Democrats want national park plastic bans to become law
Democrats in the House and Senate want to make National Park Service policies against single-use plastic part of federal law.
Berry Global Reviews 'Strategic Alternatives' for Health, Hygiene Business
Berry Global Group Inc. announced today the initiation of a formal process to evaluate strategic alternatives for its Health, Hygiene, and Specialties segment (HH&S). HH&S supplies nonwovens, specialty films, and tapes to a range of end markets, including healthcare, hygiene, consumer, building and construction, and industrials. Options for HH&S under consideration by Berry include, but are not limited to, a sale, strategic partnership or joint venture, spin-off to shareholders, or…
Pacur puts Eastman’s Eastar recycled material to work in sterile packaging
Officials with Pacur in Oshkosh, Wis., said that the use of the Eastman material “is an important step to contribute to a more circular future and divert landfill-bound plastic waste.”
US Plastics Industry Slowdown Has Hit Bottom, Says Pineda
By the time 2023 comes to a close, real plastics shipments probably will have decreased by 3% compared with 2022 and employment will have fallen by 2.2%, according to Perc Pineda, PhD, chief economist at the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS). To put those negative numbers in perspective, however, it’s worth noting that the value of shipments — shorthand for sales, according to Pineda — increased 2.6% in 2022 and 1.8% in…
LyondellBasell to Shutter PP Production Plant in Italy
LyondellBasell reports that it has begun consultations with territorial trade unions in Italy regarding management of potential redundancies resulting from the closure of one of its two polypropylene production units at its Brindisi location. The unit in question is the oldest of its kind in the world and has become uncompetitive, according to LyondellBasell. “The market environment for our polypropylene products of this Brindisi unit has become increasingly challenging, and…
Bain buys fabricator, distributor Harrington Process Solutions
Harrington officials say it is poised for growth in semiconductors, water and wastewater management, life sciences, food and beverage processing.
Thermoplastic processing of Polylactic Acid with CITROFOL
Citrate esters have an excellent toxicological and eco-toxicological profile, but also provide good versatility and compatibility with numerous polymers.
Ross Eisenberg to Lead ACC’s Plastics Division
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has picked Ross Eisenberg, its current vice president of federal affairs, to lead the ACC’s Plastics Division, effective Sept. 18. The leadership position has been vacant since June 2023, when Joshua Baca left the ACC. In a prepared statement, ACC President and CEO Chris Jahn touted Eisenberg’s qualifications to “carry the torch on plastics advocacy and bring us closer to a more circular and sustainable…
Change from manufacturing to distribution at Berry site will cost 82 jobs
The Evansville, Ind.-based company said the Woodstock, Ill., facility will no longer make closures and overcaps.
Does Microwaving Plastics Make Microplastics? Maybe Not
There were many reports in early August breathlessly warning about new research showing that microwaving plastics causes millions and billions of micro- and nano-plastic particles to form. Maybe you saw one of these reports online. They were tough to miss with headlines such as: “For the love of God, stop microwaving plastic” and “After seeing this terrifying study, we’re never microwaving plastic again.” Pretty strong statements — I hope the research…