Author: Donna Lu

The plastics consumed yearly by Australians have a greenhouse emissions impact equivalent to 5.7m cars – more than a third of the cars on Australia’s roads, new analysis suggests. A report commissioned by the Australian Marine Conservation Society and WWF Australia has found that the plastics consumed nationally in the 2019-20 financial year created 16m tonnes of greenhouse gases.

Authors: Elizabeth Low and Kevin Crowley

(Bloomberg) -- Once touted as a key driver of global oil profits, the plastics industry is staring down years of anemic margins as giant plants in China look set to send a deluge of production into the market. The construction of more than 20 petrochemical projects — to produce raw materials that go into making everything from plastic packaging to clothing and detergents — will be completed across China this year, said industry consultant ICIS.

Author: Saahil Desai

In 2023, the options for a build-your-own fast-casual lunch can include wild Alaskan salmon, harissa honey chicken, cauliflower shawarma, seasonal roasted zucchini, preserved lemon vinaigrette, za’atar bread crumbs, creamy vegan feta, and skhug. But whatever you choose, it will all inevitably be served in a compostable bowl. As an office worker blessed (and cursed) with endless overpriced meal options, I have shoveled way too much random food into my mouth from a compostable vessel, using a compostable utensil.

Author: Judith Enck, Beyond Plastics

Plastic has been creeping into our food, our air, our water, and our bodies for decades now, with most people blissfully unaware of its presence and health risks. But two catastrophes in the past six months suddenly made it impossible to ignore how plastic affects Americans' lives, health, and future. The catastrophes I'm referring to are the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment and the smoke from Canadian wildfires that enveloped U.S. cities for days. If you're not already aware—and many aren't—these two moments have everything to do with plastic.

Author: Faith Argosino

MANILA, Philippines — An environmental group on Thursday appealed to the government to ban the importation of wastes into the country, warning of the hazards it poses to people’s health. EcoWaste Coalition reminded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ratify the Basel Convention Ban Amendment, noting they had sent letters to the Chief Executive and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga regarding the matter in January.

Author: Matthew Rozsa

Teflon is probably the most famous of the products made with "forever chemicals," but it is far from alone among them. Although one would hope that governments would heavily regulate a product linked to serious health issues like cancer, high blood pressure and infertility, chemicals known as PFAS (short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are largely able to slip under the radar. This is in large part because of a process known as regrettable substitution — and experts tell Salon that it is helping polluters literally destroy human life on this planet.

Author: Faye Park

Every time you run to the grocery store, it can feel like you’re coming home with more and more plastic.  That pasta in a plastic bag that you could swear used to come in a cardboard box. The head of lettuce shrinkwrapped in plastic film. The berries in a plastic clamshell instead of a quart-sized cardboard basket. Our reliance on plastic packaging is a growing problem — and it’s fueling our country’s plastic waste crisis.

Author: Nicky Davies

"We are drilling for oil to produce plastic that we burn or bury a few months later. It is an economic and ecological absurdity." These were the words of French President Emmanuel Macron to the negotiators from 175 countries who convened for the Global Plastic Treaty discussions this month. Left unchecked, plastic production is forecast to triple by 2060. More than 700 groups, including civil society, Indigenous peoples, workers and trade unions, children and youth, and women's organizations, pushed the world's governments to come together to stop this madness and address the plastic crisis. This grassroots effort laid the foundation for what will become the Global Plastics Treaty.

Author: PlastEurope

German company Werner & Mertz (W&M, Mainz; www.werner-mertz.com), a manufacturer of laundry detergents and cleaning products, is regarded as a pioneer in circular economy in the country. Since 2012, the PET bottles used by the company have been made of 100% post-consumer recyclate. “As far as plastics are concerned, Germany is steering politically against a circular economy,” said managing partner Reinhard Schneider in a recent interview with German newspaper, Handelsblatt. “Unlike for example heating oil or petrol, virgin plastic is exempt from mineral oil tax. That is a concealed subsidy,” added Schneider.

Author: Paula Leardini

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Demand for recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) is expected to remain moderate to soft in 2023 despite long-term recycled content goals, resulting in potential downward price pressure in the United States. To understand the US R-PET market, one must look at the basics of each major price driver including supply, demand production costs and quality.

Author: Faye Park

Every time you run to the grocery store, it can feel like you’re coming home with more and more plastic.  That pasta in a plastic bag that you could swear used to come in a cardboard box. The head of lettuce shrinkwrapped in plastic film. The berries in a plastic clamshell instead of a quart-sized cardboard basket. Our reliance on plastic packaging is a growing problem — and it’s fueling our country’s plastic waste crisis.

Author: Cat Schofield

By 2050, converting plastic waste into energy will result in more carbon dioxide emissions than burning fossil fuels, a study by researchers in South Korea has projected. Their findings show plastic waste-to-energy conversion should be a far larger concern with regards to global heating than it currently is.

Author: Erin X. Wong

Eighteen years ago, discarded plastic was common on the streets of Bengaluru, India. Strong winds carried loose plastic bottles and packaging, which piled up in drains after the rain. Indumathi, who uses only her given name, remembers the scene well, because back then, she tried to collect as much plastic as she could, searching behind bushes, climbing into drains, or waking up at 4 a.m. to check trash heaps before they were burned. She sold what she could to small-scale recyclers, braving an unpredictable income before eventually starting to work at a scrap shop full time.

Author: Mark Victory, ICIS

Demand for European mechanically recycled polymers is the lowest it’s been for several years. Costs through the chain remain high and producer margins for many grades narrow. Players through the chain have reduced operating rates, summer convertor outages are expected to be protracted and there remains persistent expectation of consolidation in 2023 across all major recycled polymers.