Article in The Guardian discusses issues in recycling of packaging made from multiple layers and different materials; highlights plastic food packaging pouches and added labels as common problems
April 15, 2020
Overview of The Packaging Conference 2020
2020 edition of packaging industry event centers almost exclusively around issues of plastic pollution and recycling; next year’s conference to take place on February 8-10, 2021
April 14, 2020
Scientists find novel enzyme to break down PET
Publication in the journal Nature reports new enzyme able to break down 90% of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic into monomers within ten hours, outperforms all previously discovered enzymes
April 6, 2020
EFSA working group updates in March 2020
Minutes from recent meetings of the EFSA CEP panel and working groups on bisphenol A, FCMs, and recycling plastics published; 13th CEP Panel plenary meeting on April 28-30, 2020 open to observers, registration open until April 24
April 6, 2020
Webinar on drivers for change in FCMs
Chemical Watch webinar to discuss challenges, trends, and opportunities in food contact materials (FCMs); include presentations from Nestlé and HAVI
April 1, 2020
Study on reducing odors in recycled LDPE
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV publish study investigating sources of odors present in recycled low density polyethylene (LDPE); demonstrate reduction of odors through separated collection from household waste, washing at 60 degrees Celsius
March 30, 2020
Bacterium found to degrade polyurethane
Researchers from Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research identify Pseudomonas bacterium able to break down polyurethane monomer and oligomer; bacterium uses plastic as energy source to fuel process; researchers caution that industrial application still a decade away, focus should remain on preventing plastic pollution
March 27, 2020
Mass balance principles for plastic recycling
American Chemistry Council (ACC) proposes principles for applying mass balance approach in plastics recycling; includes traceability across supply chain and third-party auditing to verify product claims
March 26, 2020
Dutch Plastic Pact publishes baseline data
Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) releases first progress report towards 2025 goals; provides data from 27 signatories on recycling potential and use of recycled plastics to serve as baseline; data still lacking on reuse, sorting, and quantity of hazardous substances in plastics
March 20, 2020
South Korea amending food packaging standards
Notification submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO); notes changes planned to common manufacturing standards, allowing use of additional recycled plastic resins; comment period open until May 30, 2020
