Page 38 - Plastics News April 2017
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS



          Plasticity forum to focus on reducing plastics waste


             lasticity Forums will focus on plastic pollution,   Earth Day Texas events. The Anaheim symposium takes
         Precycling, waste streams and related topics on April   place in the Hilton HOTEL during May 8-10 Antec technical
         21 in Dallas and May 9 in Anaheim, California. At least a   conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers in the
         dozen presentations are planned at each sustainability   adjacent convention center. Environmental advocate
         oriented event. "Society is facing a great challenge,"   Doug Woodring founded and is managing director of the
         said one of the speakers, Trish Hyde, CEO of the Sydney-  Plasticity Forum. Robert Grace, president of R.C. Grace
         based Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation       LLC, is the forum moderator.
         Ltd., a sustainable packaging initiative. "We know that
         plastics play an important role in everyday life from
         contact lens to clothes to product protecting packaging,"  BPF launches new strategy to
         she said via email. "What we don't know is how to be   boost plastic recycling in UK
         completely sustainable with plastics to prevent the marine
         degradation that we have today."                           he  British  Plastics  Federation  Recycling  Group
         Hyde  views  the  Plasticity  Forum  as  a  way  "to  share   T(BPFRG)  has  launched  a  new  strategy  to  improve
         knowledge and insights into achieving sustainability. It   plastic recycling in the UK through industry-led initiatives
         approaches the issue from a collaborative viewpoint so   and regulation.
         that we can all — industry, community and governments   The strategy, said the BPFRG on 5 April, will encourage
         — play a role in finding the ways forward." Libby Bernick,   the development of the UK plastic recycling industry in
         said in a statement: "Plastic offers many environmental   order to maintain “valuable plastic material” in the UK
         benefits  such  as  reducing  carbon  emissions  due  to  its               to be used by the manufacturing
         lighter weight compared to alternatives. However, there                     sector.  The  group  has  called
         are also downsides including pollution by plastic waste —                   for a “split plastic packaging
         especially in the ocean." Bernick is the New York-based                     recycling  target”  between  UK-
         global head of corporate business for the Trucost part                      based recycling and exporting.
         of  the  S&P  Dow  Jones  Indices  division  of  S&P  Global                The target, said the group, will
         Inc."Trucost's environmental data and analytics provides                    increase over time. The BPFRG
         insights that can help companies develop more sustainable   has also proposed creating an investment fund to help
         plastics," she noted. Another speaker, Edward Kosior,   develop new technology, using funding from extended
         managing director of London-based plastics recycling   producer responsibility, landfill tax or a minimum price for
         consultancy Nextek Ltd., said: "Every plastic item can have   PRN/PERN. Additionally, the strategy called for standards
         a circular destiny; we just have to imagine it — and then   for all grades of plastic feedstock for the UK or export
         do it." He added "Plastics are created from the imagination   market to create high quality material for recyclers.
         of chemists, engineers and designers from the time they   This, it said, is intended “to create demand” for the
         are manufactured as granules to when they are sold as   recycled products produced using public procurement
         a product that makes an impact on our lives. We have   and procurement from large corporate companies. “The
         the enormous opportunity and, indeed, responsibility   strategy’s aim is to increase recycling activity in the UK
         to make sure that this creativity also encompasses the   and has been produced in consultation with senior figures
         way these products will end up after being used. Every   in industry,” said chairman of the Recycling Group Roger
         item can have a circular destiny. "It must start with the   Baynham.The BPFRG will also be collaborating with the
         design of every package given the huge volume and short   Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP) to help
         life," Kosior said. "We know how to do it, and there is no   increase plastic recycling. This includes studying barriers
         excuse for any future products not having the benefit of   that prevent certain plastics from being recycled. PIRAP
         our imagination."                                      currently has 50 members from across the value chain
         The Dallas event occurs in the Fair Park building formerly   including retailers and brand owners.
         housing The Women's Museum and during the April 21-23


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