Welcome to NEO’s weekly news monitoring of the plastics industry.
Every Monday, we publish a roundup of the top developments in plastics and sustainability – from regulatory changes to company news.
This week’s highlights:
Texas Freeze Triggers Global Plastics Shortage (Wall Street Journal, 17.03.2021)
- A massive power outage in Texas last month has shut down chemical plants across the state, putting the world’s largest petrochemical complex on pause and causing a global plastics shortage. Prices for polyethylene, polypropylene and other chemical compounds have reached their highest levels in years, with consumers expected to pay the price. (Wall Street Journal)
- Scientists have created fabric made from polythene in a move that could reduce plastic pollution and make the fashion industry more sustainable. Plastic bags can now be recycled into high-performance fabrics with a low environmental footprint. (BBC)
- An innovative partnership between Dow chemical corporation and Lucro, an Indian recycling start-up, could serve as a blueprint for solving climate challenges on a global scale. The partnership comes amid Dow’s goal to enable 1 million metric tonnes of plastic to be collected, reused or recycled through its direct actions and partnerships by 2030. (Forbes)