Plastics persecution: It may be fun, but is it fair?
By Dr. Chris DeArmitt FIMMM, FRSC, CChem
Anti-plastic sentiment is rife, but is it justified? In this Expert View, Dr. Chris DeArmitt, president of Phantom Plastics, argues the demonization of plastic packaging is unfounded and leading us astray from environmental sustainability gains. Dr. DeArmitt has read more than 2000 peer-reviewed articles to understand the science behind plastics and how it compares to the court of public opinion. Here is what he found.


PACKAGING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS
ProAmpac to showcase ProActive Sustainability range at Packaging Innovations 2022
20 May 2022 --- ProAmpac is gearing up to begin Packaging Innovations 2022 in Birmingham, UK, next week by emphasizing its European ProActive Sustainability flexible packaging portfolio and digital print capabilities. A highlight... Read More
PACKAGING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS
19 May 2022 --- UK consumers will have to check claims made by packaging producers as these might be incorrect or misleading, warns Martin Kersh, executive director of the Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA), ahead of the... Read More
PACKAGING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS
New York braces for lobbying frenzy as ambitious EPR bill promises industry transformation
12 May 2022 --- New York’s new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill is expected to face fierce industry resistance, experts say. The bill, introduced on May 5, would make packaging producers completely responsible... Read More
PACKAGING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Mapping waste from space: Minderoo Foundation tracks plastic dumping with satellite and AI tech
10 May 2022 --- Global governments, industry and community organizers can now view plastic waste sites through an interactive map developed using satellite imagery and machine learning. The Global Plastics Watch map has already... Read More
PACKAGING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Money matters: UK Plastic Packaging Tax crippling UK businesses, finds Lindum Packaging
10 May 2022 --- One in five companies using plastic packaging in the UK have seen their costs increase by more than 75% due to the UK Plastic Packaging Tax, according to research commissioned by Lindum Packaging. Introduced... Read More

WRAP UK responds to industry concerns over recent food waste report targeting plastic
04 Mar 2022 --- WRAP UK has claimed that plastic packaging can actually increase fresh produce waste for some uncut items. However, the plastics industry has questioned whether the report’s scope limits the conclusions that can be drawn. Helen Bird, strategic engagement manager at WRAP, responds to these concerns and shares insights on how further evidence on food waste can be accumulated.
Chalmers University: Could plastic-degrading enzymes be the answer to pollution?
14 Jan 2022 --- Chalmers University in Sweden is investigating how plastic’s “explosive” production over the last 70 years has allowed sufficient evolutionary time for microbes to begin degrading the material naturally. Aleksej Zelezniak, associate professor in Systems Biology at Chalmers, takes us inside his research and offers some advice on how best to combat plastic pollution.
Rabobank: Understanding the sharp rise of advanced recycling technologies
26 Apr 2021 --- Rabobank is reporting a huge amount of investment in advanced recycling globally and expects the number of plants to double to around 140 by 2025. Susan Hansen, global strategist for F&A supply chains at Rabobank, explains why advanced recycling is an important tool in the battle against plastic waste but not the silver bullet. Hansen also outlines the challenges facing advanced recycling, COVID-19 impacts on investment and how and why Rabobank is analysing these new technologies.
FlexFilms International (UFlex): Expanding company presence globally with new plastic film plants
09 Mar 2021 --- FlexFilms International is currently in the second phase of a global expansion. The film manufacturing arm of UFlex, India’s largest multinational flexible packaging solutions company, has newly commissioned BOPET lines in Poland and Russia. Meanwhile, construction of plants in Hungary and Nigeria have concluded, with trial runs underway. Anantshree Chaturvedi, vice chairman & CEO, shares how FlexFilms managed to expand its presence with different plants globally and advises three steps for flexible plastic packaging companies looking to expand internationally.
Wipak: The journey toward carbon neutral 2025
07 Oct 2020 --- Wipak is on a mission to become the first carbon neutral packaging company in the world. Speaking from the Innovation Plastics Processing and Recycling Conference in Berlin, Germany, Hery-Christian Henry, head of strategic marketing and corporate social responsibility, discusses raw materials, renewable energy, carbon offsetting and solving the plastic pollution and climate change problems simultaneously.