Industry

Plastics processors association Fédération de la Plasturgie et des Composites establishes new regional structure

New York City goes ahead with planned ban on EPS food packaging / Rigid PS unaffected / Officials say recycling is infeasible / Chemistry Council says legislation will hurt economy

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

Consumption grows 1% in 2013 / Polyolefins, PU and PET see gains / PVC and PS demand continues to fall / Producers under rising pressure / USA as most important trade partner

New waste management paper looks at priorities for circular economy / Legislation in EU member states under scrutiny / Packaging producers make recommendations

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

Europur board elects Bart J. ten Brink as new president

EC withdraws Circular Economy plans to increase recycling levels / Package to be replaced with more ambitious legislation

EU committee finds DEHP as of “very high concern” for the environment / Health decision still due

Part 4 – Regulations: Regulatory moves keep the industry on its toes again in 2014 / Restrictions on plastic bags dominate the discussion / BPA and phthalates still a topic / Flame retardant issues still smoulder / Recycling guidelines make headway

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

Part 3 – Packaging: M&A activity in the plastics packaging sector continues / Global competition changes the landscape / La Seda bankruptcy sale almost wrapped up / Coca Cola's sustainability drive hits a snag

Part 2 – Plastics Production: Shale gas revolution drives Europe into a corner / Ailing facilities are consolidated / Massive changes in PVC market / Shale oil reserves change the balance once again

Part 1 – Overview: European plastics industry ploughs on / High energy costs and bag bans still an issue / Realities of shale revolution start knocking on Brussels' doors

PIE speaks to PlasticsEurope's president Patrick Thomas / Fracking is an important energy source / Industry needs leadership and brokerage from Brussels / TTIP likely to bring gas prices down

PlasticsEurope calls France's report on alternatives to bisphenol A in food packaging “unrealistic simplification” / French parliament set to vote on ban from 1 January 2015

European legislation a key focus at second EuPC sector group meeting

PIE speaks to ECPI's sector group manager Stéphane Content about the European plasticisers market / Media wrongly group all phthalates together as harmful / Sustainability a key focus / REACH implementation should be balanced and pragmatic

World Plastics Council elects Sabic's Mosaed Al Ohali as chairman / Lays out focus on marine debris, post-consumer solutions

Follow-up: European Bioplastics and Assobioplastiche welcome European Council's amendment to Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive

EU guideline calls for gradual reduction in consumption up to 2025 / EuPC highlights problems from internal market perspective, warns of job losses / PlasticsEurope fears trade barriers, calls for regulation of “oxo-degradable” plastics

Plastics Recyclers Europe annual meeting highlights quality recycling and sorting / “European Plastics Recycling Show” to make its debut in Brussels next year

Germany's door to shale gas exploration kicked open slightly / Experts to decide on suitability of geological formations / Industry urges quick start to exploration / Plans still controversial

EuPC masterbatch and compounder subgroup elects new president

Survey finds slight rise in presence of littered plastic bags in England / Fee will not change social behaviour associated with littering, PAFA responds