Welcome to the Plastics Weekly, NEO’s regular news monitoring of the plastics industry.
This week’s highlights:
- Plastics covering the foods we eat may be causing a rise in premature births, a new study found. Synthetic chemicals called phthalates used in clear packaging for food and personal care products may be the culprits behind preterm labor, according to the study, published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health. The research shows that the phthalate found in food packaging called di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, has the strongest link to preterm labor. The study found that DEHP and three similar chemicals may be responsible for 5-10% of all preterm births in the U.S. in 2018. (CNN)
- French multinational petroleum and energy company TotalEnergies has launched chemical recycling in its plant in La Porte, Texas. The plant has begun converting plastic into polypropylene polymers that are suitable for food-grade packaging and other applications. A company representative said the move is a “new step forward in our commitment to meeting the global market’s growing demand for more innovative and sustainable plastics, as well as in our ambition to produce 1 million tonns of circular polymers a year by 2030.” (Resource Recycling)
- Chemicals giant and plastics producer Dow Inc. has made its green-bond market debut, borrowing $1.25 in a bid to reduce its carbon emissions and plastic waste. The proceeds from the offering will be used to finance or refinance a rage of eligible projects, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, decarbonisation and initiatives to help end plastic pollution. The projects also include the world’s first net-zero ethylene cracker in Alberta, Canada. (Bloomberg)