Welcome to the Plastics Weekly, NEO’s regular news monitoring of the plastics industry.
Every week, we publish a roundup of the top developments in plastics and sustainability – from regulatory changes to company news.
This week’s highlights:
- California’s attorney general has subpoenaed ExxonMobil for information on its role in causing the global plastic waste crisis. The subpoena is part of a broader state investigation into companies that produce plastics and how they perpetuate “myths around recycling”. Exxon is the first company to receive a subpoena, but officials said they will also target other industry players. (Reuters)
- U.S. states are starting to hold plastic packaging manufacturers accountable for tackling plastic waste. A number of states have enacted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, which make manufacturers bear some of the responsibility for the afterlife of their products through fees or regulation. Maine and Oregon have already passed such laws, while others are moving through the legislative process in Massachusetts and Colorado. (Bloomberg)
- Chemicals company Teknor Apex has launched the world’s first thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds using the sustainable UBQ additive. UBQ is a plastic substitute made from chemically recycled household waste that has been diverted from landfills. The material has been adopted by leading industry brands, including Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo and Arcos Dorados, the world’s largest franchisee of McDonald’s restaurants in Latin America. (Plastics Today)
