Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging 06-08-2021 - Arhive
Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
Crude Oil Prices Trend
-New opportunities through chemical recycling
Development of an efficient process for recycling carbon fiber reinforced plastics
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are becoming increasingly relevant because they impress with their strength and stiffness and also have a significantly lower specific weight compared to other rigid materials.
However, the increasing importance of carbon-based composites poses problems, as the amount of waste increases at the same time. Especially composite materials with duromer resin matrix of epoxy resins can not be recycled to this day, because duromers are neither meltable nor soluble. In addition, epoxy resins are particularly chemically inert.
Innovative solution approach of the Technical Universities of Nuremberg and Aschaffenburg
The chemical recycling of epoxy resin-based materials could be realized for the first time through an innovative solution approach and offers new perspectives. With the help of the efficient process for epoxy resin-based carbon fiber composites developed by the Technical Universities of Nuremberg (Department of Macromolecular Chemistry) and Aschaffenburg (Department of Resource Efficiency), it is possible to recover both undamaged fibers and recyclable oligomers. The recovery of carbon fibers from carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resins while preserving the original properties of the fibers is possible.
By using a special organic-chemical reaction to cleavage carbon-nitrogen bonds, aminge-hardened epoxy resins can be dissolved.
The oxidative degradation of the resin with hydrogen peroxide follows the so-called cope elimination. Initial results indicate selective cleavage of the epoxy resin, which simplifies the reuse of the oligomeric fission products.
-Plastics recyclers to expect heavy demand, BIR says
The plastics recycling industry can expect “heavy demand” for the remainder of the year, according to the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR).
In a quarterly report published at the end of July, the Dutch chairman of the BIR committee, Henk Alssema of Vita Plastics, said that the plastics industry can look back on a “very strong” first half of 2021, which he believes is only set to continue.
Mr Alssema noted: “The global economy has recovered more quickly than expected from last year’s slowdown. The plastics recycling industry can look back on a very strong first half to 2021 and expectations are that heavy demand for recycled plastics will continue for the remainder of the year. Recyclers are very optimistic despite a number of issues, such as a lack of input material and problems in the transportation sector.” Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
The BIR is a federation to support the interests of the recycling industry on an international scale and is based in Brussels.
-Continental Enables Use of Recycled PET Bottles in Tire Production as of 2022
Continental enables the use of reprocessed polyester obtained from recycled plastic bottles in its tire production as of 2022. The new sustainable polyester yarn will be obtained from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles by a mechanical process and will be used in the construction of the tire carcass. This can completely replace conventional polyester. Together with its cooperation partner and supplier OTIZ, a fiber specialist and textile manufacturer, the premium tire manufacturer has developed a special technology to recycle PET bottles without previously necessary intermediate chemical steps and to make the polyester yarn functional for the high mechanical requirements of the tire. In the course of so-called upcycling, a PET bottle becomes a high-performance PET material. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
As early as 2022, we will be able to use material obtained from recycled PET bottles in tire production. In our innovative recycling process, the fibers are spun from recycled PET without having to break the material down into its components beforehand,” says Dr. Andreas Topp, responsible for materials, process development and industrialization in Continental’s Tires business area. He adds: “Already at this year’s IAA MOBILITY in Munich, we will present a highly innovative concept tire with polyester yarn made from recycled PET bottles. With the use of recycled polyester yarn, we are taking another important step in the direction of cross-product circular economy.
-Eurozone business activity grows at fastest pace in 15 years, but confidence ebbs
Economic activity in the eurozone moved at its fastest pace in over 15 years in July, but optimism for the coming 12 months has depleted.
Both manufacturing and service sectors contributed to the increase, according to the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) released by IHS Markit on Wednesday, which noted a significant rise in manufacturing output and faster expansion in services.
This marked the fifth successive month of expansion in the private sector, which is the longest uninterrupted span of growth since the coronavirus pandemic took effect in Europe early last year. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
Activity in July trumped June’s 15-year record after accounting for seasonal factors.
Confidence in the coming year slipped to a four-month low, falling from the previous month, which marked the highest point since 2012.
The services sector output growth was the fastest pace since mid-2006. Despite the rate of growth in the manufacturing the sector being the slowest in five months, it was still stronger than the services sector.
-Scholle IPN Announces Strategic Partnership With Chemical Plastic Recycler OBBOTEC
The two companies will work to engineer and test new chemical recycling methods with a focus on flexible packaging like pouches and bag-in-box
Scholle IPN, a leading global supplier of flexible packaging solutions, announced today that they have created a partnership with OBBOTEC, a Netherlands-based plastics firm specializing in advanced forms of chemical recycling technologies.
Through this partnership, the two companies will work to engineer and test new chemical recycling methods with a focus on flexible packaging like pouches and bag-in-box. Specifically, OBBOTEC’s developments in integrated hydro-pyrolysis and selective plastic extraction methods provide unique solutions for the growing plastic waste management problem and minimal circularity of plastic packaging.
Ross Bushnell, President and CEO of Scholle IPN, stated that “the team at Scholle IPN is focused on the sustainable supply of films, fitments, and equipment for flexible liquid packaging. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
We do that by engineering our products to align with the key principles of circular economics: source reduction, material reuse, and recycling.” Bushnell continued, “The packaging industry has much work to do in order to achieve true circularity, but we believe that the technology and processes OBBOTEC employs will help us to significantly improve in this area and, in turn, to make positive strides with respect to our impact on Earth’s climate and resources.”
-LANXESS completes acquisition of Emerald Kalama Chemical
- Acquisition with approximately USD 425 million in sales and around USD 90 million in EBITDA
- Additional EBITDA contribution of around USD 30 million within three years through synergies
- Strengthening of the Consumer Protection segment: aroma chemicals and preservatives for food, household, cosmetics and personal care applications
- New Flavors & Fragrances business unit
- LANXESS CEO Zachert: “LANXESS will become even more stable and profitable.”
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS completed the second-largest acquisition in its history on August 3 with the takeover of Emerald Kalama Chemical. The US-based specialty chemicals manufacturer was majority-owned by affiliates of private equity firm American Securities LLC. All required regulatory approvals have been received. The enterprise value of Emerald Kalama Chemical was USD 1.075 billion (EUR 900 million). After deducting liabilities, the purchase price was approximately USD 1.04 billion (EUR 870 million), which LANXESS financed from existing liquidity.
“Emerald Kalama Chemical gives us another major boost on our growth path. The new businesses are an optimal strategic fit for us. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
We are strengthening our position in markets with attractive growth rates and opening up new high-margin application areas, especially in the beverage and food sector or in cleaning and cosmetic products. What’s more, Emerald Kalama Chemical is perfectly backward integrated – strengthening our value chain in Consumer Protection
-RIL to double PET recycling capacity
Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) said it is doubling its PET recycling capacity by setting up a recycled polyester staple fiber (PSF) manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh through an arrangement with a local entrepreneur.
“The move is part of RIL’s commitment to lead the industry on circular economy, enhance its sustainability quotient and bolster the entire polyester and polymer value chain,” it said in a statement. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
As a part of this plan, Srichakra Ecotex India Pvt. Ltd. will build and operate exclusively for RIL the new recycled PSF – Recron GreenGold and PET flakes wash-line in Andhra Pradesh.
RIL’s initiative to more than double its recycling capacity to 5 billion post-consumer PET bottles will ensure India maintains over 90% recycling rate, the company said.
-Does plastic have a future in packaging?
The idea of only using sustainable packaging – eliminating waste, low carbon footprint, recyclable or compostable – seems easy enough, yet the reality for many businesses is more complex and dependent on the industry they work in
Images on social media of sea creatures wrapped in plastic has had a huge impact on the public perception of plastic packaging in recent years. Between four million and 12 million metric tons of plastic enters the oceans each year, threatening marine life and polluting our food. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
A lot of plastic is produced from fossil fuels. These contribute to climate change, which is now a central concern for governments, businesses, and consumers alike. For some, plastic waste has become a shorthand for the way we mistreat our environment and the need for sustainable packaging has never been clearer.
Yet plastic packaging is ubiquitous because it is useful, not to say crucial in many applications.
-New CEO at SANITIZED AG: Michael Lüthi to assume leadership of the SANITIZED AG company group
Michael Lüthi, a member of the founding family, will become the CEO of the SANITIZED company group on August 1, 2021. He will take over the position from Urs Stalder, who will join the administrative board after working for the company for over 30 years. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
Michael Lüthi will assume leadership of a company that, for starters, has a legacy marked by over 80 years’ expertise and industry acclaim thanks to its innovative, safe, and reliable products. The additives that SANITIZED develops and markets deliver odor-free textiles, long-lasting hygiene function, protects the material of artificial surfaces, and prevents paints and coatings from degrading in quality due to impurities.
Moreover, Sanitized® is a globally respected and established brand. Around 520 companies actively use the Sanitized® ingredient brand in their final products.
-Reuters Report Raises More Doubts About Viability of Advanced Recycling
For nearly two years, PlasticsToday has followed the trials and tribulations of advanced recycling technologies — the good (what little there is), the bad, and the ugly. On July 29, Reuters released a report on this same topic that doesn’t contain much that is new; rather, it covers the ongoing problem of companies that have been making promises to solve the plastic waste challenges for the past decade (or longer), and noting their failure to fulfill those promises.
The report begins by calling out Renewlogy, founded by Priyanka Bakaya, who has made several attempts to find a solution to plastic waste through her pyrolysis process. Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging
The Salt Lake City facility contracted with Boise, ID, to take hard-to-recycle plastic waste through Dow’s orange Hefty Energy Bag program and turn it into fuel. It didn’t turn out that way. The Salt Lake facility never got up and running, and Boise found itself renting warehouse space to store the collected orange bags until the city finally began sending the orange bags to a cement kiln to burn for energy.
Reuters reached out to Bakaya and she emailed them a response claiming that the program didn’t work because the plastic recyclate was “contaminated with other garbage at 10 times the level it was told to expect.”
Dirty recyclate is a major problem with advanced recycling. Like mechanical recycling, advanced recycling needs clean recyclate free of contamination in order to produce the quality of product that customers of these fuels and base chemicals need for their processes and products.
Petrochemicals Plastic Packaging