Welcome to the Plastics Weekly, NEO’s regular news monitoring of the plastics industry.
This week’s highlights:
- China is betting on bamboo to replace high-emitting plastics, but tech bottlenecks are stunting growth. To reduce plastic pollution and production emissions, the Chinese government aims to replace more plastics with value-added products made from bamboo and improve the utilisation rate of the plant, according to an action plan released jointly with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (Inbar). The government will provide support to help the sector grow, funding technological breakthroughs and establishing five to 10 demonstration areas by 2025. But inefficiencies in tech and labour are preventing this young industry from growing into its full potential. (South China Morning Post)
- Innovation in biopolymers (bioplastics) and plastics recycling has hit an all-time high, according to the latest-available patent data. According to the latest report by intellectual property firm Appleyard Lees, priority patent filings in bioplastics increased by almost a quarter in the 12 months to 2021 (from 458 to 569), with the 2020-21 period revealing a level of innovation in the field not seen since 2002. Technology innovation by the top patent filers indicates two trends in the bioplastics sector: improving bioplastics’ mechanical properties and appearance in line with conventional plastics and improving the materials’ biodegradability. (Interplas Insights)
- Plastics have proven tough for circular treatment, despite state and company pledges to promote the circular economy. Politicians and businesses see the circular economy as a potential solution to plastic waste, whereby, per the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “materials never become waste and nature is regenerated”. Bringing that about will mean producing less plastic and making sure that what is produced is reusable and recyclable. But how to strike the right balance is hotly contested, with significant technical challenges also hindering progress. (Financial Times)