Page 67 - Plastics News August 2024
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
“The reaction uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) the energy sector as a storage media for hydro-
and a commercially available catalyst and occurs gen.
at room temperature," NTU says. "Compared to
conventional plastic recycling methods, the pro- According to Associate Professor Han Soo Sen
cess requires much less energy.” of NTU’s School of Chemistry, Chemical Engi-
neering and Biotechnology, who led the study,
The plastic scrap is first exposed to a solvent, the breakthrough provides a potential end mar-
and the resulting solution is mixed with the cat- ket for plastic scrap while also reusing the car-
alyst and directed through transparent tubes, bon trapped in these plastics instead of releas-
where LED light shines on it. ing it into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases
through incineration.
The resulting end products are compounds
such as formic acid and benzoic acid, which can Findings from this NTU research project were
be used to make other chemicals employed in published last year in the journal Chem, which
fuel cells, and liquid organic hydrogen carriers is part of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Cell
(LOHCs), which NTU says are being explored by Press.
Pfeiffer Vacuum achieves gold medal in EcoVadis
sustainability ranking
feiffer Vacuum, a member of the glob- "We are thrilled with the result as it demonstrates
al Busch Group, has once again been our dedication to advancing our initiatives. Being
Pawarded the prestigious EcoVadis Gold awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal for the sec-
Medal for its site in Asslar. This places the com- ond time in a row is a great motivation for our
pany among the top 2% of organisations evalu- entire team to continue driving our efforts even
ated over the past twelve months by the world’s further in the next year," said Thilo Rau, CIO of
largest sustainability rating provider. Pfeiffer Vacuum.
The recognition underscores Pfeiffer Vacuum's Since 2007, the EcoVadis ranking has evaluated
ongoing commitment to environmental and companies based on a range of sustainability
social responsibility. In the latest assessment, criteria, including environmental impact, labour
Pfeiffer Vacuum not only maintained its high and human rights, ethics, and sustainable pro-
standard but also improved its performance, curement. More than 130,000 companies from
raising its overall score by eight points com- over 180 countries have already been assessed.
pared to the previous year. This advancement Source – Interplas Insights
highlights the company’s continuous efforts to
enhance its sustainability practices and exceed
industry benchmarks.
August 2024 PLASTICS NEWS 69
