Epson awarded third successive EcoVadis Platinum rating

The ubiquitous use of plastics has been driven by their combination of low cost and properties, but these attributes directly challenge waste management schemes for plastic recycling. Some postconsumer recycling programs are now nearly 50 years old, but a significant fraction of plastics still finds landfills or other dumping strategies at their end of life. With the growing concern regarding plastic waste, especially ocean plastics, there is a need for innovation and alternative strategies for the economic translation of plastic waste to valued product(s) that will promote their efficient circular utilization. This review first describes the technical and economic hurdles associated with the recycling of postconsumer plastics, but then it focuses on providing an overview of emergent strategies to recover plastic waste through new polymer design, new recycling processes, and chemical transformations to value-added products. Specific challenges discussed include plastic waste sorting and separations, product variability including additives, and the high efficiency/low cost in which the existing petrochemical industry can produce virgin polymers, in particular polyolefins.

Sealed Air has developed a market leading designed for recycling shrink-packaging solution to support food companies increasingly move to a circular economy.
 
The new CRYOVAC® brand Designed-for-Recycling Standard Presentation Shrink Bag and Shrinkable Rollstock are the world’s first RIC4 coded heat-sealable food packaging materials, meaning they are 100% recyclable* to help food processors and retailers further improve sustainability.
 
Enhanced efficiencies and environmental performance can also be realised through the range’s thinner, lighter EVOH barrier and excellent mechanical resistance. These features can help to reduce packaging material usage and overall carbon footprint by up to 60%, compared to widely used thermoforming packaging systems.