Dow, a global materials science company, has partnered with Mengniu, a dairy company in China, to launch an all-polyethylene (PE) yogurt pouch designed for recyclability. This innovation strengthens both companies’ commitment to achieving a circular economy in China. Enables Recycling of Hard-to-Recycle Packaging Leveraging the materials science expertise of Dow and the collaboration across the value […]

Borouge PLC, a petrochemical company that provides innovative and differentiated polyolefin solutions, and Borealis, one of the world’s biggest polyolefin manufacturers, announced the launch of two new sustainable polymer products for the automotive industry, in line with both companies’ sustainability drive. Made from up to 70% recycled materials, they are the first sustainable products developed at

BASF has published its new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on the environmental impact of a mozzarella packaging using various alternative raw materials in the production of food-grade plastics. These raw materials are attributed to the plastics via a certified mass balance approach and the study compares a flexible multi-layer packaging with the same packaging based on fossil

Origin Materials, Inc. (“Origin” and “Origin Materials”), a carbon negative materials company with a mission to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials, and Husky Technologies (“Husky”), a technology provider enabling the delivery of essential needs to the global community, announced a milestone in the commercialization of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) incorporating the sustainable chemical FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid)

New research from the lab of Giannis Mpoumpakis, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, focuses on optimizing a promising technology called pyrolysis, which can chemically recycle waste plastics into more valuable chemicals. It’s lightweight, low-cost, almost endlessly customizable, and concerningly ubiquitous: For all its benefits, plastic and plastic waste

3D Systems announced new materials to enhance its Stereolithography (SLA) and Figure 4® portfolios – Accura® AMX Tough FR V0 Black, Figure 4® Tough FR V0 Black, and Figure 4® JCAST-GRN 20. These new high-performance materials are enabling efficient production of end-use parts in industries such as automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, and consumer goods. Flame-retardant with UL 94V0 Rating for SLA 3D Systems is

University of Queensland researchers are working with industry to develop biodegradable ‘plastic’ bags for use in mushroom farming, which could open lucrative opportunities in packaging and manufacturing. Dr. Nasim Amiralian from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology is collaborating with Queensland producer Scenic Rim Mushrooms to reduce the company’s reliance on plastic ‘grow bags’.

The globally active ALPLA Group has been investing in building up its own recycling capacities since 2005. The plastic packaging company now operates 13 plants, including four joint ventures with regional partners, and aims to be processing at least 25 percent post-consumer material (PCR) by 2025. After investing millions in new sites in South Africa,

Scientists at Cardiff University have developed a new method of recycling-colored plastics offering possible solutions to huge environmental challenges. The process, which breaks down colored polymers, the principal component of plastics, into their original components, could lead to a circular plastic recycling economy reducing pollution on land and in our oceans, the researchers claim. Monomers for Strong

Polypropylene has long been recycling’s head scratching riddle. A common plastic used for a wide variety of products from packaging and toys to furnishing and fashion, it accounts for roughly 28 percent of the world’s plastic waste, but only 1 percent of it is recycled. Now, thanks to the efforts of researchers at the University

Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, president Seok Jin Yoon) announced that Dr. Jaewoo Kim of the Solutions to Electromagnetic Interference in Future-mobility (SEIF), together with Prof. Seonghoon Kim of Hanyang University and Prof. O-bong Yang of Jeonbuk National University has successfully developed a 100% SRC using only one type of polypropylene (PP) polymer. Melting Point,

A team led by researchers at the University of Washington has developed new bioplastics that degrade on the same timescale as a banana peel in a backyard compost bin. These bioplastics are made entirely from powdered blue-green cyanobacteria cells, otherwise known as spirulina. The team used heat and pressure to form the spirulina powder into

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology develop first-of-its-kind materials science data extraction pipeline for discovery of new polymers. The pipeline extracts material property records from published papers and populates the data into a new application called Polymer Scholar. The platform works like a browser to search polymers and materials properties by keyword, rather than reading

Chemists at CU Boulder have developed a new way to recycle a common type of plastic found in soda bottles and other packaging. The team’s method relies on electricity and some nifty chemical reactions, and it’s simple enough that you can watch the plastic break apart in front of your eyes. The researchers described their