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:
- The UK government may ban oxo-degradable plastics following a consultation seeking evidence to develop standards for biodegradable, compostable and bio-based plastics. Responses were mixed about the potential contribution of bio-based plastics to a more circular economy, but a consensus emerged around the idea that biodegradable plastics have a limited yet valid role. (Circular)
- Surging prices for raw materials are leading to higher costs for companies from home builders to clothing makers – and they promise a boon to corporate bottom lines and investors as well. Steel, iron, industrial chemicals, diesel and plastic resins were big gainers, with the inflation measure ending March up 4.2% from a year earlier, the biggest yearly gain in a decade. (Wall Street Journal)
- What practical steps is the packaging industry taking – and what solutions are on the horizon – to meet the challenge of carbon reduction? Packaging Europe posed four big questions on the topic to experts from the Carbon Trust, Amcor, Mondi, Smurfit Kappa and Tetra Pak. (Packaging Europe)