutions to plastic waste continues to grow, the Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes will serve as an invaluable tool for tracking market trends, evaluating investment opportunities, and shaping the future of plastic waste recycling. Its integration into the Mixed Plastic Waste – Europe report underscores the importance of pyrolysis oil as a key component in the evolving landscape of plastic recycling.

In conclusion, ICIS’s launch of the Pyrolysis Oil Pricing Indexes is a significant step forward in addressing the global plastic waste crisis. With the capacity of pyrolysis recycling set to soar in the coming years, the need for accurate and independent pricing information is paramount. This index not only fills that gap but also heralds a new era in the recycling industry, where the transformation of plastic waste into valuable resources is guided by data-driven insights and sustainability principles.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Wood and OMV sign collaboration agreement for plastic recycling technology

Wood has signed a collaboration agreement with OMV for the commercial licensing of its innovative plastic recycling technology, ReOil®. This agreement will support significant advancements in chemical-based plastic recycling, helping to build a circular economy solution for end-of-life plastics that would otherwise be sent to landfill or waste incineration.

OMV, the integrated energy, fuels & feedstock and chemicals & materials company, developed the proprietary ReOil technology to convert plastic waste into pyrolysis oil, a valuable resource primarily used to produce high-performing and sustainable plastics. ReOil offers an innovative solution to support the growth of plastic recycling – it is estimated that around 60% of plastics production will come from recycled feedstock by 2050.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Under the agreement, Wood and OMV will bring ReOil jointly to the market, combining Wood’s proprietary heater technology with OMV’s chemical recycling process. The companies have established a combined technology and engineering delivery team to support clients with the implementation of ReOil at their sites. In addition, Wood will work with ReOil licensees to provide full asset lifecycle support globally.

Craig Shanaghey, Wood’s Executive President of Projects, said: “Building on our excellent long-term relationship with OMV, we are excited to formally partner on the ReOil technology. ReOil is a proven solution to the complex problem of plastic waste and aligns with Wood’s strategic priorities to design a more sustainable future. We look forward to working with OMV to deploy this technology at scale.”  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Daniela Vlad, Executive Vice President Chemicals & Materials at OMV, said: “We are delighted to enter this long-term relationship with Wood to provide a licensing offer which will further enable global licensees to make use of future circular economy solutions. This is in line with our strategic priorities to establish OMV as a leader in renewable and circular economy solutions and diversify our portfolio by entering adjacent products and business areas.”

A ReOil pilot plant has been operating in the OMV refinery in Schwechat, Austria since 2018 and has processed end-of-life plastics for more than 22,000 hours to date. A 16,000 tons per year ReOil plant is currently in construction at the same site and Wood is working with OMV on the development of an industrial-scale plant with a capacity of 200,000 tons per year.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

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Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Arçelik – Bio-attributed polystyrene in the refrigerator

In its commitment to sustainability in the use of plastics, the Turkish appliance manufacturer Arçelik (part of the Koç group) has chosen to use polystyrene grades obtained from biobased raw materials, attributed by mass balance, for some components of its innovative latest generation Bio Fridge refrigerators, such as the internal linings and drawers.
This bio-attributed styrenic resin maintains the same properties and characteristics of its conventional counterpart, being indistinguishable from it, but offers a significant advantage in terms of reducing the carbon footprint. The attribution of renewable raw materials, starting from styrene, and their traceability along the production chain are guaranteed by an ISCC Plus certified mass balance.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil
Trinseo launched two years ago the Styron BIO85 HIPS and Styron BIO95 GPPS grades, produced with bio-attributed styrene, which boast a reduction in product carbon footprint (PCF) of 71% and 84% compared to variants obtained from fossil sources.
Arçelik has made a commitment to achieve a percentage of 40% recycled plastic and 5% bio-attributed materials in all its products by 2030, thus demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Eni’s record discovery: a field of 140 billion cubic meters of gas in Indonesia

Eni has identified a significant gas field in Indonesia, located approximately 85 kilometers off the coast of Kalimantan. This discovery confirms the crucial importance of methane in the context of the energy transition.

Initial estimates indicate that the field, identified by the Geng North-1 well, drilled to a depth of 5,025 meters in 1,947 meters of water depth, in the North Ganal license, has total volumes of approximately 140 billion cubic meters of gas and contains approximately 400 million barrels of condensates.
Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, speaking to CNBC, underlined that gas remains fundamental to meeting ever-growing energy demand, highlighting its importance in several regions such as China, India and Europe.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

He defined the discovery of Geng North as “strategic”, given its proximity to growing markets and its position close to structures already discovered in the past, allowing to consider the start of a new production hub.
Geng North, given its location and size, has the potential to significantly contribute to a new production hub in the northern part of the Kutei Basin, connecting to the Bontang liquefaction (LNG) sites on the East Kalimantan coast.

The Geng North well is adjacent to the Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD) area, which includes several undeveloped discoveries.

Eni’s goal is to achieve a production mix of 60% gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2030, with an increase in proprietary LNG production.

By that date, installed renewable energy capacity is expected to exceed 15 gigawatts through the Plenitude project.

This year, capacity will reach 3 gigawatts.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Recycling CO2 to produce methanol

A question of balance

Reducing global Greenhouse Gases emissions to net zero by 2050 increasingly hangs on our ability to make a significant change in our relationship with CO2. Perhaps the most critical component of the global economy, until now, we have treated it as a waste stream and discarded it in the atmosphere. For the world to end its reliance on fossil fuels, CO2 must instead be treated as a precious resource that we re-cycle and reuse. Carbon will continue to be needed to support human progress, but we must manage it within a closed loop system to make it sustainable.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Since 2006 CRI has pioneered the development of the technology required to produce sustainable methanol from carbon emissions and is rolling it out to help partners achieve industrial scale Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) projects.

Capturing CO2 emissions, combining them with green or recovered H2 to produce methanol and feeding them back into our industrial processes as a renewable energy source and feed stock, provides an accelerated path toward a Circular Economy.

Renewable methanol enables a rapidly growing proportion of the global economy to become carbon neutral using existing processes and infrastructures, by enabling collaboration between different sectors to reduce overall CO2 emissions.

In China, a CO2-producing industry is supplying carbon neutral methanol as raw material for chemical production, instead of emitting.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

In Scandinavia a CO2-producing smelter will soon supply clean burning fuel for maritime transport.

The carbon dioxide challenge

Compared with the pre-industrial era, levels of CO2 in our atmosphere are now 50% higher and still rising. The first 25% of that increase took 200 years, but it has taken only 30 years to double. The primary cause of that increase is our dependence on fossil fuels as an energy source.

The consequence of this sharp rise is going to be global warming and the current levels of CO2 already represent an unavoidable temperature rise, accompanied by environmental effects such as rising sea levels.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

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Recycling CO2 to produce methanol

Repsol selects Honeywell technology for biofuel production in Spain

Honeywell International Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.) announced that Repsol S.A. (Madrid, Spain) has licensed Honeywell Ecofining technology to produce renewable fuels from feedstocks such as used cooking oil and waste animal fat at Repsol’s facility in Puertollano, Spain. Repsol is designing this plant to convert approximately 240,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of waste feeds/feedstocks to renewable diesel and other products.

The Honeywell UOP Ecofining process will provide Repsol with an efficient and high yield solution to produce renewable fuels and petrochemical precursors from residual feedstocks.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

“Renewable fuels are a key pillar in our commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and Honeywell is providing us with the cutting-edge Ecofining technology to accomplish this,” said Berta Cabello, Repsol’s Director of Renewable Fuels. “This will be Repsol’s second plant exclusively dedicated to producing 100% renewable fuels, allowing us to lead the market for these products in the Iberian Peninsula where we already have more than 20 service stations supplying 100% renewable diesel.”

“Honeywell’s Ecofining technology will allow Repsol to economically convert waste feeds into renewable fuels and reduce its carbon footprint,” said Barry Glickman, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions. “Renewable Diesel and SAF can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional diesel or aviation fuel.”    Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

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Repsol selects Honeywell technology for biofuel production in Spain

Microban Launches Ascera™: A Patent-Pending, Cutting-Edge Antimicrobial Technology Inspired By Nature

Microban International is pleased to introduce its latest ground-breaking technology – AsceraTM. This patent-pending, next generation antimicrobial technology uses an active ingredient inspired by nature*, and is designed for use in olefinic polymers and solvent-based coatings. Ascera is sustainable, metal free and less toxic than alternative technologies, and provides the lifelong antimicrobial product protection that Microban is known for around the world.  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

As the global leader in antimicrobial and odor-control technologies, Microban is committed to the development of solutions that support product sustainability by extending their useful lifetimes. Ascera exemplifies the company’s commitment to sustainability by offering lasting product protection while maintaining critical attributes, such as ease of incorporation, safe handling, and good chemical, thermal and UV stability. Ascera will perform for the product’s expected lifetime when applied according to Microban’s standards, effectively inhibiting the growth of odor-causing bacteria to prevent stains and premature aging of the finished product.

“Microban has always led the antimicrobial industry with technological innovations that contribute to product sustainability,” said Dr. Souvik Nandi, Vice President of R&D at Microban International.“In the past decade, regulatory and environmental groups have put increasing pressure on many of the antimicrobial chemistries that are currently used. As a result, Microban has invested significant resources in identifying naturally occurring solutions that are more sustainable and effective. We are very proud to roll out Ascera, which represents the culmination of many years of intensive research. This is the first of an exciting series of nature-inspired solutions that we will be launching in the next few years for different market segments and material types.”  Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

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Microban Launches Ascera™: A Patent-Pending, Cutting-Edge Antimicrobial Technology Inspired By Nature

Hydrogen plastic waste – Carbios’ textile preparation line ‘closes loop’ on fibre-to-fibre recycling 05-10-2023

Plastic Pyrolysis Oil

Hydrogen plastic waste – Carbios’ textile preparation line ‘closes loop’ on fibre-to-fibre recycling 05-10-2023

Hydrogen plastic waste

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Flash method may be solution for hydrogen, plastic waste

Rapid flash joule heating (FJH) of waste plastics produces large quantities of hydrogen gas and high-purity graphene, researchers at Rice University in Houston, Texas, have found, a method that could turn the nascent hydrogen industry on its head if proved to be scalable.

FJH discharges current through a carbon-based product to increase the temperature up to 3,000C within a tenth of a second. The sudden heating reorganizes the product’s chemical bond, converting the carbon-carbon bonds to graphene and releasing the hydrogen.

“We just bore a hole in one of the electrodes and the hydrogen comes spurting out,” says James Tour, Professor of Chemistry, Computer Science, Materials Science, and NanoEngineering at Rice University, founder of 14 companies, and author of over 785 research publications.    Hydrogen plastic waste

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) ‘Earth Shot’ hydrogen strategy aims to create an industry that can make one kilo of hydrogen for $1 within one decade.

“This method solves your 1-1-1 challenge. And we’re at much less than $1,” says Tour.

“You take plastic off the street, you form a material that allows you to use less building material, because you’re strengthening it with the graphene, and you get hydrogen as your byproduct. It’s a tremendous way to go.”

One Tour-founded company, Universal Matter, has headquarters in Canada, the United States, and Britain and is focused on producing graphene from the process.

The company aims to have a demonstration plant in Burlington, Ontario, by the end of 2023.    Hydrogen plastic waste

Tough, flexible, and light

Turbostratic graphene, through the FJH process and without the use of solvents or reactive gases, can be produced from a broad range of carbon-based feedstock material, including recycled plastics, coke, and petroleum, as well as biomass and discarded food waste, Universal Matter says.

Graphene is a tough, flexible, light, nanomaterial with a high resistance. An individual sheet is 200 times stronger than an equally thin piece of steel, says Ford Motor Co., one of the only companies to use graphene at an industrial scale.

“The graphene is mixed with foam constituents, and tests done by Ford and suppliers have shown about a 17% reduction in noise, a 20% improvement in mechanical properties, and a 30% improvement in heat endurance properties, compared with that of the foam used without graphene,” the company said in a statement.

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Hydrogen plastic waste

Carbios’ textile preparation line ‘closes loop’ on fibre-to-fibre recycling

Biochemistry researcher, Carbios inaugurated its textile preparation line at its demonstration plant in France, to turn textile waste from used garments into raw materials suitable for enzymatic recycling.

Carbios’ textile preparation line aims to optimise the sorting and preparation of textiles, especially those with challenging components like zips and buttons, resulting in higher yields and accelerating bio-recycling in the industry.  Hydrogen plastic waste

The biochemistry researcher has developed a highly selective enzyme capable of depolymerising polyester in textile material, which is a challenging task due to the complex nature of textiles.

Enzymatic recycling not only contributes to establishing a textile recycling chain but also promotes textile circularity and allows brands to reduce their reliance on virgin materials.

Key information about the textile preparation line:

  • Textiles (used clothing or cutting scraps) are loaded onto the line, shredded, and have “hard points” (e.g., buttons, zips) removed, resulting in a material suitable for enzymatic recycling
  • 300kg of textiles are processed per hour in a continuous process
  • The patent was filed in 2023    Hydrogen plastic waste

According to Carbios, only 13% of textile waste is recycled globally, with a mere 1% undergoing “fibre-to-fibre” recycling. To address this pressing issue, the patented line streamlines the entire preparation process, encompassing shredding and the extraction of hard points such as buttons or fasteners.

This follows the announcement that starting from 1 January 2025, separate collection of textile waste will be mandatory in Europe, with the European Union targeting a minimum content of recycled fibres in textiles by 2030.

At the inauguration of the line, which took place in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Roland Lescure, French Minister for Industry explained that only 13% of textile waste is currently recycled worldwide, with the majority ending up in landfills or incineration.

He said: “Carbios is contributing to the creation of a French recycling industry and providing a solution – cutting-edge and made in France – to what was until now a real obstacle to textile recycling.”  Hydrogen plastic waste

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Hydrogen plastic waste

Recycling in the car, but in a closed-loop

Beverage producers worried about competition on regenerated materials that could be triggered by the new regulation on end-of-life vehicles.

In July, the European Commission announced measures to encourage the recyclability and end-of-life recycling of motor vehicles, through a new Regulation intended to replace and unify the current Directives 2000/53/EC and 2005/64/EC.
Among the measures proposed by Brussels is the obligation to use recycled plastic in new cars, starting from 2030, for 25% of the total used, of which 25% comes from end-of-life vehicles, therefore in a sort of closed circuit.  Hydrogen plastic waste

However, four organizations representing drinks producers, recycling and environmentalism – Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE), The Reloop Platform, Unesda Soft Drinks Europe and Zero Waste Europe – are wondering where 75% of non-recycled material will come from of automotive origin and what impact it will have on the availability of recycled material for other uses, in this case packaging.

“The experience of recent years suggests that part of the recycled content used to achieve the new objective will come from other sources, including quality ones, such as materials approved for contact with food, therefore with an unwanted downcycling – we read in the signed document by the four organizations -. A further negative effect could arise from the automotive industry’s use of recycled material which would have the potential for continuous recycling in applications that are no longer recyclable, breaking the closed-loop in other sectors.”  Hydrogen plastic waste

The signatories fear that it could create competition on recycled materials, which could jeopardize the ability of other sectors to meet their recycled content obligations imposed by Brussels, as in the case of PET bottles.

“Thanks to the supply chain’s sustained investments in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Deposit Responsibility (DRS) systems – the note continues -, PET beverage bottles boast a fairly high collection and recycling rate. They provide recycled materials of high quality for food use which can then be reused to produce new beverage bottles in a ‘closed loop’, bottle to bottle.” “However, PET bottle recycling is often diverted from other sectors to lower-quality, no-longer-recyclable applications. A downcycling that jeopardizes the ability of drinks manufacturers to meet their obligations under the Single-Use Plastics Directive ( SUP) – 25% recycling by 2025 and 30% in 2030 – and the ambitions of the upcoming Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste”.  Hydrogen plastic waste

The signatories suggest, to prevent these problems, to focus, in the formulation of the regulation on end-of-life vehicles, on closed-loop recycled content objectives, taking into account technical feasibility and foreseeing their gradual revision and expansion over time.

Furthermore, the use of recycled material should be discouraged where this material can be recovered in a closed cycle from other sectors. Finally, the EU Commission proposal should support the principle of ensuring priority access to its own raw materials for recycling in every sector subject to mandatory recycled content targets. In other words, Downcycling should only be allowed when closed-loop recycling is not technically feasible or environmentally desirable.  Hydrogen plastic waste

Recycling in the car, but in a closed-loop Beverage producers worried about competition on regenerated materials that could be triggered by the new regulation on end-of-life vehicles. In July, the European Commission announced measures to encourage the recyclability and end-of-life recycling of motor vehicles, through a new Regulation intended to replace and unify the current Directives 2000/53/EC and 2005/64/EC. Among the measures proposed by Brussels is the obligation to use recycled plastic in new cars, starting from 2030, for 25% of the total used, of which 25% comes from end-of-life vehicles, therefore in a sort of closed circuit. However, four organizations representing drinks producers, recycling and environmentalism - Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE), The Reloop Platform, Unesda Soft Drinks Europe and Zero Waste Europe - are wondering where 75% of non-recycled material will come from of automotive origin and what impact it will have on the availability of recycled material for other uses, in this case packaging. "The experience of recent years suggests that part of the recycled content used to achieve the new objective will come from other sources, including quality ones, such as materials approved for contact with food, therefore with an unwanted downcycling - we read in the signed document by the four organizations -. A further negative effect could arise from the automotive industry's use of recycled material which would have the potential for continuous recycling in applications that are no longer recyclable, breaking the closed-loop in other sectors." The signatories fear that it could create competition on recycled materials, which could jeopardize the ability of other sectors to meet their recycled content obligations imposed by Brussels, as in the case of PET bottles. "Thanks to the supply chain's sustained investments in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Deposit Responsibility (DRS) systems - the note continues -, PET beverage bottles boast a fairly high collection and recycling rate. They provide recycled materials of high quality for food use which can then be reused to produce new beverage bottles in a 'closed loop', bottle to bottle." “However, PET bottle recycling is often diverted from other sectors to lower-quality, no-longer-recyclable applications. A downcycling that jeopardizes the ability of drinks manufacturers to meet their obligations under the Single-Use Plastics Directive ( SUP) - 25% recycling by 2025 and 30% in 2030 - and the ambitions of the upcoming Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste". The signatories suggest, to prevent these problems, to focus, in the formulation of the regulation on end-of-life vehicles, on closed-loop recycled content objectives, taking into account technical feasibility and foreseeing their gradual revision and expansion over time. Furthermore, the use of recycled material should be discouraged where this material can be recovered in a closed cycle from other sectors. Finally, the EU Commission proposal should support the principle of ensuring priority access to its own raw materials for recycling in every sector subject to mandatory recycled content targets. In other words, Downcycling should only be allowed when closed-loop recycling is not technically feasible or environmentally desirable.

Midwest reclaimer rolls out $2 million PP processing line

Plastic Recycling Inc. is now processing post-consumer curbside PP, with an eye toward obtaining an FDA food-contact letter in the near future.

The Indianapolis-based plastics reclaimer is initially sorting and washing about 25 million pounds of PP per year on the system, said Brandon Shaw, marketing manager for Plastic Recycling Inc. (PRI), but the system is modular and can be scaled up easily.

The line, which processes PP bales from materials recovery facilities (MRFs), includes a trommel, metal removal technology, shredding, optical sorting, wet grinding, washing and rinsing steps, float-sink separation, drying and color sorting.

The company is also looking to add sorting robots to produce a stream of PP scrap consisting entirely of food and drink packaging.  Hydrogen plastic waste

PRI has invested millions of dollars in recent years to boost its production capabilities, including by building-out a $3 million lab.

With the investments, including two new extruders that added 60 million pounds of annual capacity, PRI now has the capacity to produce 160 million pounds of recycled plastic, Shaw said.

In terms of post-consumer PP, specifically, the reclaimer can produce about 45 million pounds a year, said Marco Meloni, chief operating officer at PRI.

“We are able now to really respond to all the requests of the market in terms of recycled content, PCR content and virgin plus recycled products,” Meloni said. “So we are able now to give a very wide range of products to the market.”  Hydrogen plastic waste

Commercial-scale production starts

Located at PRI’s 550,000-square-foot compounding facility in Indianapolis, the new PP line is currently running. (PRI also has a 120,000-square-foot scrap processing plant in Indianapolis, as well as facilities in Tennessee and South Carolina.)

Shaw estimated the line cost about $2 million, not counting roughly $1 million worth of equipment already owned by PRI.

PRI has been buying bales for the last three months, with commercial production starting in August. “We’re working with all the big MRFs,” he said.  Hydrogen plastic waste

So far, PRI hasn’t had any trouble sourcing enough PP feedstock, Shaw said, noting that relatively few reclaimers are recycling curbside PP bales, with the market dominated by KW Plastics.

Prices for PP have been low lately, with post-consumer scrap averaging only about 5 cents per pound nationally, according to RecyclingMarkets.net. Throughout 2022, a year that included some high PCR pricing, bales averaged nearly 20 cents per pound, and during the first half of this year, they averaged 7.5 cents per pound.

Virgin pricing has also been low. Citing marketing conditions, plastics producer Braskem recently decided to reduce PP production levels at a plant in Pennsylvania, according to Plastics News.  Hydrogen plastic waste

Shaw acknowledged that there is a “tough market right now economically, but we are playing the long game and using the lab upgrade to create real compounds with the ability to create colors.”

PRI has invested substantially in its lab, which is expected to employ a staff of 17 people conducting testing on raw materials and finished goods, as well as R&D, Meloni said.

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Midwest reclaimer rolls out $2 million PP processing line

Avient India’s specialty material solutions

Polymer materials for sustainability in packaging and tech verticals

Avient Corporation, a global manufacturer of specialized polymer materials, addresses the demand of the rapidly changing market with the development of new specialty materials. The company produces thermoplastic compounds, plastic colorants and additives, thermoplastic resins, vinyl resins, thermoplastic composites, and specialty thermoset composite materials.  Hydrogen plastic waste

As mentioned in Dominique Huret’s article on beverage developments shown at Interpack in this issue, Avient has also been part of the newly developed, Cerac Milky Monsters, a playful small format bottle suitable for children shown in Dusseldorf. She writes, “The preforms come from SGT and were developed in partnership with Avient – a coloring specialist. They are a single-layer dairy preform with a very low mineral content (less than 4%).

“Intended especially for the dairy products market, these preforms incorporate a new Avient additive technology called ColorMatrix Lactra Four One Zero which offers superior whiteness to the bottle and high protection for photosensitive liquids, blocking light up to 99.9%, even with a low wall thickness of 200 microns.”  Hydrogen plastic waste

Speaking about the company’s activity in India, Vikas Vij, managing director of Avient India, said, “We are born of the collective power of two leading innovators — PolyOne and Clariant Masterbatch. The Avient name was derived from the combination of l’avenir – which means the future, vie – which means life, and -ent – a suffix that means to perform, and which can also be heard in the words environment and invent. Our corporate brand position is Challenge Accepted, and we work every day to live and fulfill that promise to all of our stakeholders.”

In September 2022, Avient welcomed more than 1,000 new associates to its new Avient Protective Materials business, further expanding its growing composites portfolio with the globally admired brand of Dyneema, claimed to be the ‘world’s strongest fiber.’

“We have created a next-level specialty material solutions company that addresses the demands of the rapidly changing world that lies before us. We are cutting a new path in the development of specialty materials, one where our distinctive problem-solving passion can have the deepest impact and enable us to conquer the challenges of the future we all share.”  Hydrogen plastic waste

Industrial and tech verticals

Apart from polymer materials, Avient provides technologies that improve the recyclability of products, thus enabling a more circular economy. There are lightweight solutions that replace heavier traditional materials such as metal, glass, and wood, which can improve fuel efficiency in all modes of transportation and reduce carbon footprint. Then come sustainable infrastructure solutions that increase energy efficiency, renewable energy, natural resource conservation, and fiber optic / 5G network accessibility.

In the last quarter of 2023, Avient will launch new technologies in the automotive, E&E, and packaging sectors. These will be showcased at the Fakuma show in Germany from 17-21 October 2023 in Hall B5, Stand 5316.  Hydrogen plastic waste

The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.

A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.  Hydrogen plastic waste

As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.

The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.

Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.  Hydrogen plastic waste

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Avient India’s specialty material solutions

Taiwan encourages companies to invest in Lithuania to deepen bilateral cooperation

Lithuania has solid research capabilities and innovation while Taiwan has commercialisation capabilities and experiences in developing international markets, a Taiwanese official told Euractiv, adding that they would be glad to provide various kinds of facilitation to deepen this cooperation.

The comment comes after Taiwan’s Naonal Science and Technology Council and the Lithuanian Research Council signed a memorandum of understanding on September 22 to strengthen research and development cooperation in lasers, biotechnology, semiconductors, and other areas.  Hydrogen plastic waste

“Lithuania has solid research capabilities and innovation, while Taiwan has commercialisation capabilities and experiences in developing international markets, which will be an essential model for broadening Taiwan-Lithuania economic cooperation,” Alex Liao, director of the Economic Division on behalf of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, told Euractiv.

According to Liao, both countries share the same development direction, as Lithuania has chosen biotechnology and laser as its strategic industries, while Taiwan’s strategic industries include biotechnology precision machinery and semiconductors.

“We encourage enterprises and research institutes between Taiwan and Lithuania to expand contacts and deepen exchanges, and we will be glad to provide various kinds of facilitation,” he said.  Hydrogen plastic waste

Relations between both countries increased after Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open its de facto embassy under its own name, The Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, rather than after its capital city – Taipei.

China heavily criticised the move, which accused Lithuania of violating the one-China principle, according to which Taiwan is an inalienable part of the country. This resulted in China removing Lithuania from its customs registry, blocking shipments, and pressuring international businesses to leave the Baltic country.  Hydrogen plastic waste

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Taiwan encourages companies to invest in Lithuania to deepen bilateral cooperation

Accelerating Circularity working group to tackle textile chemical recycling ambiguity

Non-profit Accelerating Circularity, which focuses on textile-to-textile recycling has created the Alliance of Textile Chemical Recycling (ACTR) working group to give the textile industry a common voice and facilitate accurate information on textile chemical recycling.

The mission of Accelerating Circularity is to create new supply chains and business models to turn textile waste into mainstream raw materials and its new working group aims to share the benefits of chemical textile recycling.  Hydrogen plastic waste

“We formed this collective to move chemical recycling technology forward, share common definitions, and address policies in a collaborative way to maximise the elimination of textile waste to landfills and incineration,” explained Karla Magruder, Founder and President of Accelerating Circularity. “Chemical recycling technology has many benefits, including quality more similar to virgin fibre and the ability to recycle multiple times.”

ACTR plans to provide the industry with information on how textile chemical recycling can:

  • Offer solutions for diverting textile waste to landfill
  • Enable textile to textile recycling versus incineration/landfill
  • Provide sustainably sourced/circular materials
  • Support brand/retailers/producers in achieving their CO2 reduction targets
  • Provide long term price stability and consistent supply of raw materials versus virgin.  Hydrogen plastic waste

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Accelerating Circularity working group to tackle textile chemical recycling ambiguity

Graphene plastic recycling -Is graphene the silver bullet for plastic recycling woes? 04-10-2023

Hydrogen plastic waste

Graphene plastic recycling -Is graphene the silver bullet for plastic recycling woes? 04-10-2023

Graphene plastic recycling

Introducing Radilon® Chill-fit: RadiciGroup’s Innovative Textile Yarn for Enhanced Comfort and Freshness

RadiciGroup, a renowned leader in the textile industry, has unveiled its latest innovation, Radilon® Chill-fit, a groundbreaking nylon yarn designed to maximize the breathability and freshness of fabrics. This remarkable achievement is the result of extensive research and development efforts, culminating in a highly functional nylon yarn that offers optimal thermal regulation without the need for additional treatments.

Radilon® Chill-fit provides users with an enduring sensation of comfort and freshness, ensuring long-lasting wearability while also offering excellent protection against harmful UV rays.  Graphene plastic recycling

This innovative yarn represents a significant leap forward in the world of textiles, setting new standards for comfort, performance, and sustainability.

For the first time, textile enthusiasts and industry professionals will have the opportunity to experience Radilon® Chill-fit firsthand during the autumn edition of Performance Days, a premier trade fair dedicated to showcasing the latest trends and innovations in yarns, fabrics, and accessories. This event is scheduled to take place on October 4th and 5th in Munich, Germany. At the RadiciGroup booth (Stand L17), experts from the Business Area Advanced Textile Solutions will present the full range of the Group’s functional and high-performance yarns, along with their sustainable product offerings aimed at fostering innovation and circularity within the textile industry.  Graphene plastic recycling

Marco De Silvestri, Head of Sales & Marketing for the Business Area Advanced Textile Solutions, emphasized the company’s commitment to optimizing the technical performance of their yarns, as exemplified by the introduction of Radilon® Chill-fit. He also stressed their dedication to enhancing the environmental performance across various sectors, including sportswear, athleisure, workwear, and more, through their special products that are traceable and have a reduced environmental footprint.

Introducing Radilon® Chill-fit: RadiciGroup's Innovative Textile Yarn for Enhanced Comfort and Freshness

Credits : RadiciGroup

De Silvestri further elaborated on their sustainable offerings, mentioning the Renycle®, Repetable®, and Biofeel® product lines, each representing a unique approach to environmental responsibility. Renycle® offers recycled nylon, Repetable® focuses on recycled polyester, and Biofeel® features fibers produced from renewable materials. These solutions significantly reduce CO2 emissions, contributing to a more responsible and sustainable textile supply chain.  Graphene plastic recycling

In discussing the textile industry’s ongoing evolution, De Silvestri emphasized the importance of collaboration and collective responsibility. He highlighted RadiciGroup’s substantial investments in cutting-edge technologies aimed at streamlining processes and enhancing both technical and environmental aspects of their products. These investments begin at the material chemistry level and extend through the production chain, demonstrating the company’s commitment to sustainability from start to finish.

Radilon® Chill-fit is a testament to RadiciGroup’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of textile innovation while prioritizing comfort, performance, and sustainability. Its launch at Performance Days is a significant milestone, showcasing the company’s commitment to providing the industry with groundbreaking solutions that benefit both consumers and the planet. As RadiciGroup continues to lead the way in textile advancements, they remain steadfast in their mission to create a more environmentally responsible and sustainable future for the entire textile sector.  Graphene plastic recycling

Introducing Radilon® Chill-fit: RadiciGroup's Innovative Textile Yarn for Enhanced Comfort and Freshness

Credits : Radicigroup

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Baystar transforms polyethylene production with North America’s first Borstar technology unit

New 625,000 metric ton-per-year PE production unit more than doubles production capacity in Pasadena, TX

Baystar (Bayport Polymers LLC) launches a new era in high-performance polyethylene (PE) production and enhanced sustainability with the start-up of its new Bay 3 polyethylene unit. The new unit is the first of its kind in North America, bringing proprietary Borstar technology from Borealis and more than doubling Baystar’s production capacity in Pasadena, TX.

The Borstar technology brings a transformative approach to production flexibility for manufacturers and converters seeking a broad range of highly customized products for lighter, more durable, more flexible and more efficient plastics. Borstar products are PFAS-free and can enable more than 50% postconsumer recycled material in some end products.  Graphene plastic recycling

Thanks to a broad molecular weight distribution, Borstar PE offers superior physical properties with no need for process aids or additives.

“Bringing our new unit online marks the beginning of an exciting evolution in PE production for the industry as Baystar reimagines what is possible,” says president Diane Chamberlain. “Borstar technology enables our technical, production and sales teams to collaborate in the creation of the highly customized products our customers require to remain competitive and meet consumer demands. This project is the culmination of an enormous investment which began in 2019, and it stands as a testament to the incredible determination, innovation and relentless focus on safety demonstrated by our team and our partners.”

Baystar became a fully integrated polyethene manufacturer in 2022 with the start-up of its new 1 million ton-per-year ethane cracker unit in Port Arthur, Texas, which supplies ethylene feedstock to Baystar’s three PE production units. With a total investment exceeding $1.4 billion, construction of the Bay 3 unit employed over 1,900 on-site workers and will provide full-time employment for an additional 50 skilled workers in the Pasadena region.  Graphene plastic recycling

“We have a product offering second to none, backed by a talented team of experts who came to Baystar to be part of something special,” says commercial director Brad Leesman. “We’re big enough to introduce leading technologies, but small enough to be nimble and highly responsive on behalf of our customers. We look forward to surprising the industry with our new approach.”

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Graphene plastic recycling

Is graphene the silver bullet for plastic recycling woes?

Kjirstin Breure, president of HydroGraph Clean Power Inc., a commercial manufacturer of high-quality graphene and other nanomaterials

If it feels like you’ve been hearing about recycling plastic all of your life, you might be right.
The first plastic recycling mill was built in 1972[1], about the same time as the Environmental Protection Agency was formed. But despite promoting plastic recycling — including spending tens of millions of dollars in advertising, marketing and public relations campaigns[2], as well as lobbying for curbside recycling — the technology to economically recycle plastic didn’t exist.  Graphene plastic recycling
The resin identification codes with which we’re all now familiar were introduced in 1988, and the global waste trade – developed countries shipping their plastic waste to less developed ones for recycling – took off in earnest in the early ’90s[3].
But certain facts have refused to go away, much like plastic waste itself. Plastic recycling has never been a popular practice. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has reported that global plastic use and waste will almost triple by 2060[4]. Meanwhile, plastic waste recycling has fallen from a high of only 9.5% in 2014 to between 5% and 6% in 2021[5]. And the amount of plastic that has been recycled more than once is under 1%[6].
There are a host of reasons to explain this problem.
One is that plastic is expensive to collect and sort. There are seven different identification codes: polyethylene terephthalate (e.g. water and soda bottles), high-density polyethylene (e.g. milk and shampoo bottles), polyvinyl chloride (e.g. cling film wrap), low-density polyethylene (e.g. grocery bags), polypropylene (e.g. microwavable dishes), polystyrene (e.g. plastic cutlery), expanded polystyrene (e.g. takeout food containers) and “other” plastics (e.g. water cooler bottles).    Graphene plastic recycling
These all have different melting temperatures and densities so, if they are melted together, they separate and set into layers. The resulting blend is structurally weak and difficult to shape. They could be melted a second time to separate them, but the cost is prohibitive.
Even when correctly sorted, most plastic can only be recycled between one and three times because heating shortens polymer chains, degrading its strength and quality, hence the term “downcycling” used to describe the process.
When it comes to food-grade plastics, strict packaging requirements also prevent, for example, a water bottle being turned into another water bottle.
And there is the question of colour. Each kind of plastic has a unique mix of dyes and additives that give it specific colours, shapes, toughness and other qualities. To recycle a light-green plastic soda bottle, it needs to be melted down with other soda bottles which are that exact shade of green. Even if the desired colour is black, different shades of black still make sorting mandatory.

What all this means is that the vast majority of plastic, including those that people wash, strip labels from and put into their blue bins, winds up in landfills, is burned (releasing toxic chemicals and pollutants, including microplastics) or dumped in the ocean.
A partial solution can be found in the use of a relatively newly discovered nanomaterial called graphene. Only an atom thick, adding graphene to plastic has a twofold result. First, it improves the plastic’s strength so that it lasts longer and therefore stays out of the trash heap longer. Second, it also improves plastic’s ability to be repeatedly recycled.
When it is correctly added to plastic parts, graphene can improve impact resistance, increase stiffness and allow for thinner cross-sections, reducing material usage. In most cases, only a small amount of graphene, around 0.1% by weight, is needed, making it cost-effective to include.  Graphene plastic recycling
When it comes to recycling plastics, their mechanical properties tend to decrease with each processing cycle. By incorporating graphene, the recycled plastic can regain its strength comparable to new materials.
Additionally, graphene will turn the mixed material’s colour solid black, regardless of its original colour or opacity. This can make the material more desirable as it avoids inconsistencies and off-colour appearances often found in recycled plastics. Graphene could also eliminate the need to sort even black plastics because of the resulting uniformity of colour.
However, not all types of graphene are the same, so it’s important to find the right combination to achieve the desired results.

HydroGraph is playing a significant role in making high-quality graphene available in large quantities with its Hyperion detonation system. This method involves filling a chamber with hydrocarbon and oxygen, igniting the mixture with a small spark, and graphene is formed in the resulting detonation.
The graphene produced using this technology is 99.8% pure, unmatched in quality and quantity. It is currently undergoing testing in various polymer applications worldwide. This system:

  • Can produce graphene of various modifications and morphologies.
  • Is highly energy efficient.
  • Doesn’t require solvents or mined minerals.
  • Can be easily scaled up.  Graphene plastic recycling

The HydroGraph Hyperion system is compact and modular, allowing for easy deployment and enabling integration into production lines at customer sites around the world. It operates as a closed system, minimizing energy consumption and emissions. Each machine has a small footprint of just 2 meters by 2 meters but can produce over 10 metric tons of fractal graphene per year, which can be further customised with additional chemical functionalisation.

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Graphene plastic recycling

McKinsey: rPET availability in the US market needs boost

According to a study by McKinsey, high long-term demand for recycled content in packaging could lead to shortages of recycled packaging materials in the US. Brand owners that are aiming to introduce new packaging formats and establish innovative ways to boost product recyclability and levels of recycled content to meet their sustainable-packaging commitments, address consumer concerns, and adapt to rapidly rising regulatory pressure could face the very real risk that they cannot achieve their goals because of an anticipated shortage of recycled materials: collection levels of high-quality recycled material look set to remain almost flat, creating supply challenges for brand owners and packaging companies, says the study.  Graphene plastic recycling

If brands with public recycled-content commitments follow through on their plans, the US demand for rPET in 2030 would outpace supply by about three times. As the supply-and-demand imbalance widens, the price premium between rPET and virgin PET has the potential to rise significantly over the next decade. The challenge for the industry moving forward will be to unlock additional rPET supply, the experts say and suggest three potential approaches, centered on boosting supply, ensuring access, and designing for circularity, that could also be applicable to other packaging substrates.

The experts have evaluated that today only about 27 per cent of PET bottles and about 18 per cent of all recyclable PET plastic waste is collected, the rest ends up in landfills. In recent years, the collection and sorting of PET has not improved significantly. As a result, rPET supply in North America grew only about 1 per cent per year in 2012-22. While there have been some new entrants in the recovery and reprocessing value chain, process losses have not been significantly reduced. This means that about 4.6 billion pounds of PET ends up in landfills every year.

Rapidly growing demand combined with stagnant supply could lead to a supply-demand imbalance for rPET in the future, the study outlines. Historically, rPET supply has only grown by about 1 per cent per year over 2012-22, while consumption has grown by about 4 per cent per year over the same period. If brands fully deliver on their recycled content commitments by 2030, demand for rPET is expected to grow by about 15 per cent per year between 2022 and 2030, the study says. Over the same period, supply is expected to continue to grow by only about 1 per cent, so that by 2030 demand will be three times higher than available supply.      Graphene plastic recycling

In the future, ESG-driven use of rPET is expected to expand its market share and potentially lead to increasing price premiums as demand for rPET grows. In addition, brand owners may consider switching from other plastics – such as HDPE, PVC and PS – to rPET because it is more recyclable and considered more accessible compared to other plastics. This could lead to another supply shortage, the experts caution.

As future rPET availability will be determined by a combination of supply, demand and regulatory factors, packaging industry leaders should consider three meaningful ways to increase rPET availability, according to McKinsey:

Boost supply: With more than 80 percent of PET waste going unused, opportunities exist across the value chain to boost PET recovery, from collection through to sorting and processing. Given that recycling programs are often organized at the local level, there are opportunities to form public‒private partnerships to increase local collection rates in areas with underfunded or nonexistent curbside recycling.  Graphene plastic recycling

The Recycling Partnership, for example, is an organization that makes private investments in public recycling programs, with the aim of increasing the supply of recycled plastics. At the same time, investments in advanced sortation equipment at material recovery facilities are an additional avenue to increasing rPET supply. McKinsey also note that in some countries (such as the Nordic countries), national and state-level policies such as extended producer responsibility or deposit-return schemes are having a measurable influence on rPET supply.

More…

Graphene plastic recycling

Plastic Omnium – In France, composite hydrogen tanks

Plastic Omnium is building Europe’s largest plant for high-pressure tanks for trucks and buses. composite hydrogen tanks Plastic Omnium The French group Plastic Omnium has started construction work on a new plant for the production of high pressure tanks (type IV) in composite material with fiber in Lachelle, in the department of Oise (Northern France). of carbon for hydrogen storage, intended to be installed on industrial vehicles and buses. With an investment estimated at 150 million euros and an annual production capacity of 80 thousand tanks, obtained through filament winding, once completed it will be the largest European plant. It will supply vehicle manufacturers such as Stellantis and HYVIA, creating 150 to 200 new jobs.  Graphene plastic recycling

Plastic Omnium - In France, composite hydrogen tanks

The works will be completed by the end of 2024. The company created the new Plastic Omnium New Energies division early last year and currently has a pilot plant in Belgium. Two more tank factories will be launched by the group in Shanghai (China) in 2026 and in Michigan (United States) the following year. From 2015 to today, the French group has invested over 400 million euros in this segment. Type IV tanks are designed for pressures from 350 to 700 bar. They are produced by the French group starting from a blown liner in thermoplastic resin, subsequently wrapped with carbon fibers impregnated with resin. The result is a highly resistant and at the same time lightweight container.

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim to present  product and process solutions at Fakuma 2023

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim will present  product and process solutions that the company claims make both the compounding and the recycling of plastics markedly more efficient and increase the product quality achieved.

One eyecatcher at Fakuma booth 6312 in Hall A6 is the preconfigured ProRate, PLUS-S feeder. It serves as a representative of Coperion’s comprehensive technology and process expertise in all compounding tasks.  Graphene plastic recycling

From raw material handling to conveying, feeding, melting, dispersing, homogenizing and devolatilizing up to pelletizing, Coperion delivers both high-efficiency individual components as well as complete systems.

The added value from the merger of Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim, specialist in mechanical recycling of plastics and plastic waste, is evident at the booth in a virtual PET recycling plant that both companies have created. This virtual plant presents one of the complete solutions for plastics recycling that Coperion, together with Herbold Meckesheim, is now making available from a single source. It demonstrates the entire process and at the same time allows a glimpse into numerous key components and their functions.

Moreover, rotors from Herbold Meckesheim granulators will be on display in several sizes and for various applications.

The rotor concept with the cutting geometry is a decisive reason for the high efficiency of Herbold Meckesheim’s granulators. Graphene plastic recycling

Plastics Recycling Plants from A Single Source

Along with individual components, Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim now build entire systems for plastics recycling. From mechanical processing – size reduction, washing, separating, drying and agglomerating of plastics – to bulk material handling as well as feeding and extrusion all the way to compounding and pelletizing, such plants cover the entire plastics recycling process chain. Since their merger, both companies have continued to develop and optimally attune their technologies for individual process steps so that entire systems excel in operation with extremely high efficiency.

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim realize solutions for mechanical recycling of post-industrial and post-consumer waste, chemical recycling, solvent-based recycling, and deodorization, tailored to the type of plastic being processed. Representative of their expertise in these various plastics recycling processes, Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim will be showing a PET recycling plant simulation at Fakuma 2023. Booth visitors can look directly into all process steps and view the construction and functionality of key technologies.  Graphene plastic recycling

Pivotal for the high efficiency of Herbold Meckesheim’s granulators are both the rotor concept and the cutting geometry, individually adapted for the task and the raw material. Herbold Meckesheim granulators work with true double cross cutting action: not only the rotor knives are mounted at an inclined angle, even the stator knives are creating a clean cut with a constant gap across the entire knife width.  The end product is a regrind with very good flow characteristics, low fines percentage, and high bulk density that can be easily reintroduced into the process. Various rotors from Herbold Meckesheim granulators will be available to view at the booth.

Smart Solutions For More Efficiency In Classic Compounding Tasks

At Fakuma, Coperion will also present versatile and efficient uses of its ZSK and STS twin screw extruders as well as its feeding and conveying technologies in classic and forward-looking compounding tasks.  Graphene plastic recycling

Coperion technologies are ideally suited for manufacturing demanding compounds such as bioplastics. Due to the number of possible base polymers and the variety of recipes, bioplastics manufacturing creates very high demands upon compounding technology. Coperion has already supplied numerous systems for the production of bioplastics. The company’s comprehensive process expertise is leveraged to design each process step such that the required mechanical properties of bioplastic end products are achieved.

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim to present  product and process solutions at Fakuma 2023

Ampacet introduces PERMSLIP 1409, low COF permanent slip masterbatch solution

Global masterbatch leader Ampacet has introduced PERMSLIP 1409, a non-migrating permanent slip solution for trouble-free flexible packaging conversion.

Film and packaging manufacturers always look for efficient and trouble-free operability during film manufacturing and conversion. Conventional permanent slip additives face some limitations like the achievable slip performance and the transfer of the active agent on the opposite packaging side.  Graphene plastic recycling

Ampacet PERMSLIP 1409 outperforms conventional permanent slip masterbatches by offering low and consistent slip behaviour with Coefficient Of Friction (COF) between 0.20 and 0.25. When film is under a roll form, the additive remains on the additivated side and has no influence on the properties of the opposite side after unwinding.

Ampacet PERMSLIP 1409 represents an excellent solution for trouble-free flexible packaging operability.

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Ampacet introduces PERMSLIP 1409, low COF permanent slip masterbatch solution

The Rising Tide of Battery Recycling: A Tale of Success and Opportunity

Something amazing is happening in the battery world: Battery recycling rates are steadily rising thanks to smart industry initiatives and growing consumer awareness. The lead-acid batteries used in cars, for example, boast a remarkable 99% recycling rate in the U.S., which is twice the recycling rate of aluminum cans. Lead car batteries have become the most recycled consumer product, with approximately 160 million batteries collected and recycled each year, preventing millions of tons of lead and plastic from ending up in landfills. This success story is a result of coordinated efforts between battery manufacturers, recyclers, and governments who have worked together to establish the necessary infrastructure and incentives for recycling.  Graphene plastic recycling

As the world moves towards a future dominated by lithium-ion batteries (LiB) powering various devices, the achievements in lead battery recycling offer hope in an industry where LiB recycling rates currently languish around 5% to 15%. With the expected increase in electric vehicle adoption, LiB waste is projected to exceed 20 million tons per year by 2040. However, this also presents a significant opportunity if recycling efforts can be scaled up. Despite the challenges of collecting and transporting used batteries, the value recovered from these batteries is substantial.

Efforts are already underway to scale up LiB recycling. One notable example is the investment in Redwood Materials and their recycling infrastructure. Redwood Materials has received over $1 billion in Series D funding and a $2 billion loan from the Department of Energy, providing the company with the capital to expand its recycling capacity. While the journey to widespread LiB recycling may take time, the lead battery industry serves as a template and a source of inspiration.  Graphene plastic recycling

Lead batteries exemplify the concept of recycling as a core principle rather than an afterthought. These batteries are designed to be recycled in a closed-loop system, with their three main components – lead, plastic, and acid – engineered for repeated recycling without any loss of performance. An average new lead battery comprises 80% recycled material, with 83% of the lead sourced from North America. The plastic casings also find new life, creating near-perfect loops of circulation.

The lead battery industry has built a network of manufacturing facilities, collection sites, and recyclers across the country that keeps lead in continuous circulation. It took time and persistence to establish this ecosystem, with industry groups playing a vital role in bringing stakeholders together and promoting responsible battery management practices. Beyond waste  Graphene plastic recycling

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The Rising Tide of Battery Recycling: A Tale of Success and Opportunity

Clothing microplastics polluting – In Emmen the solution must be invented for polluting microplastics in clothing 03-10-2023

Graphene plastic recycling

Clothing microplastics polluting – In Emmen the solution must be invented for polluting microplastics in clothing 03-10-2023

Clothing microplastics polluting

Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

Crude Oil Prices Trend by Polyestertime

In Emmen the solution must be invented for polluting microplastics in clothing

In the world, 50 million tons of synthetic fibers for clothing are made every year and almost all of it ends up in the environment © serge vinkenvlieg/RTV Drenthe
The solution must be found for polluting microplastics in Emmen. One of the biggest culprits? The polyester in our clothing. Innovation company Senbis is now conducting research into a biodegradable variant. “If this invention is successful, everyone will soon wear responsible clothing, which, just like Bluetooth, was developed in Emmen.”
“The holy grail we are looking for is clothing,” explains Senbis director Gerard Nijhoving. “Sixty percent or more of our clothing consists of polyester. That is, plastic. Clothing wears out during wearing and washing. Look in the dryer to see how many fibers remain after a wash. That is what you can see. What you cannot see is the much smaller particles, the micro-plastics. These end up in the surface water and the environment via wastewater and sewage treatment,” says Nijhoving. And when you throw away an item of clothing, you are actually throwing away petroleum.  Clothing microplastics polluting
Microplastics are killing
The clothing example is just the tip of the iceberg. Wherever we use plastic made from oil that then ends up in the environment, pollution is ultimately created by tiny pieces of plastic. Think of mowing trimmers, fishing nets, plastic that we throw away, wear and tear on car tires. And there are also numerous care products that contain microplastics: facial scrub or toothpaste, for example. The list is endless.
Ultimately, all those invisible particles of plastic end up in nature, in animals or in ourselves. For example, via the water purification system, which will never be able to remove those tiny pieces of plastic. Nijhoving: “Fortunately, it has been banned in cosmetics since this week. It has to be. It has already been shown that microplastics are now in our blood.”
While Senbis is now focusing on the invention of a biodegradable variant for polyester, it has already found solutions for the mowing trimmer, fishing nets and plastic granules for artificial grass sports fields. These are now all biodegradable thanks to the smart minds at the company at Getec Park in Emmen.  Clothing microplastics polluting
Huge collaborative project
Senbis does not do it alone. Education and knowledge institutions are participating in the search for ‘the invention.’ NHL Stenden in Emmen, the University of Groningen, the University of Wageningen and TNO are working together to bring together the right molecules to find a replacement for polyester. Nijhoving: “We will also use artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate our research and help us think about the molecules.” The project is called BIOTTEK: Biopolyesters In Research for a Future-Proof Transition of Emmen and the Plastics Industry.
Nijhoving hopes that the first invention will be available within three years. That’s going to be quite a job. According to the director, there are already quite a few bioplastics, but they are still in their infancy compared to all other types of plastics and especially the properties they have. “We have to make our new artificial yarn so that the clothes do not shrink in the wash or melt during ironing.”  Clothing microplastics polluting
Just Transition Fund
Senbis’ search will cost 6.6 million euros. 3.3 of these come as a subsidy from Europe via the province. “That money comes from the Just Transition Fund, which is one of the multi-year European subsidy programs,” says Economy Representative Willemien Meeuwissen. “It is a ‘fund for a just energy transition’, intended for areas most affected by the transition from a fossil to a green economy. With this, the European Union wants to reduce socio-economic inequality. This subsidy for Senbis is the first in Drenthe “, says Meeuwissen.
The North jointly received 330 million for the research. Emmer councilor Guido Rink is determined to have approximately 25 million of this end up in Southeast Drenthe. And these do not all have to be mega-large and complicated studies such as those carried out by Senbis, SMEs can also join in with plans and ideas.
Senbis and the researchers received 3.3 from Europe for research into biodegradable artificial yarn © serge vinkenvlieg/RTV Drenthe  Clothing microplastics polluting
Long history
According to Nijhoving, it is not surprising that the search for biodegradable artificial yarn and ultimately complete organic artificial yarn takes place in Emmen. The AKU, AKZO and nylon stocking factory Danlon were once companies here, all of which were involved in plastic and synthetic fibers. “We ourselves come from the research department of AKZO. AKZO sold everything in the 1990s, the aramid yarns went to Teijin, nylon to DSM and polyester fibers to Diolen. All Emmen. Diolen went bankrupt in 2008 and we are now with sample drawer Clothing microplastics polluting
Clothing microplastics polluting

Traceless secures €36.6m in series A funding round

Germany-based bioeconomy start-up Traceless has secured €36m in a series A funding round led by private equity fund UB Forest Industry Green Growth Fund (UB FIGG) and Swen CP’s Blue Ocean fund. UB FIGG invests in sustainable and resource-efficient forest and bio-based industries; the Blue Ocean fund invests in innovations that help address the three existential threats to ocean health. A local banking syndicate consisting of GLS Bank, Hamburg, and Hamburger Sparkasse also participated in the financing round, as well as the company’s three existing investors, green-tech investor Planet A Ventures, seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and deep tech investor b.value.

“The Blue Ocean fund seeks to invest in startups bringing innovative solutions to address the 3 main threats to our ocean: overfishing, ocean pollution and climate change. As plastic pollution is one of the main pollutants threatening our ocean, we were seduced by Traceless,” said Olivier Raybaud, managing director of SWEN Capital Partners.

“The traceless team has achieved extremely strong results in terms of material performance, development times and commercialisation of the new material. We are looking forward to accompanying Anne, Johanna and the team in the scale up of this innovative technology,” added Sakari Saarela, partner at UB FIGG.

Founded in 2020, Traceless has developed a certified completely bio-based, home-compostable, and plastic-free material that uses agricultural residues as feedstock. It contains no potentially harmful chemicals and has a minimal ecological footprint: compared to plastic, 91% of CO2 emissions and 89% of fossil energy requirements are saved during production and disposal. Traceless materials are available as a granulate that can be further processed using standard processing technologies and is suitable for applications ranging from rigid moulded parts and flexible films to paper coatings or adhesives.
Traceless materials will use the funding from the round to build a demonstration plant in Hamburg – its first production facility at industrial scale.
“Through scaling our innovative technology, we prove that a climate-friendly, circular, resilient and regenerative industry is possible. With our novel biomaterial, we can make a significant contribution to solving plastic pollution,” said Anne Lamp, co-founder & CEO of Traceless

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Traceless secures €36.6m in series A funding round

KHS exhibits cutting-edge filling equipment and resource-conserving packaging systems at BrauBeviale

Nature MultiPack with new universal adhesive for PET bottles

After a four-year break the beverage industry returns to Nuremberg: at BrauBeviale from November 28 to 30 KHS will be presenting its extensive portfolio of cutting-edge filling technology and resource-conserving packaging systems. The modular Innofill Glass DRS ECO filling system will be the center of attention at KHS’ trade show booth – a veritable success story whose consumption values and product quality prove convincing. Nature MultiPack (NMP) is also setting standards as one of the most sustainable types of secondary packaging currently on the market. Following the introduction of a universal adhesive for the beverage can segment, in the future KHS will now be offering this for PET, too. The KHS portfolio is rounded off by a number of digital service products, among them intelligent systems for remote diagnosis and maintenance and a range of additional virtual training courses.  Clothing microplastics polluting

From the beverage can to the PET bottle: the universal Nature MultiPack adhesive is now also available for plastic containers.Photo – KHS

The last successful trade show in Nuremberg in 2019 attracted around 40,000 visitors from 138 different countries of the world. For KHS as the second-largest exhibitor, this is reason enough to present the global beverage industry with its latest developments, as Kai Acker, CEO of KHS GmbH, emphasizes: “We’re very excited about finally returning to Nuremberg after such a long break and convincing our international trade visitors of our profitable and sustainable systems and solutions.”    Clothing microplastics polluting

Pioneer in efficiency and conversing resources

This is exactly where the Innofill Glass DRS ECO comes in. Since its launch in 2019, the modular glass filler has been installed many times over throughout the world. Its success is primarily attributable to its special evacuation and CO2 purging process for glass bottles. Here, during pre-evacuation air – and thus oxygen – is first removed from the containers before they are then purged with a precisely dosed amount of carbon dioxide. The result is compelling: the machinery lets less oxygen into the beer – and in doing so consumes up to 60% less CO2. The less carbon dioxide used per filled bottle, the more efficient the filling process. “Low-oxygen filling brings product quality up to a new level and thus ensures perfect enjoyment of the beer,” explains Acker.  Clothing microplastics polluting

At the trade show KHS will also be focusing on reducing packaging materials – and thus supporting the circular economy. Following the successful launch of a universal adhesive for beverage cans, KHS is now also offering this pioneering streamlined consumable for plastic bottles. Still one of the most environmentally-friendly secondary packaging styles on the market, PET containers of practically any shape, size or material thickness can now be joined together using just one type of adhesive. This is facilitated by a special process where the adhesive is foamed during application to the containers. The new system also increases the level of convenience for the consumer, as bottles are easier to separate. Moreover, the outer wall of the PET container is subjected to less stress when the pack is opened, meaning that even with lightweight bottles with a very low wall thickness overload and damage are more or less totally ruled out.  Clothing microplastics polluting

Digital systems a fixed feature of the KHS service portfolio

KHS is not only smart and intelligent with respect to its filling and packaging expertise; its digital service portfolio is also a feature of this year’s trade show booth. With ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service) the systems supplier already supplies a highly efficient method of remote maintenance. This enables system disruptions to be analyzed and remedied and software updates and modified system parameters to be uploaded to the machinery at any time on consultation with the customer. KHS provides additional help to make troubleshooting more time- and cost-effective with its ARS or Augmented Reality Service. According to the principle of ‘I see what you see’, support engineers gain a clear picture of the situation through the smart glasses worn by the user and line availability is thus quickly restored.  Clothing microplastics polluting

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Clothing microplastics polluting

Why BRICS matters for Pakistan

BRICS represents Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, encompassing 41% of the global population and 24% of the global GDP. The 15th BRICS Summit being held from August 22 to 24 in Johannesburg, South Africa. About 40 countries participated in this year’s BRICS summit where some key decisions were made adding six new members namely Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The new membership will be effective from January 1, 2024.

In a historic first, Pakistan’s participation in the BRICS’s seminar, ahead of the summit, was encouraged by Beijing, which wants to integrate Pakistan into the alliance. However, Pakistan surprised the international community for not being the part of BRICS’s summit in Johannesburg. By joining BRICS, Pakistan could potentially benefit in multiple ways.

First, BRICS is the emerging power Centre of the world. Joining BRICS could open up economic opportunities for Pakistan.  Clothing microplastics polluting

The country could engage in trade with other member states, benefiting from their growing economies. Pakistan’s exports could find new markets within the framework of BRICS. Muhammad Karim Ahmed analysed, “These BRICS countries are emerging economies and they have improved their country, their economic conditions, manufacturing, and found markets for themselves through joining the bloc”. Certainly, the economic prosperity will minimize unemployment, poverty and illiteracy in Pakistan.

Moreover, developing nations are dissatisfied with the stringent conditions imposed by western-dominated financial institutions like International Monetary Fund (IMF). BRICS has also created two new financial institutions, the New Development Bank (NDB), also known as the BRICS Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA). CRA, which has a capital of more than USD 100 billion, can help member states withstand any short-term balance of payment crises. Pakistan if allowed in BRICS, can easily access the USD 100 billion CRA as well as the comparatively lenient loan conditions of NDB, without improving the functioning of the Pakistani state.

Second, BRICS membership could boost Pakistan’s geopolitical leverage by providing a platform to collaborate with other emerging powers on global issues. Pakistan has always been blackmailed by its traditional allies. Becoming a BRICS member could offer Pakistan an opportunity to diversify its diplomatic relationships. As a BRICS member, Pakistan could potentially demand for reforms in global governance structure. This could lead to a more equitable international order.  Clothing microplastics polluting

Third, some political analysts suspected that Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS may generate disturbances with India, leading to a defunct group. However, it appears that India’s opposition to Pakistan joining the bloc is dying down. Recently, Indian Prime Minister Modi has supported BRICS expansion. South African president also welcomed Modi’s remarks, who remarked, “delighted to hear India supporting expansion of the BRICS”. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed told Arab News that “First of all, Pakistan should apply for membership in BRICS, where the lead role is with China and where India is the weakest link due to its proclivity to be part of the West’s new Cold War against Beijing.” So, BRICS membership will certainly increase Pakistan’s diplomatic leverage with regard to India in the region.  Clothing microplastics polluting

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Clothing microplastics polluting

The Population Bomb – A defining question of the 21st century

Fifty years ago overpopulation was a major source of concern around the world. Humanity was growing so rapidly, warned experts, that we’d soon outstrip the carrying capacity of the planet, run out of food, and face collapse. Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich became a media celebrity after his book “The Population Bomb” was published in 1968, and for years thereafter the topic was central to debates about the environment, the global food supply, and our collective future. And then somewhat suddenly, it wasn’t.

An expanding food supply and falling birthrates in many countries combined to make the worst predictions of the 1970s the stuff of fiction, such as in the 1973 movie “Soylent Green” where the food supply was, shall we say, of human origin. While the total population did grow rapidly, from 2.5 billion in 1950 to over 8 billion now, the rate of increase slowed significantly starting in the mid-1960s and is now less than half what it was at its peak.  Clothing microplastics polluting

Recent headlines are now reporting on a predicted population bust — projections for late in this century that could see the human population shrink to perhaps half of what was once expected, possibly as low as 6 billion in 2100 rather than the 11-12 billion previously anticipated. The prospect of slowed growth is at odds with basic assumptions about the global economy, which are predicated on ever-increasing GDPs and economic models driven by mass consumption and cheap labor. With fewer workers and fewer consumers in the future the global economy can only shrink, a notion that puts chills into the hearts of some observers. But would a gradual decline in population really be all that bad?

Today the chief source of concern over our collective future is not the food supply, but the ability of the atmosphere to absorb the greenhouse gasses that modern societies emit. Our reliance on fossil fuels is changing the planet in increasingly unpredictable ways, impacting precipitation patterns, growing seasons, migration routes, sea level, and of course temperatures in ways that may threaten large segments of the human population within our lifetimes.  Clothing microplastics polluting

In his book, “The Carbon Footprint of Everything,” author Mike Berners-Lee explains that a sustainable amount of emissions per person is around five tons CO2 equivalent per year as a global average. By his numbers the average American is responsible for about 21 tons per year, over four times our “share” of the global carbon budget. That needs to come down, while the energy footprints of many in developing countries equitably should go up so their standards of living can be improved.

To make room to increase the carbon footprints of the large segment of humanity that needs more resources, the impacts of the global wealthy — especially North Americans and Western Europeans –will have to decrease. But if overall population growth slows to the point of reversal there will be some additional wiggle room, more “carbon capacity” to go around to help the world’s poorest improve their living conditions while ameliorating perhaps some of the most painful impacts on the rest of us as we strive toward a climate-stable future.  Clothing microplastics polluting

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The Population Bomb - A defining question of the 21st century

Can BRICS de-dollarise the global financial system?

China is among a number of countries looking to challenge the dominance of the US dollar. PHOTO: REUTERS

The highlight of the 15th BRICS summit was the agreement to admit six new member countries – Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – which will officially join the group on January 1, 2024. “This membership expansion is historic,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping, the bloc’s most stalwart proponent. “It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and cooperation with the broader developing countries.”

Another significant outcome of the summit was the group’s declaration to work towards an alternative multilateral currency to replace the dollar. Nicknamed the “bric” by some cheeky observers, this new currency is expected to increase the payment options for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDE), and reduce their vulnerability to dollar exchange rate fluctuations. Obviously, bric will have to compete with special drawing rights (SDRs) and euro, the other currencies popular in the international market. While the hype about a common BRICS currency might be impractical and premature, trading in national currencies is increasingly becoming common.  Clothing microplastics polluting

What has driven the BRICS nations to push for their own currency and embark on this journey to depose the dollar from its pedestal? What are the chances that BRICS will be able to de-dollarise the global financial system? The factors contributing to the de-dollarisation initiative are plenty.

The US dollar is used as a reserve currency and a medium of exchange. Countries hold reserves for many reasons, as a buffer to overcome economic shocks, pay for imports, debt servicing, and moderate the value of their own currencies. The dollar is the most commonly held, making up 59 percent of global foreign exchange reserves, and second comes the euro, accounting for roughly 20 percent.

The dollar is also the dominant international medium of exchange. By one measure, it is now used in 84.3 percent of cross-border trade – compared to just 4.5 percent for the Chinese yuan.  Clothing microplastics polluting

The call for de-dollarisation did not come out of the blue. World leaders and economists have expressed their desire to dethrone the dollar since the 1960s. Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney told central bankers at the Jackson Hole Symposium in 2019 that the dollar’s dominance is the “destabilising asymmetry” growing “at the heart of international monetary and financial system.”

However, while there has been very little progress in that area, the urgency has increased recently. Extensive US sanctions have driven some countries to transact in other currencies, accelerating the urgency for de-dollarisation. The US relies upon the dollar’s dominant currency status to exercise “coercive economic statecraft” and sanction its adversaries.  Clothing microplastics polluting

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Can BRICS de-dollarise the global financial system?

Global net-zero emissions by 2050 possible but with urgent action: IE

INSIGHTS

  • IEA Net Zero Roadmap reveals that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is achievable but requires rapid action and international cooperation.
  • The roadmap outlines plans for tripling renewable energy, boosting energy efficiency, and reducing fossil fuel demand, while emphasising an equitable global transition.
  • Delays could make targets unattainable.

Driving greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s energy sector to net zero and limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius remains possible due to the record growth of key clean energy technologies, though momentum needs to increase rapidly in many areas, according to a new edition of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) landmark Net Zero Roadmap.  Clothing microplastics polluting

The roadmap emphasised the need for increased ambition and stronger international cooperation to achieve global climate goals, as per IEA.

Despite increased investment in fossil fuels and persistently high emissions, record growth in solar power capacity and electric vehicle sales indicate that achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century is still attainable. These technologies alone are expected to contribute one-third of the emissions reductions needed by 2030. Moreover, the role of yet-to-be-commercialised technologies in emissions reduction has fallen from nearly 50 per cent in 2021 to around 35 per cent in the 2023 update.  Clothing microplastics polluting

For bolder action, the updated roadmap calls for a tripling of global renewable power capacity and doubling the annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. Additionally, it advocates for a 75 per cent reduction in energy sector methane emissions and a sharp rise in electric vehicles and heat pumps sales. These strategies are based on proven and often cost-effective technologies, which are projected to deliver over 80 per cent of the necessary emissions reductions by the end of the decade.

The roadmap also stresses the need for an equitable transition, taking into account national circumstances. For example, advanced economies should reach net zero sooner to allow emerging and developing economies more time. The pathway also seeks to provide modern forms of energy to all by 2030, requiring an annual investment of nearly $45 billion—just over 1 per cent of energy sector investment.  Clothing microplastics polluting

However, most countries need to advance their targeted net zero dates and significantly increase investments, especially in emerging and developing economies. Global clean energy spending is expected to rise from $1.8 trillion in 2023 to $4.5 trillion annually by the early 2030s.

In the updated scenario, fossil fuel demand would fall by 25 per cent by 2030 and by 80 per cent by 2050. This eliminates the need for new long-lead-time upstream oil and gas projects, as well as new coal mines and unabated coal plants. However, investments are still needed for some existing oil and gas assets.  Clothing microplastics polluting

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Global net-zero emissions by 2050 possible but with urgent action: IE

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle – Germany’s 2023 GDP expected to decline by 0.6% 02-10-2023

Clothing microplastics polluting

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle – DFRL, Mysuru develops biodegradable water bottles 02-09-2023

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

  • Polymers : PET – r-PET – Filament grade semidull chips -Filament grade bright chips – Ny6 – Ny66 – PP
  • Feedstocks : PX – PTA – MEG – CPL – Adipic Acid – Benzene – ACN – Ethylene – Phenol – Naphtha
  • Textile : Polyester POY – DTY – FDY – PSF – Recycled Polyester POY – Nylon POY – DTY – FDY Spandex 20-30-40 -Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  Acrylic Staple Fiber Petrochemicals Polymers

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

Polyestertime
ITEM 25/09/2023 02/10/2023 +/-
Bottle grade PET chips domestic market 7,200 yuan/ton 7,200 yuan/ton –
Bottle grade PET chips export market 905 $/ton 900 $/ton -5
Filament grade Semidull chips domestic market 7,150 yuan/ton 7,100 yuan/ton -50
Filament grade Bright chips domestic market 7,240 yuan/ton 7,170 yuan/ton -70
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA domestic market 6,215 yuan/ton 6,240 yuan/ton +25
Pure Terephthalic Acid PTA export market 810 $/ton 790 $/ton -20
Monoethyleneglycol MEG domestic market 4,130 yuan/ton 4,050 yuan/ton -80
Monoethyleneglycol MEG export market 480 $/ton 470 $/ton -10
Paraxylene PX FOB  Taiwan market

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 1,133 $/ton 1,117 $/ton
 -16
Paraxylene PX FOB  Korea market 1,110 $/ton 1,094 $/ton -16
Paraxylene PX FOB EU market 1,250 $/ton 1,250 $/ton –
Polyester filament POY 150D/48F domestic market 8,100 yuan/ton 8,050 yuan/ton
 -50
Recycled Polyester filament POY  domestic market 7,550 yuan/ton 7,550 yuan/ton –
Polyester filament DTY 150D/48 F domestic market 9,450 yuan/ton 9,350 yuan/ton -100
Polyester filament FDY 68D24F

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 9,300 yuan/ton 9,200 yuan/ton -100
Polyester filament FDY 150D/96F domestic market 8,700 yuan/ton 8,650 yuan/ton -50
Polyester staple fiber 1.4D 38mm domestic market 7,770 yuan/ton 7,800 yuan/ton +30
Caprolactam CPL domestic market 13,375 yuan/ton 13,000 yuan/ton
 -375
Caprolactam CPL overseas  market 1,600 $/ton 1,600 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips overseas  market 1,830 $/ton 1,830 $/ton –
Nylon 6 chips conventional spinning domestic  market 14,450 yuan/ton 14,050 yuan/ton -400
Nylon 6 chips  high speed spinning domestic  market

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 15,100 yuan/ton 14,900 yuan/ton -200
Nylon 6.6 chips domestic  market 19,500 yuan/ton 19,500 yuan/ton –
Nylon6 Filament POY 86D/24F domestic  market 17,200 yuan/ton 17,000 yuan/ton -200
Nylon6 Filament DTY 70D/24F domestic  market 19,400 yuan/ton 19,150 yuan/ton- -250
Nylon6 Filament FDY  70D/24F  18,150 yuan/ton 18,100 yuan/ton -50
Spandex 20D  domestic  market

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 36,500 yuan/ton 36,500 yuan/ton –
Spandex 30D  domestic  market 35,000 yuan/ton 35,000 yuan/ton –
Spandex 40D  domestic  market  32,200 yuan/ton 32,200 yuan/ton –
Adipic Acid domestic market 9,900 yuan/ton 9,900 yuan/ton –
Benzene domestic market

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 8,075 yuan/ton 8,240 yuan/ton +165
Benzene overseas  market 980 $/ton 975 $/ton -5
Ethylene South East market 870 $/ton 870 $/ton –
Ethylene NWE market 783 $/ton 785 $/ton +2
Acrylonitrile ACN  domestic market

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 9,700 yuan/ton 10,000 yuan/ton +300
Acrylonitrile ACN  overseas market 1,200 $/ton 1,200 $/ton –
Acrylic staple fiber ASF  domestic market 14,100 yuan/ton 14,100 yuan/ton –
Viscose Staple Fiber VSF  domestic market 13,400 yuan/ton 13,400 yuan/ton –
PP Powder domestic market

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

 7,550 yuan/ton 7,600 yuan/ton +50
Naphtha overseas market  719 $/ton 711 $/ton -8
Phenol domestic market 9,407 yuan/ton 9,477 yuan/ton +70

r-PET high end eco-friendly chips =7,800 yuan/ton  — 7,800 yuan/ton   –

 

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

DFRL, Mysuru develops biodegradable water bottles

Mysuru: The Mysuru-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), a DRDO lab, has developed a biodegradable water bottle, in an effort to reduce the overall carbon footprint in the environment.

These bottles, developed in a limited quantity, were launched by Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhat, here on Friday during the two-day national seminar at SDM College.

According to the release issued by DFRL-DRDO, these bio-degradable are compostable as per the ISO 17088-2021 and IS 17899 T: 2022 standards. These bottles are absolutely safe for food and beverage contact applications and what more, even the bottle cap and label are also compostable.

These bottles look like those other bottles as they too are transparent. Besides, these are durable and strong as any other plastic bottle.

With an aim to check plastic pollution that has become a menace due to indiscriminate littering and also insufficient recycling, these bottles have been developed in collaboration with M/s Konkan Specialty Polyproducts Ltd, Mangaluru. The technology that has been used to develop these bottles is the poly lactic acid manufactured using injection blow moulding technique.

These bottles are yet to be developed for commercial use as the availability of raw materials is scarce, it is said.

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DFRL, Mysuru develops biodegradable water bottles

Sidel unveils StarLITE®R – a new, ultra-efficient 100% rPET bottle for carbonated soft drinks

To help carbonated soft drink (CSD) packaging producers embrace material circularity, Sidel has launched StarLITE®R – a 100% rPET bottle. Sidel’s signature StarLITE® family is evolving to address the challenges associated with working with recycled content.StarLITE®R allows CSD producers to switch to rPET bottle production with ease and efficiency, while significantly reducing the impact on product quality or packaging integrity.

Embracing 100% rPET

With over 45 years of experience in the blowing and PET packaging sector, Sidel has developed a deep understanding of recycled PET resin characteristics and its impact on bottle production. Laurent Naveau, Packaging Innovator Leader at Sidel, comments on the challenge rPET resin can present the packaging industry:

“The characteristics of rPET are impacted by several factors. Firstly, by seasonality. Consumption habits fluctuate over the course of the year impacting the product category mix. And secondly, by different PET collection models which means that post-consumer PET material bales will vary from region-to-region and even country-to-country. The recycling process and equipment used will also influence PET resin. All these factors can pose new challenges for manufacturers looking to produce bottles with rPET content.”

In addition to common CSD bottle manufacturing challenges such as stress cracking, roll out and bursting during blowing, a higher temperature is also required to process rPET. Consequently, packaging manufacturers can  experience reduced control over rPET material stretching and distribution of the substance in the bottle-making process.

Traditionally, greater variability in rPET resin leads to a narrower process window and lower bottle quality.

However, Sidel’s innovative base, StarLITE®R uses leading technologies to ensure efficient rPET bottle production by restoring a much wider process window. The StarLITE®R design is easier to blow as it can be done within a wider range of parameter settings on the blower achieving a much higher quality bottle.

High performance rPET bottle base

To achieve a high performing rPET bottle base, StarLITE®R features an optimised mould base profile and uses an advanced stretch rod end design.

The new mould base profile allows for perfect material distribution through advanced stretching and a high base clearance for optimum stability. The advanced stretch rod end design has improved the preform end-cap material stretching and ensures accurate injection gate centering on the bottle. Finally, the perfect combination of grooves and venting holes allows for high-precision base feet formation.

The new bottle solution also utilises dual external and internal bottle base cooling to ensure a perfect shape. Externally, the process uses a mould base cooling circuit that focuses on the warmer bottle base zones and internally a hollow-stretch rod requiring no additional air supply is used.

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Petrochemicals PET-Bottle – Germany’s 2023 GDP expected to decline by 0.6% 02-10-2023

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

Petrochemicals PET-Bottle – DFRL, Mysuru develops biodegradable water bottles

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Crude Oil Prices Trend 

Crude Oil Prices Trend by PolyestertimeSidel unveils StarLITE®R – a new, ultra-efficient 100% rPET bottle for carbonated soft drinks

To help carbonated soft drink (CSD) packaging producers embrace material circularity, Sidel has launched StarLITE®R – a 100% rPET bottle. Sidel’s signature StarLITE® family is evolving to address the challenges associated with working with recycled content.StarLITE®R allows CSD producers to switch to rPET bottle production with ease and efficiency, while significantly reducing the impact on product quality or packaging integrity.

Embracing 100% rPET

With over 45 years of experience in the blowing and PET packaging sector, Sidel has developed a deep understanding of recycled PET resin characteristics and its impact on bottle production. Laurent Naveau, Packaging Innovator Leader at Sidel, comments on the challenge rPET resin can present the packaging industry:

“The characteristics of rPET are impacted by several factors. Firstly, by seasonality. Consumption habits fluctuate over the course of the year impacting the product category mix.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

And secondly, by different PET collection models which means that post-consumer PET material bales will vary from region-to-region and even country-to-country. The recycling process and equipment used will also influence PET resin. All these factors can pose new challenges for manufacturers looking to produce bottles with rPET content.”

In addition to common CSD bottle manufacturing challenges such as stress cracking, roll out and bursting during blowing, a higher temperature is also required to process rPET. Consequently, packaging manufacturers can  experience reduced control over rPET material stretching and distribution of the substance in the bottle-making process.

Traditionally, greater variability in rPET resin leads to a narrower process window and lower bottle quality.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

However, Sidel’s innovative base, StarLITE®R uses leading technologies to ensure efficient rPET bottle production by restoring a much wider process window. The StarLITE®R design is easier to blow as it can be done within a wider range of parameter settings on the blower achieving a much higher quality bottle.

High performance rPET bottle base

To achieve a high performing rPET bottle base, StarLITE®R features an optimised mould base profile and uses an advanced stretch rod end design.

The new mould base profile allows for perfect material distribution through advanced stretching and a high base clearance for optimum stability. The advanced stretch rod end design has improved the preform end-cap material stretching and ensures accurate injection gate centering on the bottle. Finally, the perfect combination of grooves and venting holes allows for high-precision base feet formation.

The new bottle solution also utilises dual external and internal bottle base cooling to ensure a perfect shape. Externally, the process uses a mould base cooling circuit that focuses on the warmer bottle base zones and internally a hollow-stretch rod requiring no additional air supply is used.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

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Domo Chemicals awarded gold rating from EcoVadis

Domo now ranks in the top 5% of all companies rated by EcoVadis

Belgium-based engineering materials manufacturer Domo Chemicals has received a gold sustainability score from EcoVadis, a leading provider of business sustainability ratings. This overall rating puts Domo in the top 5% of companies in the sector.

EcoVadis evaluates more than 85,000 organisations in over 160 countries and in over 200 industries every year. Based on 21 criteria, the rating assesses a company’s performance in four categories: Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

Compared to last year, Domo moved from the 73rd to 94th percentile in the overall EcoVadis sustainability rating. The company scored particularly well in the categories Environment and Labour and Human Rights.

“This award is a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability,” said Yves Bonte, CEO of Domo Chemicals. “In one year, we have moved from the top 25% to the top 5%, placing Domo amongst the best in the industry.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

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Germany’s 2023 GDP expected to decline by 0.6%: Report

INSIGHTS

  • A recent report has suggested that Germany may see a 0.6 per cent drop in GDP for 2023, revising earlier spring forecasts downward by 0.9 percentage points.
  • The country’s economic downturn has worsened due to surging energy prices and climbing interest rates.
  • Improvements are expected by year-end, and GDP growth of 1.3 per cent is projected for 2024.

Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2023 may witness a 0.6 per cent decline, as per a recent report. This marks a significant downward revision of 0.9 percentage points compared to predictions made earlier in the spring.

Struggling for over a year, Germany’s economic downturn intensified with the surge in energy prices in 2022. This rise has inflated consumer prices by over 8 per cent, thereby affecting the purchasing power of households.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

Key interest rates have also climbed by over four percentage points, adversely impacting the construction industry, according to the Joint Economic Forecast prepared by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), the ifo Institute (Munich), the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), and RWI (Essen).

Business sentiment has been negatively affected recently, due in part to heightened political uncertainty. However, there are signs of improvement on the horizon. Wage hikes have kept pace with increasing prices, energy costs are dropping, and exporters are managing to pass on some of their elevated costs. These factors suggest a resurgence in purchasing power and are expected to mitigate the downturn by year-end.

Looking ahead to 2024, the institutes project a GDP growth of 1.3 per cent, only slightly lower than their spring forecast. However, a shrinking labour force in the coming years is expected to curtail potential growth rates.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

The economic downturn has begun to affect the labour market. Unemployment is expected to increase moderately to 2.6 million people in 2023, but it is likely to decrease somewhat in the following year.

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Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

Tesla Shares Analyst Vehicle Delivery Consensus as It Works To Lower Expectations Ahead of Quarterly Decline

Tesla is currently working to significantly expand vehicle production, as a result, the company posting record after record vehicle production and delivery numbers has become somewhat expected.

For instance, last Quarter Tesla posted the best vehicle production and delivery number in the company’s 10-plus years history. In Q2 2023, Tesla produced 480,000 vehicles and delivered 466,000 vehicles. The quarter was also a record in all aspects including revenue and profits.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

However, this quarter appears to be one in which Tesla will not set a record production number. This quarter Tesla is expected to post a rare quarter-over-quarter vehicle production and delivery decline.

There are multiple reasons to account for this quarter’s production and delivery decline. However, the main culprit for the decline is that Tesla has shut down production at multiple factories to either switch to a refreshed model or to upgrade production lines for efficiency and increase output.

Tesla’s Shanghai factory was shut down to switch to the refreshed Model 3 which was introduced at the beginning of this month. Tesla’s Texas factory was also shut down to perform upgrades to the Model Y production line and to prepare for Cybertruck volume production which is expected to begin in October.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

In the long run, these shutdowns will help Tesla not only to produce better products but will also enable the EV maker to significantly increase vehicle production. However, public companies are required to post their performance on a quarterly basis which means all these shutdowns will show up as a decrease in Tesla’s production and delivery numbers quarter over quarter.

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Quảng Yên Petrochemical plant granted technology transfer licences

The Stavian Quảng Yên Petrochemical Plant Project officially received the technology transfer licences for petrochemical technology to produce polypropylene (PP) resins from the Quảng Ninh Department of Science and Technology at Techconnect and Innovation Việt Nam 2023, under the witness of Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang.

Techconnect and Innovation Việt Nam 2023, with the theme “Innovation – Sustainable Development”, is a national-level event of significant importance, supporting businesses in the province to connect, transfer, and receive modern technologies to serve socio-economic development.    Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

The Stavian Quảng Yên Petrochemical Plant is being built on an area of 30ha in Bắc Tiền Phong Industrial Park, Tiền Phong Commune, Quảng Yên Town, Quảng Ninh Province. The project has an estimated total investment of up to US$1.5 billion with a production scale of 600,000 tonnes of polypropylene per year, applying the world’s most advanced copyrighted technologies from Honeywell UOP Company (USA) and Basell Poliolefine Italia Company (Italy). This includes propylene production technology from propane using the hydrogen reduction method and polypropylene production technology using Spheripol technology.

In addition to the cutting-edge technology, the Stavian Quảng Yên Petrochemical Plant will be equipped with a high-tech, automated, and eco-friendly production line imported from EU and G7 countries.    Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

They will apply more advanced solutions to optimise water use in production, ensuring energy savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Stavian Quảng Yên Petrochemical 2023 also officially announced the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) contractor for the Stavian Quảng Yên Petrochemical Plant Project. With the extremely promising potential for developing petrochemical production in Việt Nam, the project is expected to attract further projects in these industries.

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Quảng Yên Petrochemical plant granted technology transfer licences

More sustainable injection moulding

According to the Journal of Clean Production, injection moulding may be responsible of up to 90 per cent of the Global Warming Potential (GWP) created by the entire mould lifecycle, mainly caused by energy consumption. Here, Dervish Ibrahim, international sales manager at TM Robotics, explains why all-electric injection moulding machines are ‘the way forward’ for reducing the process’s environmental impact — while also helping manufacturers achieve a lower cost-per-part.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

The Journal of Clean Production’s findings are a wake-up call to manufacturers, particularly as demand for injection moulding processes continue to grow. For example, the market for injection moulded medical devices plastics is expected to see booming growth between 2023 and 2030.

Injection moulding is used to manufacture a huge variety of parts, and has several advantages. They include the ability to mould a wide variety of plastics, good repeatability, consistently high production with low waste and a low-cost-per-part — the latter is always a priority.

Maintaining a low cost-per-part throughout the manufacturing process is vital for reducing costs and delivering a higher product value — from both the manufacturer’s and the customer’s perspective. While injection moulding can support this, manufacturers are also concerned about the energy costs of injection moulding, and how this effects sustainability and the bottom line.    Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

More than 90 per cent of the costs of injection moulding can be attributed to energy use. This mainly applies to the electricity used to power and operate the injection moulding machine. As a result, there has been some debate in industry about the cost and sustainability advantages of hydraulic injection moulding versus all-electric machines.

Injection moulding machines powered by a hydraulic motor can produce higher energy levels and higher injection pressures, and the initial cost of the machine is lower. But there are also disadvantages with hydraulic machines. They include the machine’s high consumption of electric energy, because its hydraulic power is connected to an electric power unit that works at maximum capacity during every phase of the moulding process.

Whole-life cost 

Although hydraulic injection moulding machines are less expensive initially, it’s important to consider the whole life cost when buying new machines. This was demonstrated by TM Robotics’ customer Lotan, a manufacturer of plastic containers based in Leicestershire, UK. All of the injection moulding machines in Lotan’s production facility are electric, rather than hydraulic.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

The company relies on Shibaura Machine’s all-electric injection moulding machines (IMM) supplied by TM Robotics. The machine is manufactured in-house by Shibaura Machine, formerly known as Toshiba Machine. Performance benefits of the IMM include a range of clamping force from 50 to 2,500 tons, which can be calibrated by a digital direct screw transfer (DST) control for added production flexibility.

Although all-electric machines are initially more expensive with lower injection pressures, they are shown to outperform hydraulic versions in a variety of other ways. Advantages include higher rates and speeds of injection because the all-electric maching relies on toggle clamping rather than direct pressure clamping, which is better for high-speed injection moulding.  Petrochemicals PET-Bottle

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More sustainable injection moulding

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