Industry General

PIE talks to Stanley Chu, chairman of "Chinaplas" organiser Adsale / Key challenge for mega-fair is to maintain healthy growth amid economic slowdown / Revamping show's image for next year's 30th anniversary / Market sentiment generally optimistic

New EPA draft assessment finds “no evidence” that fracking harms drinking water / Agency still advises caution / Conclusions are non-binding as states call the tune

“ANTEC” and “PlastiCon” to merge / SPE and GPCA to jointly organise combined event in Dubai in early 2016

China's CPPIA joins “Operation Clean Sweep” / Initiative with goal of zero pellet loss now has 18 signatories

Manufacturers and recyclers file suit against Dallas carrier bag charge / Texas bill to prohibit similar local restrictions stuck in the legislature

Germany's Innonet Kunststoff and France's Plastipolis enter into bilateral cooperation

EuPC general assembly yields “strategic alliance” for European polymer supplies / Former RPC chief executive Ron Marsh to steer efforts / Strong criticism of producers and EU's import duties on plastics

Trade show in Milan asserts itself as an important plastics event / Visitor numbers stagnate

Plastic chair from Scandinavian Business Seating awarded first place / All plastic parts made in 100% PP / Designed for easy dismantling

California lists BPA as reproductive toxicant / Plastics and can manufacturers dispute conclusion

How packaging contributes to food waste prevention / Unpackaged goods seen to have greater environmental footprint / Study by Austrian think-tank Denkstatt and industry partners

Ringing in the revival of the US plastics industry / Shale gas will drive ethylene chains especially / Land of opportunities for European tier 2 and PE processors

Consortium established to develop technology to extend shelf life of prepacked fruit / European packaging specialists among project team

UK public supports slight price hike for milk bottles with regrind content / In favour of government legislation to require minimum recyclate quota in plastics packaging / YouGov poll

PAFA launches initiative on agricultural plastic film waste in the UK / Major suppliers join group

Leading European plastics fair already fully booked

Swiss franc's gains hit plastics industry particularly hard / Exports cave in

EU-sponsored “BioBeauty” project plans to develop biomaterial packaging for organic cosmetics / PLA bionanocomposite with antioxidant properties

US study on marine litter greeted by PlasticsEurope / Global industry continues efforts to tackle waste

European associations and laboratories establish ERRLAB technical support initiative

Plastics industry continues to see solid growth / Sector sales to double by 2020 / Recycling activities to rise

US Environmental Protection Agency mulls new rules for MDI and TDI in consumer products

Collection rates rise for pots, tubs and trays / Low growth for plastic bottle recycling / Recoup survey

Twelve people indicted for deadly Kaohsiung gas explosions / Accused include LCY chairman Lee Bowei

EU-funded project to develop biodegradable packaging for dried food / Consortium led by Hatzopoulos