Sangna Kansagra’s Post

U.S. Plastics Pact recently pushed back its plastic reduction goals from 2025 to 2030. While this shift raises questions, it underscores the complexity of achieving ambitious sustainability targets. The extension should be seen as a moment of recalibration to achieve the ultimate goal: successfully reducing plastic waste. Aggressive timelines can be challenging without significant advancements in recycling infrastructure, material science, and consumer behavior change. However, the core objective remains: reducing plastic waste. I believe the answer likely lies in collaboration. Open communication and shared responsibility across the entire value chain - brand owners, manufacturers, policymakers, and consumers - are not just important; they are crucial for progress. Continued innovation in recyclable packaging design will play a key role in our collective efforts. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eTVR3nq5 #USPlasticsPact #PlasticsPact #Danone #CocaCola #Nestle #Innovation #Sustainability #PlasticWaste #Innovation #Plastics #CircularEconomy

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

U.S. Plastics Pact Unveils Roadmap 2.0 with Bold Goals to Eliminate Plastic Packaging Waste U.S. Plastics Pact Launches Roadmap Transforming Packaging and Supply Chains Across Industries New Plan Outlines Ambitious Targets toward eliminating Plastic Packaging Waste and Transitioning to a Circular Economy The U.S. Plastics Pact released its latest strategic plan to help companies change how they design, use, and reuse plastics in their packaging. Roadmap 2.0 is an actionable plan designed to transform the use of plastics, focusing on practical steps to create a circular economy where plastic packaging is reused, recycled, composted, and kept within the economy instead of becoming waste. This comprehensive plan builds on the successes and lessons learned from the initial Roadmap to 2025, setting forth updated and ambitious targets to address plastic waste and drive systemic change across the entire plastics value chain. Significant Progress Achieved in Plastic Waste Reduction The original Roadmap to 2025 was a bold initiative to catalyze immediate action in the absence of a federal strategy. Over the past four years, the U.S. Plastics Pact has seen significant progress in plastics circularity: Reduction of Problematic Materials: Through the creation of a Problematic & Unnecessary Materials List, decreased the use of problematic or unnecessary plastics from 14% to 8% Increased Recyclability: Increased the amount of reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging from37% to 47.7%. Recycled Content: Increasing post-consumer recycled or responsibly sourced biobased content in packaging from 7% to 9.4%. Community Growth: Expanding the U.S. Pact from 62 to over 130 dedicated Activators. Resource Development: Introduction of the PCR Procurement Toolkit, PCR Certification Principles, and the Design for Circularity Playbooks, to be published summer 2024.

*Upgrading pyrolysis oil for greater plastic circularity* There are challenges in plastic recycling and the use of pyrolysis can be used as a potential solution for achieving greater circularity in plastic waste management. Currently, only about 15% of global plastics are recycled annually, with projections indicating minimal improvements by 2030. This situation underscores the need for a circular economy, although significant barriers remain, such as inconsistent international policies, diverse plastic compositions, and the difficulty of sourcing high-quality feedstock. Pyrolysis is introduced as a viable method for recycling mixed and low-quality plastic waste that mechanical recycling cannot handle. By converting plastic waste into pyrolytic oil, it offers a sustainable alternative to fossil-based feedstocks like naphtha and fuels for industries like marine transport and aviation. However, the technology faces challenges, including scaling up production, managing contaminants like chlorides and metals, and addressing oil instability and flow issues. There are innovative solutions, such as advanced adsorbents like bauxite-based materials and hydroprocessing catalysts, which remove impurities and improve the quality of pyrolytic oil. Additives such as SiYPro®️ and Viscoplex®️ (made by Evonik) enhance oil stability and reduce viscosity, respectively, enabling better handling and storage. These advancements address key barriers, making pyrolysis more effective and suitable for integration into petrochemical processes. Finally, continued innovation in purification technologies and catalyst development is important. Wider adoption of pyrolysis could lower costs, reduce carbon footprints, and significantly expand the range and quality of recyclable plastics. The maturation of this technology is essential for creating a scalable and efficient circular economy for plastics. For more information, you can visit the site below. https://lnkd.in/dMY4RSfw

#Thursday_Insights Plastics recycling faces change and innovation Two fundamental challenges: Polymers do not like to mix. Polymer products therefore consist typically of only one material (e.g., LDPE for plastic bags, PET for water bottles, etc.). Before recycling and reuse, the different plastic types have to be isolated and separated. While separation is straight forward for certain products, many materials used in food packaging are sophisticated composite materials, featuring different layers or different components serving different purposes. Separating out the different layers remains a bottleneck. 🌟 The dynamic landscape of plastics recycling, where change and innovation converge, as unveiled by American Recycler. - Plastics recycling is undergoing a transformative phase, marked by innovation and technological advancements that are reshaping waste management practices and promoting sustainability within the plastics industry. - Advanced sorting technologies, including AI-driven solutions, are instrumental in optimizing plastic recycling processes, enhancing material recovery rates, and supporting the transition towards a more circular economy for plastics. - The evolution of plastics recycling towards more efficient and sustainable practices underscores the industry's commitment to environmental stewardship, resource conservation, and the reduction of plastic waste pollution. - Sustainable practices in recycling and sorting, empowered by cutting-edge technologies, offer a pathway towards a greener future, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, innovation, and responsible waste management. PICVISA’s ECOPACK and ECOFLAKE are at the forefront of innovation in plastics recycling. The ECOPACK Optical Sorter excels in accurately identifying and segregating different plastic polymers using advanced NIR spectrometry, making it essential for optimizing recycling processes, especially with complex waste streams. Meanwhile, ECOFLAKE is designed for high-precision sorting of plastic flakes, ensuring minimal material loss and high-quality output. Together, these technologies drive efficiency and sustainability, transforming plastic waste into valuable resources and supporting the circular economy. Let's rise to the challenge of embracing change and fostering innovation in plastics recycling. By advocating for sustainable solutions, championing technological advancements, and cultivating a collective commitment to environmental responsibility, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and circular plastics ecosystem. 🔄🌍 Article by American Recycler News, Inc. #PlasticsRecycling #InnovateForChange #PICVISA Link of the source:

Dow, the world’s third-largest plastics producer, enthusiastically supports a solution that will eliminate plastic pollution from our planet by creating a socially inclusive, circular economy for plastics that recognizes the vital role these materials play in ensuring a low-carbon future. Not sure I agree with the statement published in Fortune. Jim Fitterling is not looking to turn off the plastic tap! 🔴 In 2023, the global plastics market totalled $712 billion dollars according to Statista; it’s expected to grow to more than a $1 trillion market by 2033. “It’s easy to use. It’s a material you can do a lot with from a product standpoint. There’s a lot of conveniences to it. The eco-friendly, biodegradable plastics market has grown. Its expected value will be more than $20 billion by 2026, rising from just over $5 billion in 2022. “We have a target to grow 3 million metric tons a year of recycled materials… This demand from brand owners to have 30% of their materials be post-consumer recycled, that’s a huge change.” It’s an audacious yet achievable goal. Outrage And Demand “There are people that say it’s going to be the end of the plastics era,” Fitterling said. Nothing could be further from the truth. “Plastics continue to grow well above GDP levels and have for decades,” he said. That’s demand. The agreement being worked out could be an incredible catalyst for change if designed well. To be effective, it will need to drive innovation, promote environmentally sound recycling, and build an inclusive financial model to enable a circular ecosystem. # The first priority is driving innovation through design. Using plastics sustainably requires making them with circularity in mind from the beginning. We must design more high-performance plastics that use fewer raw materials while maximizing durability, reusability, and recyclability. Countries can help by promoting smarter design standards and setting recycled content requirements so that waste can be more easily sorted, recycled, and put back into use. # Second, we must promote environmentally sound recycling methods under development and help bring them to scale. Traditional mechanical recycling can turn some plastic waste into everything from fleece jackets to weatherproof fencing. Good news is recycling technologies are continuously evolving, offering additional ways to transform waste. An agreement that encourages recycling targets for plastics and other materials will help to address plastics destined for landfills. # The third priority is the need to build a new, socially inclusive financial and risk model to power a circular plastics economy. Globally, an estimated 15 million people pick and sort urban waste. Building self-sustaining, modern waste systems globally won’t be cheap. But it will drive the creation of new and better jobs, especially in parts of the world where waste management infrastructure can be upgraded.

Plastic is cheap, versatile, durable and has become ubiquitous in packaging, consumer products, and industrial applications. However, its durability has become a double-edged sword and this is exacerbated by the global reliance on single-use plastics—items such as bottles, straws, and food packaging, which are used once and discarded. To address this, a multifaceted approach is necessary including innovations in recycling technologies to help drive a net zero economy. Plastics Europe is committed to addressing concerns about plastics and being part of the solution to enable a sustainable future that makes plastics circular, drives lifecycle emissions to net zero, and fosters the sustainable use of plastics. There is no ‘silver bullet’ solution to significantly reduce waste disposal and GHG emissions, but a key action to remediate the current lack of high-quality waste needed to drive circularity is to foster ‘design for recycling’, which would limit complex product designs with hard-to-separate mixed materials. This will create a sustainable plastics system that continues to meet consumer and societal demands whilst supporting the transitions of many downstream industries and remains a strategic asset for the European economy. #GoingForward #Circularity https://lnkd.in/gGvYNqvY

Plastics, often labelled for their environmental impact, are just one among many materials, like palm oil and minerals, that face ecological scrutiny due to pollution. However, the root of the problem doesn't lie solely with the materials themselves, but rather our production and consumption practices. Shifting focus to the future, the Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060 report offers a forward-looking perspective on the trajectory of plastics, encompassing projections on usage, waste management, and environmental consequences. By outlining two policy packages to bend the plastic curve, the report emphasizes the need for additional policy interventions to transition to a more sustainable and circular use of plastics. The first policy package, termed Regional Action, centers on enhancing the circularity of plastic use and mitigating environmental harm at a regional level. Its primary objective is to curtail plastic waste and leakage, ultimately fostering a more sustainable lifecycle for plastics. Conversely, the Global Ambition policy scenario sets a more rigorous target, aiming to reduce plastic leakage to near-zero levels by 2060 through comprehensive and ambitious global measures to combat plastic pollution. While these policy packages offer valuable insights into the necessary steps to curb plastic-related challenges in the coming decades, the implementation of the Regional Action policy presents its share of hurdles. Here are some key considerations: 🏛 Institutional hurdles: The success of policy implementation depends on the effectiveness of local institutions. In lagging regions, characterised by weaker knowledge bases and innovation capacities, weaker institutions may hinder policy execution so that institutional change is necessary to enable effective implementation. 📈 Balancing economic costs: As plastics use decreases more than GDP, the plastics-to-GDP intensity drops across regions. Thus, ensuring economic growth while reducing plastic leakage is a delicate challenge. In this matter, policymakers must strike a balance between curbing plastics use and minimising economic costs. ⚖ Tailoring policies: The Regional Action package has different policy ambitions for OECD and non-OECD countries and then policymakers must consider varying economic contexts, waste management capabilities, and plastic consumption patterns. Reflecting on the intricate dance of policies and practices that shape our world, the figure from the report is a stark reminder of the urgency and complexity of transitioning to a circular economy. It’s not just about recycling more, but about RETHINKING our relationship with plastics from the ground up. From the taxes that nudge us towards sustainable choices to the design principles that ensure longevity and reparability, every step in the plastics lifecycle offers an opportunity for innovation and impact. Source: https://lnkd.in/geXCvxc9

Transforming the Future of Plastic Use: U.S. Plastics Pact Roadmap 2.0 The U.S. Plastics Pact has launched Roadmap 2.0, an actionable plan to eliminate plastic packaging waste and transition to a circular economy. Building on the progress of the initial roadmap, the new plan sets ambitious targets, including designing for circularity, eliminating problematic plastics, and enhancing recycling infrastructure. By fostering collaboration and innovation, Roadmap 2.0 aims to drive systemic change across the plastics value chain. Join us in supporting a sustainable future! https://lnkd.in/gXydpxSC #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #USPlasticsPact #ESG

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Plastics recycling has become an essential component in addressing the global challenge of plastic waste. With the increasing consumption of plastic products, the environmental burden has grown, leading to severe pollution in oceans, landfills, and natural ecosystems. Recycling plastic helps mitigate these issues by reducing the need for virgin plastic production, conserving natural resources, and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The process involves collecting and processing discarded plastic items, such as bottles, containers, and packaging, which are then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new products. This circular economy approach not only decreases the volume of plastic waste but also contributes to energy savings and reduced environmental impact, as producing recycled plastic generally requires less energy than manufacturing new plastic from raw materials. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭—𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 @ https://lnkd.in/dnr8Qzh4 However, the effectiveness of plastics recycling is hampered by several challenges. One of the primary obstacles is the complex and diverse nature of plastic types, which often necessitates sophisticated sorting and processing technologies. Contamination of recyclable plastics, such as food residues and non-recyclable materials, further complicates the recycling process, leading to lower quality recycled products. Additionally, the economics of recycling can be unfavorable, as the cost of collecting and processing plastic waste sometimes exceeds the value of the recycled material. Despite these challenges, advancements in recycling technologies and growing consumer awareness are driving improvements in the efficiency and profitability of plastic recycling. Governments and industries worldwide are also implementing stricter regulations and incentives to promote recycling, making it a critical component of sustainable waste management strategies. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬: Indorama Ventures Public Co Ltd Veolia WM Intellectual Property Holdings LLC Unilever Johnson Matthey SUEZ Republic Services REMONDIS Gruppe Econic Technologies Ltd The Shakti Plastic Industries Biffa Waste Connections Clean Harbors KW Plastics B & B Plastics, Inc. #PlasticsRecycling #Sustainability #WasteManagement #EcoFriendly #CircularEconomy #GoGreen #ReduceReuseRecycle