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Washington State passes comprehensive plastics legislation

Governor for US state of Washington signs Senate Bill 5022; bans expanded polystyrene foam takeaway containers by June 2024; beginning January 1, 2022 all single-use service ware only given to customers upon request; adds minimum recycled content requirement to many plastic containers and trash bags; no longer requires triangular arrow recycle symbol on hard plastic products

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EEA briefing on biodegradable and compostable plastics

European Environment Agency (EEA) publishes report providing on overview of challenges and opportunities; includes introduction to relevant terminology, implications of use, and comparison of existing certifications; calls for clearer labeling and increased campaigns to inform consumers

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Investors urge major companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging

Investors with over $10 trillion in assets call for urgent action to reduce single-use plastic packaging in the fast-moving consumer goods and grocery retail sectors; cite environmental, climate, and public health threats posed by the entire plastics lifecycle; express concern over the financial risks to companies and investors

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Studies assess composition and safety of chemicals in recycled HDPE

Scientists analyze volatile compounds in recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE); detect 53 chemicals in two post-consumer HDPE milk bottles including plastic additives and non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); risk assessment shows samples do not comply with plastic food packaging regulation; report re-granulation process in mechanical recycling to remove most but not all odor and volatile organic compounds

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Greenpeace survey on plastic bottles

Soft drink companies have limited commitment to reducing single-use plastic bottles, increasing recycled content in PET bottles, considering PET bottles’ contribution to ocean pollution, according to new Greenpeace report