Plastics

| Following the adoption of the Norwegian proposal on the 10th of May 2019 to amend the Basel Convention by the Conference of Parties, FEAD would like to express its concurrence with the European Council’s position from 15th April 2019 concerning the outcome of the COP 14, and its potential incorporation into the legal framework.

| The Xtreme Metal Detector Eriez Europe sold to Transcend Packaging Ltd is being used to inspect paper drinking straws prior to packaging. Transcend Packaging has won a large contract with fast food giant McDonald's to supply paper straws for their restaurants throughout the UK & Ireland.

| There are “major implications” for the recycling industry following the recent decision to list non-hazardous plastic waste that is not recyclable or is difficult to recycle under Annex II of the Basel Convention, it was confirmed to the BIR Plastics Committee meeting in Singapore on May 22.

| New listings agreed at the United Nations’ recent Basel Convention meeting in Geneva will effectively re-categorise non-hazardous plastic waste that is not recyclable or is difficult to recycle as requiring special consideration. This is almost certain to lead to a reduction in transboundary movements of these materials, according to BIR’s Trade & Environment Director Ross Bartley.

| The global Plastic Waste Management market is estimated to have been valued at US$ 33,681.2 Mn by 2017 end and is expected to reach US$ 45,642.4 Mn by the end of 2026 while expanding at a CAGR of 3.9% over the forecast period.

| The labelling industry’s first-ever facestock made from recycled polyethylene (rPE) has been introduced by Avery Dennison.

| As part of its closed-loop philosophy, CarbonLITE Industries is launching a new category: 100% post-consumer ocean diverted plastic.

| As part of its Plastics Strategy, the European Commission requested the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to present an Annex XV restriction dossier concerning the oxo-degradable plastics under the REACH Regulation.

| 180 governments adopted the Norwegian proposal to amend the Basel Convention. Now, EU Waste Shipment Regulation must be adapted in order to avoid hindering EU recycling and recovery markets, says FEAD.

| Extrupet Group (Pty) Ltd, South Africa’s first and largest recycling operation for post- consumer PET bottles, has ordered a second Starlinger PET recycling line to meet the country’s growing demand for rPET.

| VinylPlus, the Voluntary Commitment to sustainable development of the European PVC industry, recycled 739,525 tonnes of PVC within its framework in 2018 – a 15.6% increase on the previous year.

| Much of the plastic packaging placed on the market today requires a redesign to be circular. Design for recycling is the starting point in ensuring the genuine circularity of plastics and reaching the 55% recycling target by 2030 in Europe, according to Plastics Recyclers Europe.

| The 14th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Basel Convention today agreed to include mixed, unrecyclable and contaminated plastic waste exports into the control regime that requires the consent of importing countries before waste exports can proceed.

| OMV and Borealis are exploring synergies in order to establish a circular economy.