Page 45 - Plastics News October 2019

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Pilot project turns plastic marine California softens plastics bill,
waste into Coke bottles ACC now neutral

small-scale PET recycling project is creating sample alifornia lawmakers, in a bid to win votes, have
A bottles partially made from marine debris.T he Csoftened their controversial legislation setting
effort created about 300 bottles for Coca-Cola Co. tough requirements for recycling plastic packaging. But
through a process developed by Ioniqa Technologies BV even with the changes, the legislation would still be the
of Eindhoven, Netherlands. The bottles were made with strictest in the U.S. and set up substantial mandates
25 percent plastic recovered over time for recycling things like plastic foodservice
from the Mediterranean Sea products. The amendments unveiled late September
and beaches. Coca-Cola and 6 were enough to satisfy the American Chemistry
its project partners, which &RXQFLO DQG PRYH LWV RIÀFLDO SRVLWLRQ IURP RSSRVLWLRQ WR
include PET maker Indorama QHXWUDOLW\ DOWKRXJK WKH LQGXVWU\ V RWKHU ODUJH QDWLRQDO
Ventures and marine debris trade group, the Plastics Industry Association, said it
cleanup group Mares Circulares, remain opposed. The new language pushes the start
were out to prove that the of implementation back to 2026, from 2024, when
degraded marine plastics can it requires a recycling rate of 30 percent, rising to
be transformed into food and SHUFHQW E\ DQG SHUFHQW E\ :KLOH
drink packaging."The impact WKHUH V D VSOLW ZLWKLQ WKH LQGXVWU\ WKH FKDQJHV GLG QRW
of enhanced recycling will VLJQLÀFDQWO\ ZHDNHQ VXSSRUW IURP &DOLIRUQLDQV $JDLQVW
be felt on a global scale. By :DVWH RQH RI WKH VWDWH V OHDGLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO JURXSV
working with Coca-Cola and RQ UHF\FOLQJ LVVXHV :H VWLOO WKLQN LW V D VWURQJ ELOO VDLG
Indorama to produce this Nick Lapis, director of advocacy for Sacramento-based
bottle, we aim to show what &$: 7KH\ DUH DOO FKDQJHV WR EULQJ LQGXVWU\ RQ ERDUG
this technology can deliver," 6SHFLÀFDOO\ WKH ELOO NHHSV LWV RULJLQDO OHJDO PDQGDWH
Ioniqa CEO Tonnis Hooghoudt said in a statement. Ioniqa of a 75 percent recycling rate by 2030. But it includes
uses depolymerization technology to make new clear PET new language calling for "material neutral" treatment
food-safe bottles, according to the company.Bruno van of single-use packaging, a change pushed by ACC and
Gompel is technical and supply chain director for Coca- others in industry in late negotiations. As well, it sets
&ROD LQ :HVWHUQ (XURSH

Enhanced recycling technologies are enormously exciting,
not just for us but for industry and society at large," he
said in a statement. "They accelerate the prospect of a
closed-loop economy for plastic, which is why we are
investing behind them. As these begin to scale, we will
see all kinds of used plastics returned, as good as new,
not just once but again and again, diverting waste streams
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Greenpeace was dubious and said a better solution would
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reusable containers."Using marine plastics in a few bottles up an independent advisory panel of stakeholders
ZRQ W SUHYHQW &RNH V SURGXFWV IURP SROOXWLQJ EHDFKHV to consult with the state agency CalRecycle, which
around the world. It is a feel-good narrative meant to take must write implementing rules by 2024. It also allows
VRPH SUHVVXUH RII DURXQG WKH FRPSDQ\ V SODVWLFV SUREOHP CalRecycle, at its discretion and in consultation with
Greenpeace USA Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar
said in a statement. that advisory board, to lower the mandated recycled
rate targets by up to 10 percent.Culis tam orum quo

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45 October 2019 Plastics News