ELG Carbon Fibre Plans US Carbon Fiber Recycling Plant
Recycled carbon fiber producer ELG Carbon Fibre plans to open a US plant by 2019.
Plastics
Edible Food Packaging Garnering Interest from Food Companies to Reduce Waste
Edible food packaging made of milk proteins can reduce waste and prevent food spoilage, according to US Department of Agriculture researchers who are currently developing this casein-based film. The research team is currently creating prototype film samples for a small company in Texas, and says this new development has garnered ... Read more »
Plastics Firm Expects $20,000 in New Recycling Revenue from Zero Net Waste Program
A zero waste program for the plastics industry is expected to result in about $20,000 in new revenue for its first participant. Following the launch of its zero waste program earlier this year, SPI: The Plastics Trade Association has recognized its first Zero Net Waste recognized company. Thermoplastic provider The ... Read more »
Plastic Bag Ban Pitts Manufacturers Against Grocers
Plastic bag manufactures have raised $6.1 million to overturn California’s plastic bag ban, while its supporters including Albertsons Safeway and the California Grocers Association have raised about $1.4 million. In November, California voters will decide if they want to repeal the law — the first statewide ban on single use plastic ... Read more »
Exxon, GT Technology Could Slash Plastics Manufacturing’s Emissions, Energy Use
ExxonMobil says it has developed a technology that could massively reduce emissions and energy used to manufacture plastics. The oil giant, working with scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology, say if brought to industrial scale, the technology could reduce industry’s global annual carbon dioxide emissions by up to 45 ... Read more »
Environmental Pariah No More? Study Says Plastics Reduce Environmental Costs
A report by Trucost suggests using plastics in products and packaging is better for the environment that using alternatives.
IBM Researchers Create Cheaper, Biodegradable Plastics from Plants
IBM researchers today said they have identified a chemical catalyst that creates cheaper, biodegradable plastics from plants such as palm trees and beets that can be used to make a range of products, from eating utensils to medical devices.
A Cleaner, Cheaper Way to Make Plastics and Fuels from Methane?
A new process uses natural gas as raw materials for aromatic chemicals without producing any CO2 emissions. It could be used to produce a range of products including plastics and fuels that are usually petroleum based, the developers say.
Packaging Sector Driving Strong Bioplastics Market Growth
The $30.8 billion bioplastics market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.8 percent from 2015 to 2020, according to a report by Big Market Research. Major drivers for this growth include growing environmental concerns and the packaging sectors moving towards biodegradable plastics, the report says. The bioplastics ... Read more »
Major Plastics Recycler Entropex Closes Its Doors
Plastics recycler Entropex, one of the largest in North America, has closed. The Sarnia, Ontario-based company blamed financial challenges caused by the huge decline in oil prices. Plastics recyclers have been hit hard by the drop in oil prices, which have caused commodity prices to plummet. “Despite our best efforts ... Read more »
Toyota Tsusho Backs Bioplastic Tech in Race to Bring 100% Plant-Based PET to Market
Toyota Tsusho, the Toyota Group’s trading arm, is now an investor and corporate partner in sustainable technology company Anellotech, which is working to make 100 percent bio-based PET plastic a reality. The companies declined to comment on Toyota Tsusho’s investment amount, but said it has been used to fund development ... Read more »
Ford, Jose Cuervo Make Car Parts from Agave Waste
Ford Motor Company says it has teamed up with Jose Cuervo to explore the use of the tequila producer’s agave plant byproduct to develop more sustainable bioplastics to use in Ford vehicles. If the companies are successful in developing a composite, it could help reduce vehicle weight and lower energy ... Read more »