Packaging, Plastics and Recycling

Comment: New UK tax on plastic packaging seems to be working

Envirotec Magazine

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Abigail McGregor suggested “progress may stall if additional recycling capacity isn’t built.” The UK Plastic Packaging tax places a £200 per tonne levy on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content. Building greater capacity for recycling is imperative.”

Packaging

Growth in UK plastic packaging recycling being shipped abroad, including to non-OECD countries

Envirotec Magazine

JANUARY 24, 2024

By Tom McBeth, Policy & Infrastructure Manager with plastics resource efficiency group RECOUP New data reveals an increase in the amount of plastic exported for recycling in 2023, and significant quantities are now going to developing, non-OECD* countries. Indonesia took a further 3.4%, and Taiwan 2.5%.

Recycling

Manufacturing Sustainability Surge: Your Guide to Data-Driven Energy Optimization & Decarbonization

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Study pinpoints pathways to boost plastic waste recycling globally

Envirotec Magazine

DECEMBER 14, 2023

A new study highlights potential pathways to significantly increase waste collection and plastic recycling rates globally. These countries have plastic recycling rates of up to 10 per cent. Examples of countries include Indonesia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Examples of countries include China, Mexico and Australia.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Waste

Will 2025 plastic packaging commitments ring hollow?

GreenBiz

MARCH 10, 2023

In 2025, there will be media and consumer outrage around all the failed commitments related to eliminating virgin plastic packaging and increasing the use of recycled material.

Packaging

Packaging Plastics Recycled materials Recycling

Recycling solution available for customer-returned soft plastic packaging at Tesco

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Over 900 Tesco stores now have collection points for plastic recycling. A new partnership between Tesco and packaging manufacturer Berry Global is now recycling soft plastic collected from customers at Tesco stores. There it is washed, scrubbed and dried, during which processes any unwanted items are removed.

Plastics

Plastics Packaging Recycling Recycling

A new ‘supercritical water’ approach to recycling plastic packaging waste

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Supercritical water can be a solvent for all organic materials including plastics. Its gas-like penetration power makes it a superior medium to decompose mixtures of complex waste plastics into value-added materials, which are feedstock for manufacturing new plastics. Above the critical point of 374.5

Plastics

750,000 tonnes of household plastic packaging goes uncaptured

Envirotec Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2022

Plastic resource efficiency and recycling charity RECOUP estimates that 750,000 tonnes of post-consumer plastic packaging is not currently collected for recycling, in its new UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey report.

Packaging

Plastic recycling innovations sought for Recoup 2024 awards

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 12, 2024

The Plastic recycling charity behind the RECOUP Awards 2024 says entries are now open. For more information about sponsorship packages, contact RECOUP Events and Membership Manager, Rebecca Davis, rebecca.davis@RECOUP.org To book your ticket for The RECOUP Conference please visit the RECOUP website, [link].

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Innovation

How to Reduce Packaging Waste

The Environmental Blog

APRIL 22, 2024

All those mountains of packaging waste? It’s time to rethink how we use packaging and start protecting our environment. Why Reducing Packaging Waste Matters We’ve got a serious packaging waste problem, thanks to things like online shopping, lots of throwaway stuff, and not enough recycling.

Packaging

Packaging Waste Waste Plastics

Consortium project will capture and recycle more plastic packaging

Envirotec Magazine

JULY 27, 2022

A three-year £10 million large-scale demonstrator project focused on the capture, recovery and recycling of plastic packaging currently lost to landfill and incineration is being led by resource recovery expert Fiberight.

Packaging

Funding for plastic recycling tech

Envirotec Magazine

JANUARY 21, 2021

Greenback Recycling Technologies , a company striving to develop circular solutions for packaging waste, has closed an approximately £8m series A financing round. The firm says it is building a globally distributed, decentralised network of advanced recycling plants near the sources of plastic waste.

Recycling

NIR test programme reveals factors influencing sorting flexible packaging materials

Envirotec Magazine

DECEMBER 14, 2023

A major international collaboration to provide independent, scientific data linked to design, sortability and mechanical recyclability of flexible packaging has published its first report – with a focus on Near Infrared (NIR) technology.

Packaging

Packaging Recycling Recycling Plastics

These startups seek to close the supply-and-demand gap for recycled plastics

GreenBiz

JULY 25, 2022

Corporations want to increase recycled plastic content in packaging and products but can't get enough of it. These three companies are making moves to help address this need.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Startups

Simpler Recycling won’t boost recycling rates says North London waste authority

Envirotec Magazine

DECEMBER 1, 2023

Recycling efforts by north London’s two million residents will not be significantly boosted by the new Simpler Recycling proposals, the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has warned. Cllr Loakes said: “The Government should be making a herculean effort to ensure that producers minimise packaging that needs recycling or disposal.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Waste Waste

Companies are jumping aboard the federal packaging and recycling policy train

GreenBiz

JUNE 18, 2021

Companies are jumping aboard the federal packaging and recycling policy train. With an aggressive national recycling target (50 percent by 2030); a renewed White House focus on climate change; and clamor for consistent state rules around cutting trash, the federal sustainability policy train is leaving the station.

Packaging

Packaging Recycling Recycling Policy

Notpla plant-based packaging is helping the world plastic problem

Inhabitat - Innovation

JANUARY 28, 2022

Notpla is a packaging solutions company. They're not just using recycled cardboard or eliminating plastic foam. They're redesigning the very idea of what packaging is and how it functions. As a result, the innovative products rolling off the line at the company are plant based and waste free.

Packaging

Industry first claimed for “fully recyclable crisp packet”

Envirotec Magazine

APRIL 10, 2024

It’s described as the first fully recyclable paper crisp packet by The British Crisp Co., Consumers can dispose of the new crisp packet in their normal kerbside recycling collection along with their other paper recyclable items. It uses an innovative polymer, Hydropol, instead of conventional plastic.

Recycling

Waste crime will not be solved by banning plastic exports, says recycling trade association

Envirotec Magazine

NOVEMBER 8, 2022

The Recycling Association has warned that waste crime will continue to happen, even if exports of plastics for recycling are banned. MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee have called for the Government to ban exports of recyclable plastics by 2027 and introduce measures to reduce them before then.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Waste

Circularity: Innovative Solutions to Address the Plastic Challenge

GreenBiz

JANUARY 17, 2023

Plastics Pact and Walmart announced the winners of the first Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award, showing exciting innovations in the areas of recyclability, compostability, refill and reuse. At VERGE 2022, the U.S.

Plastics

Plastics Innovation Packaging Recycling

Walgreens Boots Alliance exec talks plastic, packaging and COVID-19

GreenBiz

MARCH 1, 2021

Walgreens Boots Alliance exec talks plastic, packaging and COVID-19. During our conversation, we also discussed Ellis’ long-term CSR priorities, the company’s packaging goals and its partnership with Loop. One of those is reducing plastics in Boots-owned brand packaging, in line with the UK Plastics Pact 2025.

Packaging

Packaging Plastics Climate change Retail

Report identifies bottleneck in UK plastic recycling infrastructure

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 25, 2022

Plastics resource efficiency and recycling charity RECOUP has published its 2022 UK Plastic Packaging Sorting & Reprocessing Infrastructure report, which reported that there is a clear bottleneck in the UK’s recycling infrastructure for plastic recycling.

Plastics

Joint venture aims to create Norway’s first dedicated sorting plant to enable plastic packaging circularity

Envirotec Magazine

JUNE 6, 2023

Technology and recycling equipment firm TOMRA has signed a majority ownership agreement with Plastretur, the Norwegian Producer Responsibility Organisation for recycling plastic packaging. The companies will pair up to create a plastic packaging sorting plant located in Norway. Amland, SVP TOMRA Feedstock.

Packaging

Recycling charity expands laboratory analysis and other capabilities

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 7, 2023

Plastics resource efficiency and recycling charity RECOUP is expanding its service provision by introducing a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA ) service and its own state-of-the-art laboratory to support its recognised RecyClass certification service and facilities.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Microplastics Packaging

Guidance document helps understand regulations for Packaging Export Recovery Notes (PERNs) for plastics

Envirotec Magazine

JANUARY 21, 2022

Baled plastic bottles (image credit: Burke Museum , CC BY-NC 2.0 The Recycling Association has produced guidance on the issuance of Packaging Export Recovery Notes (PERNs) for plastics. The document has been circulated to Members of The Recycling Association. Significant numbers of PERNs were cancelled as a result.

Plastics

Plastics Packaging Recycling Recycling

Conference programme announced for Plastics Recycling Show Europe virtual event

Envirotec Magazine

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Organisers have confirmed the full conference programme for the Plastics Recycling Show Europe Virtual Event taking place 9-11 December 2020. Fellow panellists include Ton Emans, President of Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE) and Maria Ciliberti, Vice President at Borealis. Virginijus Sinkevi?ius, CET on 10 December.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Europe

This acquisition could help make sustainable packaging the norm

GreenBiz

JANUARY 29, 2021

This acquisition could help make sustainable packaging the norm . Petersburg, Florida, a manufacturing giant is strategizing on design, development and packaging services for the likes of Apple, Cisco Systems and HP Inc. Deonna Anderson. Fri, 01/29/2021 - 00:30. Across the U.S. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Packaging

Packaging Sustainability Plastics Recycling

How BASF’s reciChain aims to improve traceability of recycled plastics

GreenBiz

SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

How BASF’s reciChain aims to improve traceability of recycled plastics. The vision for BASF’s reciChain project is to take circularity into the real world by increasing traceability of recycled plastics. The company created a plastic additive that enables the traceability.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling North America

Are businesses ready for the plastic packaging tax?

Envirotec Magazine

AUGUST 18, 2021

With less than a year to go until the Plastic Packaging Tax is introduced in the UK, a study by Veolia appears to show that 83% of businesses asked were NOT aware of the tax. The Plastic Packaging Tax is Government policy aiming to directly increase plastic recycling in the UK and cut carbon emissions.

Packaging

Start-up provides digital platform for plastic recyclate trading

Envirotec Magazine

MAY 24, 2022

Hamburg-based start-up cirplus has entered into the UK market in a bid to digitalise the plastic and recycling industry. Coming into force on April 1st 2022, the tax increases costs for packaging companies who fail to use recycled materials by 20 to 40 percent. million tons of recycled plastics listed for sale.

Plastics

Facility to process hard-to-recycle plastic items will open in Fife

Envirotec Magazine

SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

A state-of-the-art facility to allow the recycling of flexible plastics is to open in Glenrothes, Fife. The company behind the project, Yes Recycling, writes: As an experienced recycler, we specialise in hard-to-recycle plastics, including banknotes, hard hats, printed packaging film, and post-industrial and construction waste streams.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Plastics Waste

WRAP updates voluntary agreements, outlining circularity vision for food, plastic and textiles

Envirotec Magazine

DECEMBER 5, 2022

Climate action NGO WRAP published annual updates of its voluntary agreements for the food, plastics and textiles sectors on 1 December. WRAP launched its first voluntary agreement in 2005 and has since expanded its programme to address food and drink, plastic pollution, and fashion and textiles.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Waste

Chemicals used in plastic food packaging linked to 10% of preterm births in 2018

Grist

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

A class of chemicals commonly used in plastic food containers and cosmetic products may have caused about 10 percent of the United States’ preterm births in 2018, according to a study from environmental health experts at New York University. Phthalate exposure is just one way the plastics industry externalizes harms.

Plastics

Plastics Packaging Health Recycling

Consortium to assess the future of packaging waste sorting

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 31, 2022

Recycling infrastructure in Europe relies heavily on manual sorting, which contributes to materials not being recycled. Addressing an urgent need to enhance packaging waste sorting in Europe, FMCG giant PepsiCo has announced a new project aiming to assess how technology – especially AI – can close some of the gaps.

Packaging

Packaging Waste Waste Recycling

Paint containers and washing machine tubs recognised by RECOUP plastic recycling awards

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 1, 2022

Plastics resource efficiency and recycling charity, RECOUP launched its inaugural awards at its annual conference on 29 September, the first in its 32-year history. The winner of the second award for ‘Recycled Plastic Product of the Year’ was presented to Beko, for its recycled plastic washing machine tub.

Recycling

How to Communicate With Consumers About Chemical Recycling Solutions

GreenBiz

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Consumers around the globe are craving more sustainable products, and brands are struggling to figure out how to deliver on their recycled content goals. Chemical recycling, also known as advanced or molecular recycling, will be a crucial part of the solution set for brands to meet plastics and packaging goals.

Recycling

Scaling the Market for Post-Consumer Recycled Content

GreenBiz

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

Scaling the Market for Post-Consumer Recycled Content. What will it take to scale the domestic market for post-consumer recycled content? The demand for recycled plastics has skyrocketed — so much so that brands and packaging producers are experiencing limited supply.

Recycling

Beyond the bale: Viridor unveils plan to eliminate waste plastic exports

Envirotec Magazine

DECEMBER 6, 2021

Viridor says its soon-to-be-opened Avonmouth plastics recycling plant will reprocess over 80,0000 tonnes of plastic, creating recycled raw material ready to be returned to the economy. It will seemingly reprocess over 80,0000 tonnes of plastic, more than 1.6

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Recycling

The Wild West of plastic credits and offsets

GreenBiz

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

The Wild West of plastic credits and offsets. There’s a new kid on the block of sustainability claims being made by businesses: "plastic neutrality." Thanks to the rise in plastics pledges, an emerging and undefined market for plastic offsets is just beginning to take shape. Lauren Phipps. Mon, 02/08/2021 - 01:30.

Plastics

Plastics Carbon-neutral Carbon-negative Waste

CIRCUL-A-THON finalists present solutions for transport, electronics, packaging and healthcare

Envirotec Magazine

JUNE 2, 2023

Finalists have been announced for the CIRCUL-A-THON design competition – run by chemicals firm SABIC – which lauds designers’ efforts to create reusable and recyclable products. The eight finalists range across four sectors: transportation, electronics, packaging and healthcare, and a full list is provided below.

Packaging

Packaging Transportation Scooters Recycling

Food packaging will still be landfilled or incinerated without accelerated innovation

Envirotec Magazine

MAY 17, 2022

The study anticipates a shift from polymer-based to fibre-based packaging (pictured) by 2040. Today, food packaging is predominantly plastic and recycling rates are relatively low. Today, food packaging is predominantly plastic and recycling rates are relatively low.

Packaging

Packaging Innovation Recycling Recycling

£6.1 million to help recycle plastic waste into construction products

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 22, 2021

million, including the help of PRN funding, the UK’s largest producer of damp-proof membranes is increasing its capacity for recycling ethylene-based plastics by 66 per cent. Mercers, which is based in Bolton, transforms plastic packaging waste into 100 per cent recycled damp-proof membrane.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Plastics Waste

Tesco takes soft plastic packaging recycling points nationwide

Business Green

AUGUST 24, 2021

Supermarket giant announces all large stores will now have collection points for soft plastics, in a bid to ensure 1,000 tonnes of plastic a year is recycled. Tesco has today announced a fresh effort to tackle soft plastic waste, confirming that all its large stores are to feature new plastic recycling collection points.

Plastics

Plastics Packaging Recycling Recycling

PET plastic recycler receives planning permission for first UK plant

Envirotec Magazine

APRIL 8, 2021

PET plastic bottles collected at a recycling plant. Specialist PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycler Enviroo has had its planning application approved for its first plastic recycling facility in the UK. The firm says the facility will be able to re-use 100% of the PET it takes in and help recycle some of the 4.9

Plastics