Sustainability

The plastics processing industry is going through a significant transformation, driven by rising energy costs and concerns regarding future supply reliability.

The future of material research is increasingly changing toward digitization, which promises advantages but requires significant work and adaptability. While initial trends emerge, development varies between material classes due to variations in synthesis, production, analysis, and modeling techniques.

The plastics industry stands at a critical juncture, shaped by an increasing array of regulations aimed at mitigating environmental impact, particularly concerning single-use plastics.

The toy industry utilizes 40 tonnes of plastic for every $1 million in revenue and constitutes the most plastic-intensive industry. Unfortunately, people discard 80% of toys in landfills. This issue, coupled with the growing demand for sustainable products, drives the…

Solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation (STRAP) process stands out as a promising alternative to polypropylene (PP) disposable face mask recycling.

Digital packaging emerges as a revolutionary player in transforming how consumers interact with products. Traditional packaging, primarily focused on protection and basic marketing, is evolving rapidly.

Toray Industries, a Japan-based company, has unveiled a groundbreaking development in the field of cosmetics raw materials. They have created a new polyamide 4 (PA4) spherical fine particle that boasts biodegradability in marine environments, marking a significant stride towards sustainability in the cosmetics industry.

Billie Eilish plans to use recycled and bio-based vinyl, as well as recycled packaging materials, to make her upcoming third album as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

Conventionally, laminate designs have adhered to standard ply orientations such as 0, 90, and ±45°, often constrained by symmetry requirements. However, a paradigm shift has emerged with the introduction of the double-double laminates concept, offering a more efficient and tailored approach to composite design.

Brands and package designers are developing seaweed-based packaging as an alternative to single-use plastics. Companies such as PlantSea Ltd., Notpla Ltd., Sway Innovation and Loliware Inc. are all active in the space.

GreenMantra Technologies diverts thousands of tons of plastic from landfills, dumps, and the ocean. They leverage molecular recycling to produce sustainable additives from plastic waste.

Most plastics processing sites use gas simply for space heating but some processes use gas as part of the process, e.g., rotational molding.  Where gas is used for hot water only then this is generally relatively constant over the year. For space heating, the gas use load will be related to the weather conditions (how cold it is) and the weather is then a ‘condition’ driver for gas use.