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Materials & Packaging

The latest developments in materials, feedstocks and processes that are transforming the way many conventional products are made and packaged — and eliminating their negative impacts

Article
Sainsbury's, M&S Lead Effort to Recycle 1.3 Billion Plastic Food Trays Annually

Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer (M&S) are leading a consortium of UK packaging, retail and recycling organizations to launch a market trial aimed at recycling as many as 1.3 billion plastic food trays each year.The campaign focuses on reducing ... View More

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Dow Challenging People to Become Better Recyclers

Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics has launched a campaign called Recycle Rally — A 30-Day Recycling Challenge, to inspire people to cultivate daily recycling behaviors. ... View More

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Walmart, Bumble and Bumble Fined for VOC Emissions

Walmart, Bumble and Bumble and 17 other companies have been fined by the California Air Resources Board for air pollution violations. Bumble and Bumble received the highest penalty of $88,000 followed by Walmart at $34,000 out of a total of $233,175 ... View More

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Recycle Across America, Participant Media Determined to Get Us to 'Recycle Right!'

Recycle Across America® (RAA), a nonprofit that has developed the first and only society-wide standardized labeling system for recycling bins to help eliminate the public confusion surrounding recycling, has joined forces with Participant Media on a... View More

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Defra Study Funding Coke, Tesco, Nestlé to Boost Recycling of Aluminum Packaging

Coca-Cola Enterprises, Tesco and Nestlé UK & Ireland are among the companies being funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to develop viable approaches for collecting flexible packaging materials containing al... View More

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'Valuing Plastic' Illustrates Critical Need for Companies to Disclose Data on Plastic Use

Companies could become more sustainable by improving the way they measure, manage and report the amount of plastic they use in their business operations and supply chains, according to groundbreaking new research by the Plastic Disclosure Project (PD... View More

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LAUNCH Seeking Chemistry Innovations to Advance Sustainable Materials, Manufacturing

Calling all chemistry innovators! LAUNCH — the open innovation platform aimed at identifying and fostering breakthrough ideas for a more sustainable world — this week announced its newest System Challenge: Green Chemistry. ... View More

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Biome Research Confirms Next-Generation Bioplastics Could Be Derived from Trees

A research project led by Biome Bioplastics, one of the UK’s leading developers of natural plastics, has demonstrated the feasibility of extracting organic chemicals from lignin — a complex hydrocarbon that helps to provide structural support in ... View More

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adidas Partners with bluesign, Commits to Additional Best Practices in Chemical Management

Today, the adidas Group announced a strategic partnership with bluesign technologies to further drive sustainable solutions in the Group’s global supply chain.bluesign technologies is the well-established world leading provider of assessment tools ... View More

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Feds Release Recommendations to Improve Chemical Facility Safety and Security

The Chemical Facility Safety and Security Working Group, a federal government working group set up after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, in 2013 has released recommendations that agencies should consider new rules for the storage a... View More

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Kaiser Permanente Commits to Flame-Retardant-Free Furniture

Kaiser Permanente has announced that it will stop purchasing furniture treated with flame retardants. Its new standard specifies that upholstered furniture in new or remodeled buildings should not contain added fire-retardant chemicals.The medical gr... View More

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Ford and Heinz Collaborate on 'Tom-auto'-Based Materials for Car Parts

When most people think of ketchup and cars (if they do at all), they’re probably just hoping to not spill any while they’re driving. But researchers at Ford and Heinz have something much cooler in mind — the companies announced today they are i... View More

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Groups call on Walmart, P&G, Coke to Back Proven Recycling Approaches, Not Closed Loop Fund

Today, a group of public interest organizations called on Walmart and the eight other companies involved in the recently launched $100M “Closed Loop Recycling” loan fund, to instead support proven policies to boost recycling, such as extended pro... View More

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GE Helps Portuguese Brewery Save 72 Million Liters of Water Annually

A brewery in Portugal has significantly reduced water usage by improving operating performance and reliability with help from GE’s advanced membranes and water chemical technology.The site, Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas (SCC), reused wast... View More

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adidas Addresses Allegations of Toxic World Cup Gear; Greenpeace Shoots Back

Last week, Greenpeace Germany released a report indicting adidas, Nike and Puma for producing gear for the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil that contains hazardous chemicals. The watchdog group unveiled the results after testing 33 items includ... View More

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Investors Press Mondelez International to Switch to Recyclable Packaging

Last week, shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow (AYS), along with shareholders representing $11.8 billion worth of shares, presented a proposal to Mondelez International asking that the company make the switch to recyclable packaging.The reso... View More

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Greenpeace Chastising Brands for Toxic World Cup Gear

With less than a month to go before the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Greenpeace Germany has released a new report indicting adidas, Nike and Puma for producing soccer gear with hazardous chemicals after testing 33 items including boots, goalkeeper ... View More

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Dell Making Good on 'Legacy of Good' Plan with Carbon-Negative Packaging, Closed-Loop Plastics

On Tuesday, Dell announced new sustainability initiatives that CEO Michael Dell called “the next milestone” in Dell’s 2020 Legacy of Good plan. ... View More

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IBM Stumbles Across New Class of Industrial Polymers That Could Revolutionize Manufacturing

Scientists from IBM Research say they have accidentally discovered a new class of polymer materials that could deliver cheaper, lighter, stronger and recyclable materials ideal for electronics, aerospace, airline and automotive industries.The new mat... View More

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Lignin Poised to Become Renewable Alternative to Petrochemical Feedstocks

Lignin, a by-product of the wood-pulping industry, is an organic substance binding the cells, fibers and vessels in wood. Between 40 and 50 million tons are produced worldwide per year; while some is being used for low- and medium-value applications ... View More

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