Polymer materials, including synthetic polymers, have a bad reputation. These image problems do not just arise from the current environmental debate but also have earlier origins. In the past, too, polymer materials were subject to unjustified criticism. This often stemmed from non-scientists and frequently betrayed a lack of scientific knowledge.

Many changes to this earth are now man-made. The present epoch is therefore sometimes already being called the Anthropocene 

On the Image of Plastics and their Responsible Use

Kunststoffe

Photonik

Optik

Recycling

Umweltmanagement

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Polymer Materials

For almost two decades, an expert committee, meeting once a year, has supported Kunststoffe magazine in determining the state of play in the plastics industry and identifying current technical developments. This time, the traditional spring meeting gave it an opportunity to debate the consequences of the Corona virus.

Taking new paths: during the Corona crisis, certain technical obstacles were also overcome by the Kunststoffe publisher advisory committee, who held a round table discussion by video conference for the first time. Present by video link were, among others, (top, from left) Dr. Guiscard Glück, Prof. Christian Hopmann (bottom, from left) Martin Würtele and Dr. Achim Eggert

16:9

Current Challenges and Options for Action in the Plastics Industry

Wirtschaftspolitik in Deutschland

Wirtschaft

Verpackungsmaterial

Logistik

Klotz, Karlhorst, Dr.

Internationale Wirtschaft

Verpackungsanlagen

Coilhandling

Kunststoff-Verpackungsmaschine

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Sondermaschinen

Medizintechnik

Starting up under the Shadow  of Corona

The increasing volume of plastic waste and the growing pollution of the oceans by such waste have brought the sustainable handling of plastic products into the focus of society and politics. Both recycling and bioplastics can be a part of a strategy for greater sustainability, but they are not free of side effects. In order to avoid irrational decisions, it is important to assess their effects comprehensively.

If a film is used in the packaging sector, it should be made of at least a recycled material – leading to the common opinion that assumes that materials in circulation are automatically more sustainable. However, a detailed life cycle analysis, which considers all relevant energy and material flows on the basis of a generally valid calculation method, shows that it is not that simple

3D View of Sustainability

Flachfolienanlagen

Extrusionsanlagen

Blasfolienextrusion

Flachfolien- und Plattenextrusion

Extrusion

Nachhaltigkeit

Folien

Halbzeuge und Zwischenprodukte

Kunststoff-Halbzeuge

Folienblasanlagen

Kreislaufwirtschaft

Why Recycled Films Are Not Necessarily Sustainable

The beneficial processing and service properties of plastics are increasingly determining the ecological fate of the world. The plastics industry has now realized that it is not enough to put the blame on consumer behavior. As K 2019 showed, numerous initiatives and technical developments are paving the way for the urgently needed establishment of a circular economy.

The motto of K 2019, printed on a stand-up pouch

A Stock-Take of K 2019: The Plastics Sector Has Owned up to Its Responsibility

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

Wiederaufbereitung

Ressourcenmanagement

Produktion

The Dawning of the Circular Economy

There is little doubt where we are heading: multilayer packaging will have to become easier to recycle – but what does that mean for the technology? And what solutions will the market need and accept? Manufacturers of branded goods are not the only ones who will have to rethink their specifications.

How Film Packaging Will Have to Develop

Europe Needs to Catch up

Currently, recyclates are in high demand, including the automotive industry. Previously, component suppliers had reservations about using recyclates in safety-related areas, because mechanical properties varied too widely. Now, materials producer JSP has developed an expanded polypropylene with 25 % recyclate content precisely for these application areas. But to ensure high quality, close cooperation with the recycling company is essential.

The use of expanded polypropylene in vehicles, including safety-critical areas such as passenger and pedestrian protection is vastly increasing

Circular Economy for Expanded Polypropylene (EPP)

Automotive

Elektronik

Polypropylen

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Automotive Components  Made of Packaging

By means of high-performance processes, chemical recycling converts plastic waste into high-grade material for new plastic products. Moreover, freedom of design results by selecting a suitable process and the matching waste material. Hereby, the right combination permits customized polyols to be created for the desired application area.

Not only can multifunctional recycling plants split polyurethane by means of different processes; they are also able to recycle other plastics

Solvolysis Using Different Solvents in Practice

Polyurethan-Schaumstoffe (PUR)

Polyurethan

Plastic Waste into  Custom-Made Polyols

Borealis, Clariant, Remondis, LyondellBasell – many of the big names in the plastics industry announced partnerships with Neste at, or in advance of, K 2019. The Finnish company is a sought-after partner in the industry.

Interview with Mercedes Alonso, Executive Board Member at Neste

Streifinger, Florian

Biokunststoffe

“Chemical Recycling Is Not yet Ready for Commercial Use”

Closed loop for plastics from the automotive industry: waste from engineering plastics is processed into pyrolysis oil that can be used for new components.

Pyrolysis oil from mixed wastes is to close the loop for plastics from automotive engineering

Lehrstühle und Institute

Dienstleistungen

Hochschulen

Kunststoffverarbeitung

Fahrzeugbau

KIT and Audi Launch Pilot Project for Chemical Recycling

Renouncement is the trend that determines public perception of plastics today. Many consumers prefer products that are better for the environment, which is often equated to using less plastics. It is true, though, that plastics are important materials when it comes to finding answers to the challenges posed by the increase in population, high energy demand as well as growing urbanization and mobility.

Dr. Michael Zobel, Vice-President at PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V. and Managing Director, High Performance Materials, at Lanxess Deutschland GmbH, Dormagen, Germany

Guest Commentary by Dr. Michael Zobel

Leichtbau

Kunststoff

Bauwesen

Baustoffe

Kunststoffhandel

Handel

Werkstoff

The Answer to Many Questions

From 2025, every new vehicle from Volvo will contain 25 wt. % of recycled plastics. In this way, the car manufacturer aims to take not only itself but also its supply chain in the direction of recycling. Can it succeed? The first prototype launched by Volvo has provoked hot debate.

170 components in the prototype vehicle have been replaced by recycled plastics

With Ambitious Goals and Prototypes, the Swedish Auto Manufacturer Aims to Increase the Content of Recycled Material in Vehicles

Volvo Shows the Way

PET bottles can be recycled into new food packaging. Large-scale recovery systems and recycling procedures have become established since many years. PET bottles made of 100 % post-consumer recyclate are already available in the market, and a version made of renewable raw materials also exists. No other packaging plastic can show such a positive balance. Nonetheless, PET is under criticism.

Bottles blow-molded from preforms are among the products that can be produced from recycled PET; about two thirds of PET recyclates are used to produce films, secondary packaging such as strapping bands or substrates, as well as fibers, better known as fleece

Prime Material for a Circular Economy

Polyethylenterephthalat

Technische Kunststoffe

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

Carbon fibers are due to their high price interesting for recycling. The results of the project RecyCarb enable the multiple use of carbon fibers as functional re-use. First demonstrator parts in the areas of medical technology and automotive prove the industrial feasibility.

Plant for carbon nonwovens at STFI with guillotine cutting machine (1), tearing machine (2), feeder chute (3), airlay (4), card (5), cross-lapper (6), needle loom (7) and Maliwatt unit (8)

Re-Use of Recycled Carbon Fibers in Sophisticated Composite Parts

Faserverarbeitung

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Andere Werkstoffe

Kunststofffasern

Verstärkungsstoffe

Second Life for Carbon Fibers

The invest of Neste supports Alterra Energy´s expansion. The companies collaborate to commercialize Alterra’s waste plastic liquefaction technology in Europe

Alterra’s industrial-scale waste plastics liquefaction unit in Akron, Ohio

Chemische Verfahrenstechnik

Ingenieurwissenschaften

Verfahrenstechnik

Neste Acquires Minority Stake in Alterra Energy

Industrial companies, associations, and institutions concerned with the topics of circular economy and plastics sustainability will present themselves on the digital platform D-Expo Circular Economy from April 13 – 16, 2021.

D-EXPO Circular Economy will take place as a digital event from April 13 to 16, 2021

20:7

Markt & Wirtschaft

kunststoffe.de

Regenerieren

Kunststoff-Regenerate

D-Expo Circular Economy - The Digital Trade Fair for Plastics Sustainability

Walmart Commits to 15% Plastic Reduction Goal

Walmart Inc. agreed at its sustainability milestone summit held in October 2021 to reduce total virgin plastic use by 15% throughout the company’s plastic packaging footprint by 2025 following engagement with As You Sow.

Walmart Inc. agreed at its sustainability milestone summit held in October 2021 to reduce total virgin plastic use by 15% throughout the company’s plastic packaging footprint by 2025 following engagement with As You Sow. It agreed to set an absolute plastic reduction target in May following the filing of a shareholder resolution by As You Sow, but needed time to assess the size of the cuts.

The company told As You Sow it will work to achieve the plastic reduction through increased use of recycled content, elimination of unnecessary material, redesign of packaging, and exploration of reuse models. The company’s plastic packaging footprint includes private‐-brand packaging, shopping bags, operational packaging, and eCommerce packaging. The reduction will likely approximate a 180,000 ton reduction out of 1.4 million metric tons of plastic packaging it used in 2020, according to its most recent environment, social, and governance report.

“The company has set a significant initial goal to reduce the use of virgin plastic,” said Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president of As You Sow. “We encourage other companies to step forward and make bolder, larger absolute cuts in overall plastic packaging. Reducing virgin plastic use is a good start, but cuts in total plastic use have a greater impact. We need hundreds of companies to make significant cuts in single-use plastic packaging if we are to make meaningful progress in reducing the flow of plastic wastes into oceans.”

Four other large companies — Keurig Dr Pepper, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, and Target Corp. — agreed to virgin plastic reductions earlier this year after the filing of shareholder proposals by As You Sow. Target and Keurig Dr. Pepper agreed to reduce virgin plastic in brand packaging 20% by 2025, Mondelez agreed to cut 5% by 2025, and PepsiCo agreed to a 20% cut by 2030.

Cumulatively, the reduction in use of virgin plastic announced by these five brands is likely to total more than 700,000 tons. As You Sow continues dialogue with Amazon.com and Kroger, among other large brands, seeking similar reductions. Forty-five percent of Kroger shareholders and 35% of Amazon shareholders supported proposals earlier this year asking the companies to study significant reductions in plastic use.

In a new report, “Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard 2021,” As You Sow analyzed the packaging practices of 50 large consumer goods companies, 18 companies — including Walmart — were identified as having announced, or planning to announce, a virgin plastic reduction goal by 2021. This was a notable nine-fold increase from 2019 when just two companies held these goals, demonstrating rapid corporate awareness of the importance of reducing overall plastic use. Walmart was among the second highest scoring companies in the report, preceded by top-scoring company Coca-Cola Co.

As You Sow’s efforts have been catalyzed by a 2020 landmark study by Pew Charitable Trusts, “Breaking the Plastic Wave,” which modeled actions needed to reduce 80% of the plastic pollution that flows into oceans by 2040. The report said immediate and sustained new commitments throughout the plastics value chain are needed, including actions by brand owners, consumer goods companies, and retailers to reduce at least one-third of plastic demand through elimination, reuse, and new delivery models.

As You Sow  

https://www.asyousow.org

2021-10-14 Walmart

issue 09/2022

issue 08/2022

issue 07/2022

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