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:
- PepsiCo Labs, the technology venturing arm of PepsiCo, is testing innovations from six start-ups to enhance the sustainability of its supply chain through digital solutions. The food and beverage major will collaborate on pilot projects across Europe with the start-ups with a focus on four key areas, including recycling and water recovery. PepsiCo aims to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 75% by 2030, with an ultimately goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. (Packaging Europe)
- U.S. rubber lab ACE Laboratories and Singapore’s Advanced Sustainable Polymers Pte Ltd (ASP) have partnered to develop sustainable materials for use in elastomer and asphalt applications. Target materials include “recycled polymers, bio-based polymers and other elastomeric materials manufactured in carbon neutral processes,” according to a joint statement. ASP is focused on technologies that reduce supply-chain carbon emissions and help manufacturers work towards their sustainability goals. (European Rubber Journal)
- Twenty U.S. states in the last five years have passed chemical, or advanced, recycling bills which have drawn both support and opposition. The legislation relieves companies of burdensome regulations by treating the recycling technology as a manufacturing operation rather than as solid waste disposal. Advanced recycling advocates say the process is a step toward a circular economy. But critics say plastic waste solutions should start with reducing the production of single-use plastics in the first place. (Bloomberg Law)
