Japan's Asahi Kasei will cease production of polyethylene resins by March 2030. Currently, the company manufactures low-density polyethylene (LDPE), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) under the Suntec-LD and Suntec-EVA, and Suntec-HD and Creolex brands. Creolex HDPE is produced using metallocene catalyst technology. Creolex metallocene HDPE grades exhibit excellent thermal stability and are additive-free in certain formulations. The materials co

German materials manufacturer Covestro and China’s Ninetygo have announced the global launch of the luggage brand’s new R-GO Coffee Journey Series suitcase, made with polycarbonate containing up to 90 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) content from Covestro. “The circular economy must prove its value in markets. The global launch of this new suitcase shows recycled materials can meet expectations for both performance and design,” said Lily Wang, President of Engineering Pla

A breakthrough method for chemically recycling polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA or acrylic) resin has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath. In contrast to conventional mechanical recycling, the new process employd lower temperatures and sustainable solvents without compromising material quality, meaning the plastic can be recycled many times over with minimal environmental impact. Approximately 3 million tonnes of acrylic are used worldwide each year, in a wi

Non-edible rice bran touted as an alternative sustainable raw material in place of lignite for these engineering plastics lubricants and nucleators. Montan waxes, extracted from lignite, are a key additive input for engineering plastic compounds widely used in the automotive, electronics, and medical device industries and much more. They function as lubricants and nucleators in the processing of engineering plastics. With lignite being resources being rapidly depleted in in G

The EU-funded BioSupPack project has demonstrated that brewery waste can be transformed into high-performance bioplastics for sustainable packaging. Over five years, the 18-member consortium developed and validated polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA and PHB) materials and production processes that offer viable alternatives to fossil-based plastics while supporting compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Six innovation results At a demonstrative scale an

Citroniq and Premier Product Marketing, a Vinmar company, have announced a 15-year binding offtake agreement for the supply of OrganiqPP resins, the world’s only 100% biogenic, carbon-negative polypropylene. Citroniq is a leader in carbon-negative materials, while Premier Product Marketing is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of petrochemicals and plastics. The agreement represents 50% of the planned production capacity of Citroniq’s manufacturing facility in

Rubi, the company behind pioneering enzyme-based technology that transforms carbon dioxide (CO2) into cellulose fibers for use in apparel and other industries, has announced a $7.5 million funding round and significant commercial traction, including multi-year offtake term sheets worth over $60 million with leading fashion brands and manufacturers, eight new commercial partnerships, and moving pilots into larger-scale production testing. The funding announcement follows a br

Methanol is a key starting material for chemical products. Researchers from ETH Zurich can now Chemists from ETH Zurich have achieved a breakthrough in catalysis research on multiple levels. They have developed a catalyst that significantly lowers the energy barrier for the production of methanol from the greenhouse gas CO 2 and hydrogen. In the catalyst, the metal indium in an extremely efficient manner in the sense that each individual indium atom behaves as an active si

New Zealand e-waste recycler Mint Innovation has successfully produced the industry’s first batch of certified closed loop recycled copper through an industry-first collaboration with HP Inc. The milestone demonstrates Mint’s proprietary biosorption technology, which recovers high-purity copper from HP’s end-of-life printed circuit boards (PCBs) for reuse in HP PC manufacturing starting with the HP EliteBook X G2 Series laptops and HP EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC. The annou

Boretech is set to commission China’s first PET tray-to-tray recycling plant in Pinghu, Zhejiang Province, in the first quarter of 2026, marking a step toward expanding food-grade recycling beyond PET bottles. The facility, named Suplas and now in the final stage of installation, will have a processing capacity of 28,000 tonnes of PET trays per year. According to the company, Suplas will produce hot-washed PET tray flakes suitable for food-contact thermoforming, enabling clos

Chemical Recycling Japan, a subsidiary of oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan, has completed construction of a chemical recycling plant for converting post-consumer and post-industrial recovered plastics into oil; at a site in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The plant has aplastic processing capacity of 20,000 tonnes annual and is scheduled to commence commercial operations in April 2026. The company’s proprietary chemical recycling technology is centered on a catalyst-based c

The Solress project officially kicked off in September in Valencia, Spain, marking a major step toward the development of safer, sustainable, and high-performance bio-based solvents for European industries. Funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) with a contribution of €7 million under a total budget of €9.1 million, the project will run for 48 months under the coordination of AIMPLAS, Plastics Technology Centre. Solress aims to develop an integrate

UK start-up Jiva Materials is seeking funding to further commercialization of a circuit board material made from natural fibers and a hot water-soluble, biodegradable resin. Soluboard cuts lifecycle emissions by 68% versus standard FR‑4 glass fiber/epoxy resin PCBs, makes devices lighter and allows efficient recovery of valuable metals. Soluboard combines natural fibers such as flax or jute with a non‑hazardous, water‑soluble biopolymer and a halogen‑free phosphorous flame r

The U.S. Plastics Pact (USPP) today released a new position paper on the role of physical and chemical recycling in a circular economy, offering science-based, consensus-driven guidance to policymakers and industry leaders. Developed with input from the full plastics value chain, the position provides clarity on how these technologies can help address hard-to-recycle plastics, while ensuring that they do not displace reduction, reuse, or mechanical recycling efforts. “Too of

Japan's Toppan and its India-based subsidiary Toppan Speciality Films Private Limited (TSF), have installed a hybrid manufacturing line capable of producing both biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film and biaxially-oriented polyethylene (BOPE) on the same machine. With an extensive track record in the production of BOPP films, TSF is now launching production of BOPE on the new line to cater to diversifying demand. TSF will begin mass production on the new hybrid line f

A research team at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) led by Dr. Koo Kee-Young of the Hydrogen Research Department has developed a high-performance copper–magnesium–iron catalyst that efficiently converts carbon dioxide (CO₂)—a major greenhouse gas—into carbon monoxide (CO), a key building block for eco-friendly synthetic fuels. The breakthrough targets the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) reaction, which converts CO₂ and hydrogen (H₂) into CO and water (H₂O). The r

Incorporating recycled content into foamed products, particularly in the building and construction sector, can compromise product consistency, mechanical strength, and overall performance. Without effective solutions to process and reuse these mixed plastic streams, designing for recyclability remains a formidable challenge. To address the challenge, a collaborative effort across the value chain was initiated, involving key industry players including Erema, Moxietec, Engel,

New technology reduces processing temperatures and energy consumption while improving color value, product quality, and production efficiency through its kinetic boosting effect. Clariant presented its new AddWorks titanium-based catalyst solutions for polyester polymerization at K 2025, the world's premier trade fair for plastics and rubber. Set to launch in 2026, this technology offers a more sustainable and high-performance alternative to traditional antimony-based catal

Rising electricity demand is driving growth in cable consumption despite slowing GDP growth globally—this according to Pongsapak...

Amid a spate of shutdowns, project cancelations and delays related to chemical recycling plants in Europe and the U.S., the French...