Year: 2020
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PHA is Marine Biodegradable
The plastic created from petroleum covers 99% of the market. Last year 360 million tonnes were produced. Other plastics, bio-based or biodegradable, are also produced.
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Reusable Takeaway Packaging Campaign in New Zealand
Single-use takeaway packaging harms both people and the planet, writes Kate Hall. The Takeaway Throwaways campaign exists to change this. The waste conscious consumer’s nightmare: throwaway coffee cups, takeaway containers, plastic cutlery, condiment sachets and those scary soy fish. They’ve become normal in today’s society, but do they have to be? Takeaway Throwaways, a new…
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FLAM Bioplastic
Plastic Crisis? No Problem, FLAM Is Coming With Bonus 3-D Printing. FLAM as in Fungus-Like Adhesive Material
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Plastic Offsetting
What is plastic offsetting? And can it really help to fight the plastic crisis?
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First Zero Waste Chocolate
It might be shaped like a regular chocolate bar, but the similarities end there. First, it comes in curious flavors: lavender, coconut and cinnamon, banana, masala chai, red rose. And the packaging is more work of art than the kind of wrap you’d find on a Hershey’s bar.
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How Estonia Became Recycling Champion
The small country of Lithuania is making big strides towards creating a seamless circular economy where each and every water bottle and aluminum tuna can is recycled and turned into an identical successor.
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Adidas Uses Ocean Plastic for Terrex Free Hiker shoes
Sportswear brand Adidas has once again teamed up with environmental initiative Parley for the Oceans to release an updated version of its Terrex hiking boot, which is made using recycled ocean plastic.
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Bio-Cement Solves Two Problems
Researchers have come up with a neat solution to the problem of producing some forms of biofuel waste – add it to cement, and make concrete nearly a third stronger than other versions.
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Situation of Recycling in France
Interview with the President of the French Plastic Federation (Fédération de la plasturgie et des composites).
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Survey to Develop PET Chemical Recycling
How can textile producers and processors avoid PET waste or treat it as profitably as possible? The DEMETO project, supported by the European Outdoor Group, is dedicated to this question. Textile and recycling experts can now provide valuable input in the “DEMETO 2020 Survey – End of Life Strategy”.
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Can Recycling be Fixed in the US?
Recycling in the U.S. is broken. In 1960, Americans generated 2.68 pounds of garbage per day; by 2017, it had grown to an average of 4.51 pounds. And while many Americans dutifully put items into their recycling bins, much of it does not actually end up being recycled. This post will explain why, and talk…
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The Problems with PLA
While our ecosystem is collapsing, we are at the very least fortunate to witness the rise of a potentially more sustainable form of manufacturing coinciding with the rise of potentially more sustainable materials.
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Bioplastics by an Outsider
Plastics produced from living species such as plants or microbes rather than from fossil fuels are not necessarily biodegradable.
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Mandatory Composting in New York
A proposal would make organic waste recycling available to all, then eventually require it. Critics say it would be expensive.
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Bioplastic Tea Bags, the Switch Begins!
We’re replacing the oil-based plastic in our tea bags with a plant-based plastic called PLA – and the switch is going pretty well so far!
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Covestro Research on CO Feedstock
CO2 is not always the bad guy, it can be a valuable resource. The research and innovation project Carbon4PUR project is a proof of that according to Covestro.
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Consortium on Biobased Asphalt
On Wednesday 4 March, representatives from 22 organizations met at the Tech Park in Delft for the official start of the biobased asphalt cooperation program.
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Washington Students Propose Plastic Straw Ban
City Council plans to discuss the issue; no date set yet.
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LCA of Used Cooking Oil Bio PP
This article presents the first environmental LCA of UCO-based PP. Sixteen impact categories are investigated and the allocation methods are scrutinized. UCO-based PP offers clear impact reductions in terms of climate change and depletion of fossil resources compared to petrochemical PP, regardless of the choice of allocation methods. In attributional LCAs where non-dominant products are…
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Clariant Cooperation with the Plastic Bank
The Plastic Bank is a social enterprise and economic development firm that empowers disenfranchised communities to exchange any type of plastic waste for currency.
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UK MP Survey on Compostable Packaging
A survey of MPs from all the main Westminster parties found overwhelming support for a switch to more environmentally friendly packaging.
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DSM, SABIC and UPM Biofuels Partner for Bio-based Dyneema
Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, and UPM Biofuels, a leading producer of sustainable raw materials, today announced a partnership that will help to reduce the environmental footprint of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber.
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Jewellery Box by Durasense Biocomposite
Aesthetics comes first when selecting a piece of jewellery, but safe and sustainable materials are equally important. In the best case, the same goes also for the jewellery box. The Finnish jewellery brand Ilonakoru found a solution in boxes made from our DuraSense biocomposite.
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EU Circular Economy Action Plan
A new Circular Economy Action Plan for a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe
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Biobased Industries Role Under the EU Circular Economy Action Plan
Enhanced role envisaged for the bio-based industries under the EU’s new Circular Economy Action Plan
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UK Plastic Packaging Tax
British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has promised to deliver on the Conservative Party’s manifesto pledge to introduce a plastics packaging tax during his 2020 Budget today.
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National Arts Centre in Ottawa Does Composting
Ottawa’s National Arts Centre and its composter show careful sourcing, testing, training are key
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Converting Used Oil into Bioplastics
One might think that edible oils do not represent any danger of pollution. But this is not the case. The project to recycle these used oils – such as frying oils – in bioplastics developed by engineering students at Sup’Biotech, therefore, seems interesting. Biotechnology engineers came up with a Bioplast Oil project that aims to…
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Dysfunctional Waste Management of UK Government
The government’s ‘dysfunctional’ approach to preventing marine plastic pollution is unlikely to deliver any lasting improvements, according to the think tank Green Alliance.
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New Process Makes Recycling Eco-Friendly
Plastics are user-friendly, versatile, and highly economical to such an extent that the earth is flooded with plastic waste. This makes them a victim of their own success.
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Non-Toxic and Edible Bioplastics Made from Grapes
A new method to produce biodegradable plastic made from vitis vinifera, or commonly known as grapes, has been discovered. the brilliant mind behind this innovation is none less than geisha montes de oca, based in los angeles and dominican native. the said plastic, aside from being non-toxic and edible, biodegrades in a matter of days…
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New Method With Cyanobacteria Could Disrupt Bioplastic Production
A Kobe University led research team has illuminated the mechanism by which cyanobacteria (Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803) produces D-lactate, showing that malic enzyme facilitates this production.
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WWF and the Plastic Waste Business
Let’s have a look at the plastic waste business of WWF.
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Avantium Enters Euronext Amsterdam SmallCap Index
Avantium announces that it has been promoted to the Euronext Amsterdam SmallCap Index (AScX), following the quarterly review by Euronext.
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Cost of Recycling Hits US Cities and Towns
Cities and towns in Massachusetts are used to paying for their trash to be hauled away. But now, they’re having to pay big bucks for recycling, too.
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Versalis Joins Circular Plastics Alliance and Makes Recycling Pledge
Versalis, Eni’s chemicals company, has joined the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA) to actively contribute achieving the ambitious European target of using 10 million tonnes of recycled plastic in new products by 2025.
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Tumeric Extends Shelf Life in Bioplastic Packaging
Researchers in Malaysia have developed a biopolymer film incorporating turmeric oil that stops the growth of a common food fungus and degrades well in soil, they say.
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Borealis Produces Everminds Bio-PP in Belgium
EverMinds™ in practice: Another milestone reached in Borealis’ efforts to advance the circular economy. Kallo and Beringen production sites receive ISCC Plus certification. Collaboration with upstream and downstream value chain partners such as Neste and Henkel.
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Cincinnati Plastic Bag Ban
Cincinnati-based Kroger pledged to ban single-use plastic bags by 2025, but if you live in Cincinnati you’ll likely be saying goodbye to plastic bags at the grocery store and other places much sooner.
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ALPLA Builds New Plant in South Africa
Production site near Johannesburg bundles activities from five existing plants.
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Korean Chemical Companies Hooked on Microorganisms
Korean oil refining and chemical companies are turning their eyes to microorganisms as a rich source of new business opportunities. Increasing interest in ways to produce materials not harmful to humans and the environment is driving more and more companies to discover business opportunities that use microorganisms.
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Chemical Recycling Could Accelerate Plastic Recycling in EU
With the right policies to support investment in chemical recycling, this new technology could be a game changer for plastic waste management, says Cefic director general Marco Mensink
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Clariant Receives Bioplastic Accreditation
Clariant Masterbatches Earn ‘ok’ Certification for Home and Industrial Composting.
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Starbucks Trials BioPBS Cups
On its journey to develop a more recyclable and compostable hot cup solution by 2022, Starbucks announced today details for in-market testing of a more sustainable cup technology from the NextGen Cup Challenge.
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KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell Stops Polystyrene Foam Packaging
Yum! Brands, the company behind popular fast-food chains KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, will phase out polystyrene foam packaging by 2022 globally, Yum! said Thursday.
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AR Packaging and Pulpac Partner for Renewable Fibre-Based Products
AR Packaging aims to be first on the market with commercially viable plastic free trays and cutlery for the food, on-the-go and food service sectors. The group looks to contribute to innovative process developments of fully fibre based solutions and therefore has joined the PulPac Technology Pool.
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Vertoro and Sekab to Build Demo Plant for 2G Platform
A new demo plant in Örnsköldsvik will be the first in the world to produce a 2G platform for sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials, coined GOLDILOCKS®, from pulp and paper industry residues. The plant will be built by the Swedish chemical and clean tech company Sekab together with the Dutch oil company Vertoro.
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Neste Partners with Mirova and Recycling Technologies
Neste, the world’s leading provider of renewable diesel, renewable jet fuel, and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical solutions, and Mirova, a pioneer impact investor in the natural capital space and an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, today announce a combined EUR 10 million investment into Recycling Technologies Ltd (‘Recycling Technologies’), a specialist plastic…
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Henkel Tests Detergent Refill Stations in Czech Republic
Consumer goods company Henkel is testing liquid detergent refill stations with the drug store chain Rossmann in the Czech Republic. Henkel’s newly published sustainability report says that the pilot is part of an effort to close the packaging loop.
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Corbion Strategy Update
During its Capital Markets Day for analysts and investors in Amsterdam today, Corbion management will present its strategy for the period 2020-2025: Advance 2025.
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Bulk Food Problem Called Food Moth
Bulk food is developing quickly in organic groceries and supermarkets, but with it comes an insect called the food moth.
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Aldi Imposes Closed Loop Packaging to Suppliers by 2025
If you’ve ever shopped for groceries at ALDI, you’ve probably noticed that the international supermarket chain is filled with plastic and non-recyclable packaging. But by 2025, every single product you see in ALDI will be either package-free or wrapped in recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging, as ALDI announced last year.
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Old T-Shirts for Making Reusable Bags
Cordova banned plastic grocery bags in 2016, though many Cordovans may not have noticed. In spite of an ordinance against non-biodegradable plastic bags, many residents continue not to shop with reusable bags, said Shae Bowman, operations manager for the Copper River Watershed Project.
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Exposing the Compostable Plastic Myth in Canada
Canada made their own version of the Dutch documentary “De Monitor”. Here is what actually happens when you put compostable plastics in your green bin.
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The Truth About Bioplastic
If you’re not the type to bring a reusable bag to the store, bioplastics have become an increasingly attractive alternative to the plastic that is slowly strangling the oceans, rivers, municipalities, and the very sediment record of Earth itself.
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The European Plastics Pact
Bringing together frontrunner companies and governments to accelerate the transition towards a European circular plastics economy. The official launch event of the European Plastics Pact took place on the 6th of March, 2020 at “The Square” Convention Centre in Brussels, Belgium.
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Sunscreen from Lignin
Scientists at Mohali based research institute, the Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB), have made a breakthrough by developing an antimicrobial sunscreen from metal oxide nano-composites developed from agricultural waste-based lignin.
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Visualizing the Global Plastic Crisis
The Plastic Atlas, recently published by the Heinrich Böel Foundation and Break Free From Plastic, highlights the extent of plastic pollution worldwide.
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Plastic Recycling to Finance Glass Recycling in France
The Ministry of Ecological Transition has a particular vision when it comes to recycling.
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Carbios Joins European Plastic Pact
A coalition to increase the management efficiency of the lifecycle of plastic materials and support the development of innovative technologies.
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Starbucks Bans Reusable Cups Because of Coronavirus
Starbucks branches have temporarily banned reusable cups in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Holland Bioplastics Did Not Join the NL Circular Economy Initiative
The Plastic Pact NL is an initiative of the Dutch Government to tackle the plastic problem and to create a circular economy.
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BBIA Responds to Tesco Packaging Strategy
Tesco has recently issued an updated series of guidelines on the preferred materials and formats that it will accept as packaging.
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More Plastic than Fish in Ocean by 2050
PLASTIC could outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050, an environmental group has warned as it launched a lawsuit against the top plastic polluters.
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New Ocean Plastic Chair
Polywood is looking to the seas to source recyclable plastics for the launch of its new Ocean chair.
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Best Way to Deal With Ocean Plastic
Plastic containers that easily degrade in sea water would be a dream solution to the growing problem of ocean waste, but recycling and plastic alternatives may still be the best option, researchers report.
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Compostable Packaging Confusing for Canadian Waste Management
Issues around compostable packaging in Canada. Article dates back from October 2018 but is still relevant.
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Plantbased? Compostable? What You Need to Know About Bioplastics
What they are, how they’re greener than traditional plastics and why they’re not a perfect solution.
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LyondellBasell Signs Joint-Venture with Chinese Bora
LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world, today announced it has signed definitive agreements to expand in China through a 50:50 joint venture with the Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group (Bora).
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Avantium CEO On Bioplastics in the Drinks Industry
Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium, discusses the challenges and benefits of introducing plant-based plastics to the drinks industry.
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Yield10 Bioscience CEO in the News
Panic is setting in about a potential french fry shortage in the near future, due to a poor potato harvest in the United States and Canada. Headlines speculate that people will need to find new sides to go with their burgers.
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Sumitomo Boosts Chemical Recycling Technology Research
The Muroran Institute of Technology has introduced a technology that makes use of highly selective zeolite catalysts to decompose waste plastics into specific monomers. In the joint research, the institute will create more sophisticated catalysts and Sumitomo Chemical will support the R&D of this technology.
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Plastic-Eating Caterpillars
The tiny waxworm went from zero to hero in 2017 when researchers discovered the caterpillar could potentially help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems: plastic waste.
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Plastic Pledge in Australia
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley and the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans today congratulated companies and Students for stepping up with key commitments at the closing of the first ever National Plastics Summit.
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3D Printed PLA Motorbike
Sarolea is a revived Belgian motorcycle manufacturer that took on the historic Sarolea brand after the original company ceased production in the 1960’s. The revived brand now focuses solely on electric powered motorcycles, but at the heart of the company is the same passion of motorcycles that founded the original brand back in 1850.
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Interview with New Chair of BPI Board
Congratulations to NatureWorks’ Senior Circular Economy Manager, Tim Goodman, for his new additional role as Chair of the BPI Board. BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) is North America’s leading certifier of compostable products and packaging.
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LyondellBasell CEO Talks Industry Trends and Curbing Plastic Waste
LyondellBasell CEO Bob Patel was the keynote speaker at the Partnership’s 2nd annual State of Houston’s Petrochemical Industry event on March 3.
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Circular Economy in Singapore
The effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events, are posing a threat to carrying on with business as usual.
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Big Oil and Big Soda Kept Plastic Calamity a Secret
How Big Oil and Big Soda kept a global environmental calamity a secret for decades.
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Plastic from Wood
X-ray analysis gives insights on mechanical and morphological properties of lignin.
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US Custom Ruling for Chinese Bioplastic Bags
In ruling NY N309146, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determined the classification of biodegradable plastic retail carrier bags from China.
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Grolsch Goes For Smurfit Kappa TopClip
Smurfit Kappa’s sustainable TopClip solution will be launched on the market by leading beer brewer Royal Grolsch as a paper-based replacement for the plastic shrink wrap currently used on their can multi-packs.
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Did the Kenya Plastic Bag Ban Work?
Kenya has harsh penalties for those caught manufacturing, selling, importing or using single-use plastics, yet the country still struggles to reduce its waste.
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Good Natured Acquires Shepherd Thermoforming & Packaging
Good natured Products Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with the shareholders of Shepherd Thermoforming & Packaging, a leading thermoformer with over 35 years’ experience, to acquire 100% of Shepherd and all its real estate assets for CAD$9.5 million in cash.
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Clear on Plastics Campaign To Educate UK Citizens
Cutting through the confusion on plastic packaging! Clear on Plastics is a campaign brought to you by WRAP, the sustainability not-for-profit, and supported by The UK Plastics Pact.
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Compostable Toothbrush Branded Infinite Toothbrush
A Stevenage start-up has created the only toothbrush made from biodegradeable plastic to tackle the issue of single-use plastic polluting our oceans.
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Skechers and Goodyear Partner on Biobased Shoe Soles
A new line of Skechers shoes features Goodyear rubber technology on the bottom, the companies announced this week.
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New Partnership To Reduce Ocean Plastic Pollution
4ocean, the purpose-driven Public Benefit Corporation founded to help end the world’s ocean plastic crisis, is proud to announce its latest partnership, with Safe Harbor Marinas—the world’s largest owner and operator of marinas.
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Handbags from Ocean Plastics
New York (CNN Business)Rothy’s iconic women’s flat shoes are knitted from a single continuous yarn derived from recycled plastic water bottles. Now Rothy’s is pushing the envelope again and creating another sustainable staple product.
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Where Goes the Textile Waste?
A new sustainability initiative, Accelerating Circularity, announced that it is working with major apparel companies such as Gap Inc., Target Corp. and VF Corp. to chart ways to eliminate textile-industry waste and recycle it into new fibers and materials, according to a Feb. 25 announcement.
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Evegreen Becoming a Leader in Bioplastic Plant Pots
After driving past a mountain of discarded pots once used to plant hops for brewing beer during the economic crisis of 2014, Eva Štraser started her own company Evegreen which makes bioplastic plant pots.
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FDA Approves Full Recycled HDPE and PET Food Packaging
Erema Group got the go-ahead to use its technology to recycle HDPE into food and drink packaging and foodservice wares. Meanwhile, other companies got federal green lights for PET recycling.
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New Zealand Questions Compostable Plastics
The surging consumer anxiety around the downstream effects of plastics has led to a huge increase in single-use plastic items or packaging on display labelled as “biodegradable”, “compostable” or “home compostable”.
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Pepsi Replaces Plastic Rings With Molded Pulp
PepsiCo is using molded pulp as an alternative to the plastic rings used in their Pepsi brand. This trial is occurring in Sacramento, California.
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Henkel Goes Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic
Together with packaging manufacturer ALPLA, Henkel has achieved a further step in its activities in the field of sustainable packaging: From now on Perwoll bottles in Western Europe will not only be fully recyclable, but also contain 25 percent recycled PE (polyethylene) from post-consumer sources as standard.
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Mitsubishi Chemical Creates Circular Economy Department
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation announced its decision to establish a new Circular Economy Department (CE Department) effective April 1, 2020, with the aim of bolstering its efforts to bring about the circular economy.
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Compostable Plastics Are Not Circular
De Monitor (episode 10/02) about compostable packaging and disposables, has given the discussion about circularity some new oxygen. Jelmer Vierstra, Senior Program Leader Circular Economy at Nature & Environment believes compostable plastics are not circular and compostability standards are irrelevant.
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NL Composting Industry Does Not Want Compostable Plastics
Dutch Waste Management Industry: we don’t want packaging in the bio-waste stream, even if they are compostable.
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