Targets set by brand-owners and regulators are contributing to a growing demand for recyclates in Americas. Several brands are committed to 25% of min. recycled content in their packaging by 2025. In addition, producers in California are required to incorporate 15% of post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) in beverage containers by 2022. Chile, the first South American country to join the Plastics Pact Global Network with the passing of EPR law, commits to 100% of plastic containers and packaging designed to be recyclable, reusable, or compostable.

Lawmakers throughout the U.S. are also increasingly interested in shifting more of recycling's cost & responsibility to packaging producers/brand-owners, racing to pass the EPR legislation for packaging and other materials.

However, supply to meet the targets remains limited, especially for high-quality food-grade recycled resins to be utilized in food and beverage packaging. Different end-markets are competing for the same bottles feedstock as they are more widely available & accepted in collection systems. Waste collection, sorting & recycling capabilities continue to be a challenge in the region.

Virgin resin producers are also taking the opportunity to expand portfolios into circular plastics while strengthening their recyclates supply.

“There’s been a shift from grassroots organizations advocating for change to major chemical companies investing in recycling operations of late,” Ettefagh said. “PureCycle’s proprietary recycling technology was developed by P&G, and it’s this type of top-down investment that’s driving the circular economy.” 21/4/2021, www.purecycletech.com

“NextLoopp project launched to close the loop on food-grade recycled PP.” 21/3/2021, www.sustainableplastics.com

“Braskem America and Encina Announce Intent to Develop Circular Feedstock Agreement for Production of Recycled Polypropylene” 7/12/2020, www.braskem.com.br

CMT’s Circular Polyolefins Americas virtual conference on 27 May 2021 at 09:00 PET (GMT-5) brings together players in the Polyolefins value chain in both North & South America to share insights on the development and trends moving forward.

Speakers :

•  (Moderator) Dr. Keith Vorst, Director - Polymer and Food Protection Consortium,
    Iowa State University

•  Tamsin Ettefagh, Chief Sustainability Officer & VP of Industry, PureCycle Technologies

•  Prof. Edward Kosior, Managing Director, Nextek / NEXTLOOPP

•  Rachel A. Bond, Partner, Keller & Heckman

•  Paulo de Mattos Coelho, Circular Economy Commercial Leader, South America, Braskem

•  Carlos Mauricio Torres Silva, Circular Economy Director,
    Vice President of Corporate Excellence, Esenttia

•  Gilles Swyngedauw, VP, Sustainability, Innovation & Marketing, Albea Group

•  Robert Cotton, R&D Director for Food Packaging Materials and Standards, Pepsico

•  Mara Lapp, Director, Sales & Business Development, Envision Plastics

•  Jean Bina, Director, Sales & Market Development, Envision Plastics

Register with your team today or contact grace@cmtsp.com.sg for more information.
  
Register now at only USD225