Page 58 - Plastics News January 2018

internAtionAL news

Recycling startups vie for Davos EFSA prepares BPA plan for

economic forum award assessment in 2018

wo plastics recycling companies are among six he European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has
Torganizations asking for online votes as they vie for Tfinalized a strategy for its re-evaluation of bisphenol
top honors at a sustainability award at the upcoming World A (BPA) following a public consultation period.
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Banyan Nation,
which is trying to build a socially-responsible plastics The European public body said a “scientific protocol”
recycling business in India, and the Los Angeles-based had been published which outlined the scope,
start-up Bureo, which turns abandoned fishing nets into methodology and information needed before the
new products, are both finalists in the People's Choice assessment starts in 2018. Additionally, the outcome
award in the Circulars, a competition organized by the of EFSA’s external consultation on the preparatory
WEF and the Forum of Young Global Leaders Global online work has been published. The European Chemicals
voting is open until Jan. 17. Winners will be announced at Agency (ECHA) announced in June that it had identified
a Jan. 22 ceremony. Hyderabad-based Banyan Nation said bisphenol A as a substance of very high concern (SVHC),
the award will help its effort to push demand for high- because of “its endocrine disrupting properties which
quality recycled plastics in India. "The nomination lends cause probable serious effects to human health.”
global voice to the regional innovation, a huge opportunity The substance was originally developed as a synthetic
for our circular economy model," said CEO Mani Vajipey. mimic of the female sex hormone estrogen. But today,
"The vision is to make use of recycled plastics a norm BPA is used in an extensive range of plastic products,
including CDs and DVDs, personal computers and other
electronic devices. It has been phased out of most food
contact items. EFSA has assessed the material’s safety
for use in food contact a number of times, most recently
in 2015. It committed to re-evaluate BPA toxicity in
2015 again, after the Consortium Linking Academic
and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity (CLARITY-BPA
project) published its results.

as major brands still prefer virgin plastic and stay away
from usage of recycled plastics." Technology developed
by Banyan removes contaminants like metals, paints,
dirt and oils from plastics. Most of the plastic recycling
and collection in India is done in the so-called informal As part of the commitment, EFSA took public comments
sector, which in the absence of a proper cleaning process, on a draft version of the protocol and for rules for the
reduces quality of recycled plastic. Bureo Inc., the other future re-evaluation of BPA. For the next phase of the
plastics-related nominee for the People's Choice award, project, EFSA will set up a new working group in 2018
launched a fishing net collection and recycling program in and start collecting scientific papers and data. This
Chile in 2013, and turns the material into products. The will include the report of the CLARITY-BPA two-year
company says discarded fishing nets account for 10 percent core study on rodents and publications of academic
of the plastic pollution in the ocean. The company was studies developed from the CLARITY study, when they
formed by Ben Kneppers, David Stover and Kevin Ahearn become available. EFSA will continue to consult with
after finding abandoned fishing nets as a major source of the European Chemicals Agency and national scientific
waste during surfing holidays in Australia. advisory bodies in EU member states who are also
working on BPA.

Plastics News Januar y 2018 58