Welcome to the Plastics Weekly, NEO’s regular news monitoring of the plastics industry.
This week’s highlights:
- Recycled and reused food contact plastics are “vectors” for the spread of toxic chemicals, research finds. According to the study, reused and recycled plastics accumulate and release hundreds of dangerous toxins like styrene, benzene, bisphenol, heavy metals, formaldehyde and phthalates. As the quality of recycled plastic decreases, the amount of potential contaminants goes up, according to the study’s lead author. (The Guardian)
- U.S. chemical maker Dow signed a long-term supply agreement with bio-conversion company New Energy Blue for plastic materials made from corn residue, in a bid to move towards renewable energy sources for production. As part of the agreement, New Energy will process up to 75 kilotonnes of corn stalks and leaves per year to produce ethanol, nearly half of which will be turned into bio-based ethylene feedstock for Dow products. Dow also said it aims to reduce its fossil fuel sourcing for production and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions by using bio-plastic made from agricultural residues. (Reuters)
- Negotiations on a global treaty to combat plastic pollution are resuming on Monday, with nations under pressure to stem the tide of trash amid calls from campaigners to limit industry influence on the talks. Around 175 nations pledged last year to agree a binding deal to end the pollution from largely fossil fuel-based plastics by 2024. The May 29-June 2 talks in Paris are tasked with agreeing the first outline for actions that could form the basis of a draft negotiating text. (Agence France Presse)