Pavan Sharma’s Post

The Plastic Problem: Rethinking Recycling Goals - https://lnkd.in/gtcKdGF5 The current state of plastic recycling is a challenge we all share. As a waste management company, we understand the complexities firsthand. This article highlights the recent shift by major corporations like Nestle and Unilever to move from "recyclable" to "designed for recycling" packaging. This reflects the limitations of existing infrastructure and the need for innovation. At SMS Hydrotech , we're committed to collaborating with industry leaders to develop a more sustainable future for plastics. This includes: ✔️Investing in sorting and processing technologies to handle a wider range of recyclables. ✔️Partnering with municipalities to improve recycling programs and educate consumers. ✔️Advocating for design improvements that make plastics truly recyclable. Together, we can turn the tide on plastic waste. Let's keep the conversation going! Share your thoughts on how we can improve plastic recycling in the comments. #plastics #recycling #sustainability #circulareconomy #wmx #wastecon

2025: The Tipping Point for Reusable Packaging? With only 9% of plastics recycled worldwide, it’s clear that recycling alone won’t solve the plastic waste crisis. Reuse is the game-changer—a $10 billion opportunity that can drive real change. As global leaders push forward on a plastics treaty, the path to scalable reusable packaging is gaining momentum. The key? Investing in infrastructure to lower costs and make reuse models competitive with single-use. #SustainableFuture #ReusablePackaging #PlasticPollution #ShipandShoreEnvironmental

Recycling plastics is a MYTH! 🚫 The truth is that MOST plastic was NEVER MEANT to be recycled, and that fact is not going to change – not with regular recycling and certainly not with “advanced recycling.” Only 6% of plastics are recycled in the U.S., and that number is expected to drop further as more plastic is produced! And the small amount that is recycled releases huge amounts of microplastics known to cause various diseases. The way forward: 1️⃣ Banning single-use plastics and packaging. 2️⃣ Investing in reuse systems! Learn more 👇 and help us fight back against plastic pollution! 🌍 #SaveThePlanet #environmentalist {hashtag|\#|greenwashing} {hashtag|\#|climatechange}

Berry Global, Inc. (NYSE: BERY) Flexibles division has made the announcement that across three of its European recycling facilities, the recycling capacity will be increased. This has been done in order to raise the capacity for recycling high-performance films that have been made with recycled content. This expansion aligns with a pan-European project which is focused on expanding the production of its Sustane® range of recycled polymers. Doing this will mean that the company will gain access to a large amount of valuable, recycled plastic and it will simultaneously help to meet the already growing demand for high-performance films that are made up of recycled content. The article below portrays the benefits that will come about through the expansion of products that recycling firms will take. Not only will this significantly reduce plastic waste, but it will also benefit the company and allow them to expand and develop further. Follow our LinkedIn page for the latest insights and industry news, on everything within the #greenermanufacturing #sustainablematerials #sustainablechemicals #plasticwastefree sectors; and for the latest updates on our 2024 shows. There will also be 2 new standalone additions to The Greener Manufacturing Show & Plastic Waste Free World next year – Sustainable Materials Expo & Sustainable Chemicals Expo (Cologne, 13-14 Nov)!   #4eventsin2024 #industrynews #sustainability #closetheloop #TGMSE2024 #SCHLE2024 #SMTRE2024 #PWFWE2024

My controvertial opinion - plastic recycling doesn’t work. It’s not a solution. More than 89% of people think it matters- but the truth is only around 9% of plastic has ever been recycled, and the trends don’t look good. We tell ourselves recycling matters, but it simply doesn’t work at scale. The solution, is to manufacture with materials that can safely enter the ecosystem. This means addressing biological constraints of ecosystems, and creating materials that can act as nutrients for those ecosystems. It’s absolutely possible, and there is an incredible range of biomanufacturing solutions emerging to replace the existing system. But we need to get away from the idea that we can recycle our way out of this mountain of plastic. https://lnkd.in/gx2yWv9F

According to a new report surveying 225 companies’ plastic-related sustainability efforts, there are zero companies making at least $1B in annual revenue who are doing enough to reduce, reuse, and/or recycle plastics. Of the companies assessed and scored by As You Sow and Ubuntoo, none received an “A” grade, and nearly 50% failed. The best grade awarded to a major company was a B+. This scorecard judged companies on their combined efforts toward plastic reduction, material reuse, and recycling expansion. The results are glaring: major companies are failing to live up to their sustainability commitments, and they must do more. The authors of the study suggest that companies focus on six areas of improvement, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). At Polycarbin, we see how EPR legislation - which requires producers to take responsibility for the end of life of their products - is increasingly prevalent in the US, Europe, and beyond. Companies need to prepare for the changing legislative landscape as governments embrace EPR. Thinking critically about a product’s end of life and designing thoughtful solutions is a pathway to a cleaner planet and, hopefully, higher grades on future plastic scorecards. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ec856VtH #circularity #plastics #EPR

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗬𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 Planet Tracker have produced a brilliant overview of the cons of plastic recycling - it is sobering reading. https://lnkd.in/e85S2NTX 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 methodologies such as pyrolysis are dubious and still have too many question marks surrounding them. https://lnkd.in/eCWj5Bih 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 (𝗪𝗧𝗘) and Incineration schemes release toxics into the sludge at the end of a burn, and into the environment. (Even the best such as Switzerland and Denmark). Shlomo Dowen Janek Vähk 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 brings additional toxics that have hitchhiked onto plastics from trash can/environment to recycling to end product - they also release massive amounts or microplastics in the process (and essentially kick the can down the road since the recycled product is harder to recycle) Lauriane Veillard https://lnkd.in/ebrnAmxB 𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡?? There is no one perfect solution. BUT as we do find solutions, let's be creative and open to adaptation to avoid further harm. We can think creatively and cautiously 💩 We must stop overproducing plastic: find solutions that are safe, just and healthy for humans and the environment. 💩Make an equitable financial transition for solutions for plastic substitutes to virgin plastics which come from a heavily subsidised fossil fuel industry. 💩Stop all harmful chemicals and toxics in plastics in the first place. 💩Promote solutions that avoid any single use unless absolutely necessary. Finally, while waste pickers - particularly women eke livings out of trash mountains, we are civically responsible to keep them safe from harm and not encourage such jobs if they are without dignity or safety. nina van toulon John Chweya So let's work on solutions that glamourise zero waste jobs rather than picking up someone else's trash. Plastics should be our last resort...

Recycling the plastic being produced by companies for their products or packaging is not going to solve the plastic waste proliferation. There is an urgent need to #Reduce the use of plastic drastically, Reduce the use of virgin polymers, #Replace polythene packing with biodegradable and natural materials and use only recycled plastic for manufacturing. Only by turning off the tap on plastic products made from virgin polymers, can we save the planet from turning into a plastic waste dump and the occean littered with millions of tons of plastic waste. The manufacturers must put funds in #Research and Development of natural materials to replace the plastic polymers and #Reduce plastic trash. #Reduce #Replace #Recycle #Reimagine #Redesign and #Remove_Plastic https://lnkd.in/dzQek_uT

There are six billion tonnes of plastic waste in the world, with around 400 million tonnes of plastic produced each year. Less than 10% is recycled. The rest is incinerated or sent to landfills, where it leaks pollutants into soil and water, and then into the food chain, affecting animal and human health. What the world needs is a method to break down plastic – a process that can take hundreds or thousands of years via natural processes – and the researchers at Plasticentropy believe they have found just that. Forward speaks to Co-Founders Federica Bertocchini and Nicolas Dubaut about using waxworm saliva to break up plastic: https://hubs.la/Q02yD7qK0 #polymers #greentech #sustainability #plasticdegradation #enzymes

The latest study from the European Commission highlights a stark reality: In 2019, less than 20% of plastic in the EU was recycled, with a recycling rate averaging just 17% 😲 While there is potential to improve, with targets aiming for a 45% increase in recycled plastic consumption by 2025, the current rate is far from where it needs to be. We need to rethink our approach to managing plastic waste. Recycling alone is not enough to tackle the plastic crisis effectively. It's crucial to prioritise reuse over recycling. Here's why: ♻️ Reduce Overall Waste: Return and reuse systems prevent plastic waste from entering the waste stream in the first place, reducing the need for recycling and the associated costs. 🌎 Lower Environmental Impact: Returnable and reusable alternatives eliminate the energy-intensive processes involved in manufacturing, shipping and recycling products to be used a single time At CLUBZERØ, we are committed to providing innovative returnable packaging solutions that make reuse easy and effective. Our system helps businesses significantly cut down on waste, lower CO2 emissions, and achieve their sustainability goals 👏 Read the full report here - https://lnkd.in/gqVhTHeg #eu #plasticwaste #reuse #returnablepackaging #circulareconomy #packaging #recycling