Page 58 - Plastics News September 2016
P. 58
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
State officials in California the manufacturers and trade associations present failed
propose push toward EPR to outline a suf?cient plan of action.
A memo circulating within California's waste management "The overwhelming majority of material presented was
agency says the packaging industry has failed to offer up a summary of current, national activities rather than
viable voluntary options to help the state signi?cantly cut proposing new, California-speci?c activities, how they
down the amount of packaging material going to disposal. would be implemented, and how they would achieve the
As a result, the memo states, staff within the California 50 percent goal," the memo reads.
Department of Resources Recycling Recovery (CalRecycle)
are recommending "a mandatory comprehensive, The memo adds most packaging stakeholders expressed a
statewide packaging program in California." desire to continue the reliance on state and local funding,
and many said a voluntary goal of a 50 percent reduction
The suggested system would lay out goals, stakeholder of packing going into land?ll by 2020 was not possible.
roles, program ?nancing and other
specifics that are hallmarks of In addition to the recommendation for a mandatory packaging
extended producer responsibility program within the state, the memo brings up the option of
(EPR) frameworks. In EPR systems, a land?ll ban on certain recyclable packaging materials such
product makers are responsible for as cardboard and glass and plastic containers. CalRecycle
?nancing and managing end-of-life is also aiming to continue talks with manufacturers and
concerns for the goods they put on engaging in partnerships with groups including the American
the market. Chemistry Council, the Closed Loop Fund and the Sustainable
Packaging Coalition, the CalRecycle note states.
No U.S. state has ushered in EPR for packaging, though
British Columbia implemented EPR for packaging in WinTech Polymer to become
2014 and other Canadian provinces have moved in the wholly owned subsidiary of
direction. Polyplastics
The memo was sent to Scott Smithline, director of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. has reached agreement with
CalRecycle, and was drafted by Howard Levenson, the Teijin Limited for a move under which WinTech
deputy director of the materials management and local Polymer Ltd. will acquire all Win Tech Polymer shares
assistance division within the department. CalRecycle currently owned by Teijin, effective this September 30.
staff are requesting Smithline to give approval for staff Pursuant to this stock acquisition, WinTech Polymer will
to pursue a framework for what a mandatory packaging become a wholly owned subsidiary of Polyplastics, while
recycling program would look like in the state. Not carrying on all of its existing business operations in their
impressed by January proposals current status.As a core pillar of the push to further
enhance its corporate portfolio, Polyplastics will be
The memo was a response to the Manufacturers Challenge utilizing this move to commit even greater energies and
workshop, which brought together packaging stakeholders resources to its PBT and GF-PET businesses, thereby
and CalRecycle of?cials in January. The goal of the gearing up to more fully meet the expectations and
meeting was to address the amount of packaging material needs of the market, customers and its other precious
in the waste stream, and state of?cials asked stakeholders stakeholders. WinTech Polymer Ltd. is a producer
to "publicly indicate how they could voluntarily reduce of thermoplastic polyester resin. The company was
the amount of packaging going to land?ll by 50 percent originally formed through the merger of the PBT resin
by 2020," according to the recent memo. The industry business division of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. and the PBT
was asked to identify speci?c strategies to move toward resin and PET resin business arms of Teijin Limited.
that 50 percent number, lay out measurement plans, offer
timelines for implementation and make proposals for
?nancing programs. According to the CalRecycle memo,
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