Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : What Is Going Wrong in UK Plastics Recycling?

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

What Is Going Wrong in UK Plastics Recycling?

Biffa shut its Sunderland plant.

Viridor walked away from Avonmouth and Rochester.

Yes Recycling Fife collapsed within a year.

All three were backed by major investments

All three had buyers lined up for recyclate

All three are now offline

This is not bad luck

It is bad structure

Over the next four posts I will break down:

1. Why cheap virgin imports are undercutting UK recyclers

2. How weak policy enforcement is fuelling market failure

3. What volatile PRNs and cheap exports are doing to infrastructure

4. Why demand from brands is softer than their promises

Let’s start with the first:

**Cheap Virgin Resin = Broken Economics**

Virgin PE, PP, and PET have been flooding the global market.

New capacity in Asia and the US has driven prices down 30 to 40 percent.

Meanwhile, recycled plastic costs more to produce in the UK than it can sell for.

We are asking UK recyclers to compete with materials made in places with

– lower power costs

– fewer labour protections

– zero environmental standards

The result? You lose money on every tonne.

You shut down. You leave the market.

source: Stuart McCaig

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Getting sticky: the highest rerforming underwater adhesive hydrogel polymer

Inspired by biology, researchers have achieved the highest performing underwater adhesive hydrogel technology to date through a data mining and machine learning approach.

Hydrogels are a permeable soft material consisting of polymer networks and water with applications ranging from bio-medical engineering to contact lenses. Intrinsic to hydrogels is the ability to endow diverse characteristics by modifying their polymer networks. Professor Gong’s research lab at WPI-ICReDD, Hokkaido University, specializes in hydrogel technology and has engineered hydrogels with self-strengthening, self-healing, underwater adhesion properties and more. For adhesive hydrogels, achieving instant, strong, and repeatable underwater adhesion is a prevailing challenge.

Through a combination of data mining and machine learning, Professor Gong, Professor Takigawa, Professor Fan, graduate student Liao, and colleagues have recently developed the strongest underwater-adhesive hydrogels to date with adhesive strengths (Fa) exceeding 1 MPa. The gels’ strength was both instant and repeatable and they are functional across various surfaces under variable levels of salinity from pure water to seawater. This research was published in Nature and was selected for the cover.

For reference, if these hydrogels were cut to the size of a single postage stamp (2.5 x 2.5 cm), they could theoretically support ~63 kg (e.g. an adult human). The researchers demonstrated the hydrogel’s adhesive strength by applying it to a rubber duck on a seaside rock where it withstood repeated ocean tides and wave impacts.

Taking inspiration from biology, these hydrogels were designed with polymer networks derived from adhesive proteins found in archaea, bacteria, eukaryotes, and viruses. Despite the diversity across these organisms, these proteins share common sequence patterns that endow adhesion in wet environments. For this, ~25,000 adhesive protein datasets, collected from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) protein database, were data mined for relevant amino acid sequences important for underwater adhesion.

They replicated these sequences into polymer networks and synthesized 180 hydrogels—each containing unique polymer networks. The data compiled from studying these hydrogels were analyzed with machine learning which further extrapolated the most significant polymer sequences. The original 180 gels synthesized from data mining demonstrated adhesive qualities greater than gels previously reported in the literature. However, the gels inspired by machine learning were more incredible, exceeding the highly desired qualities mentioned above.

Repeatable and instant adhesion are highly desired qualities for applications ranging from biomedical engineering and deep-sea exploration. These qualities are confirmed in an experiment in which the water leak from a damaged pipe could be covered instantly and repeatedly.

The significance of the data driven approach in this research is clearly highlighted upon comparison of these hydrogels with previous conventional models. Such a distinct advancement in overall performance should lead to exciting new discoveries and applications for adhesive hydrogel applications.

source: Hokkaido University

DataLase launches functional masterbatch additive for plastics integration

DataLase has launched its ‘Masterbatch Additive’ – a functional additive designed for integration into plastic products and packaging, for laser coding and marking purposes.

DataLase, the global leader in Photonic Printing Solutions, has developed a functional masterbatch additive suitable for a wide range of plastics, including home and personal care, pharmaceutical, medical, electronic, automotive, agricultural and industrial extruded products.

By addressing the challenges faced by production and manufacturing companies with product coding applications, such as printing expiry dates and lot numbers, DataLase Masterbatch Additive has been optimised specifically for extrusion and injection plastic moulding to provide unsurpassed product stability and excellent quality.

Launched as a DataLase VAReLase® Pigment Solutions initiative, the additive is integrated directly into the masterbatch in pellet form, to provide consistent high quality, high contrast, permanent black coding. When compared to other coding methods, the masterbatch additive works with standard CO? scribing lasers to provide sustainability benefits in production environments by eliminating labels, consumables and waste from the coding and marking process. It can also help streamline supply chains through a reduction in packaging.

With lasers retrofitted to assembly lines, the additive will also deliver a range of efficiency benefits. By having the flexibility to make fast changes to coding and decoration requirements, the coding and marking process can reduce unscheduled downtime, requires minimal preventive maintenance and less frequent fume extraction filter changes. Additionally, as the additive is already integrated into the extruded plastic, manufacturers will be able to enhance brand integrity by providing SKU traceability through permanent coding that is tamper proof, anti-counterfeit and impossible to remove. The additive can also assist in improving packaging design by removing unsightly ablation areas; furthermore, it can be printed anywhere on the packaging with high precision.

Commenting on the launch, DataLase’s CTO, Ally Grant, said: “In light of the ongoing pandemic, the importance of supply chain resilience and risk management are more apparent than ever. Key to implementing refinements will be developments in technology and sustainability. Our masterbatch additive initiative ticks all the boxes in providing manufacturing and production environments with clear efficiency and environmental benefits, thereby assisting them to be prepared for future unexpected risk events and situations.

source : DataLase

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Balsam-Pear-Skin-Like-Structure Polyvinylidene Fluoride/Ethylene–Vinyl Alcohol Fibrous Membrane

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Balsam-Pear-Skin-Like-Structure Polyvinylidene Fluoride/Ethylene–Vinyl Alcohol Fibrous Membrane for Highly Efficient Oil/Water Separation Through One-Step Electrospinning

Rapid growth of industrial activities has significantly increased oil demand, leading to wastewater contamination with oil and causing severe environmental pollution. Traditional oil–water separation techniques, such as gravity separation, filtration, and chemical treatments, are hindered by low efficiency, high energy consumption, and secondary pollution. Membrane separation technology has emerged as a promising solution due to its simplicity, low energy consumption, and high efficiency. In this study, we report the fabrication of a novel polyvinylidene fluoride/ethylene–vinyl alcohol (#PVDF/#EVOH) #nanofibrousmembrane (NFM) with a unique balsam-pear-skin-like structure using a one-step #electrospinningprocess. The membrane’s superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity were achieved via water vapor-induced phase separation (WVIPS), by optimizing the rheological properties and mixing ratio of EVOH and PVDF precursor solutions. The resulting PVDF/EVOH (PE12-3) NFM exhibits exceptional properties, achieving separation efficiencies of 99.4% for heavy oil and 98.9% for light oil, with a heavy oil flux of 18,020 L m−2 h−1—significantly surpassing previously reported performances. Additionally, the membrane shows excellent recyclability, making it ideal for large-scale oil–water separation in wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. This one-step fabrication strategy offers an efficient and scalable approach for developing high-performance membranes to tackle #oilpollution in water.

Read the paper here: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/17/10/1389

source: Wuyi University

Arkema invests in castor farming to secure bio-based feedstock for low-carbon materials in India

Arkema announces the creation of the Castor Farmer Education Fund (CFEF), a collaborative initiative designed to support castor farming communities in India. 

The CFEF aims to raise funds to further accelerate the adoption of innovative and resilient farming techniques across the region by empowering farmers through education and training, generating lasting environmental and social impact.

Integrating castor-based feedstocks into low-carbon materials

Castor is the renewable feedstock used in the production of Rilsan® PA11 and Oleris® advanced Oleochemicals.

 

The fund will support projects that improve livelihoods, encourage regenerative agriculture, and foster long-term environmental stewardship in castor-growing regions. Open to all stakeholders, customers, brands, and partners across the castor value chain, the fund offers a unique opportunity to take meaningful, collective action. Together, contributors will help scale up farmer education programs, with the ambition of training 100,000 to 150,000 farmers by 2030.

 

“This fund represents a strong commitment to the people and communities who play a key role in the castor value chain. While it aligns with Arkema’s CSR roadmap, it also reflects the spirit of our global sponsorship strategy, which promotes inclusion, diversity, and education. This initiative will significantly strengthen the sustainability performance of the entire castor oil industry” commented Emmanuelle Bromet, VP, Sustainable Development.

The Fund will leverage on the expertise of strong and reliable partners

Arkema will serve as an anchor donor and intends to remain actively involved throughout the initiative. A dedicated Steering Committee will guide the fund’s strategic direction and partner TTFA and Solidaridad in selecting and executing impactful projects.

 

TT Foundation Advisors (TTFA) will administrate the fund to ensure transparency and impact, as well as provide advisory services, donor stewardship and management of the fund. TTFA is the philanthropy advisory arm of Temasek Trust, the philanthropic branch of Singapore-headquartered global investment company Temasek. It provides specialized advisory and management services to philanthropic foundations, family offices, business corporations, philanthropists, and charities.

 

Solidaridad will be the initial guarantee and will oversee training, monitoring, and project sourcing to ensure consistent and high-quality implementation. Solidaridad is an international civil society organization with a strong 55-year track record of supporting farming communities to become more resilient and is a long-standing partner of Arkema in building a more sustainable castor value chain.

 

“With the adoption of sustainability principles, small-scale farmers are able to improve income as well as soil health and biodiversity. With Arkema, this initiative can be scaled in castor-growing regions to build long-term resilience among the farming community,” said Shatadru Chattopadhyay, managing director, Solidaridad Asia.

 

“The Castor Farmer Education Fund reflects a shared commitment to empower farming communities and strengthen sustainable agricultural practices. TT Foundation Advisors is honoured to partner with Arkema and Solidaridad to provide a trusted, transparent platform that enables all stakeholders to collaborate and achieve better outcomes for the castor value chain,” said Dickson Lim, head, TT Foundation Advisors

Arkema’s long-standing presence in the region

Arkema has been a committed supporter of local farming communities through initiatives such as the Pragati Program which trained over 10,000 farmers since 2016 and demonstrated 57% higher yields and 33% lower water consumption among participating farmers. As a founding member of the Sustainable Castor Association, 

 

Arkema also helped develop the SuCCESS Sustainable Castor Farming Code, a benchmark for responsible castor cultivation. Castor is a crop with a favorable sustainability profile: it does not compete with food crops, does not contribute to deforestation, and carries a low risk of unfair labor practices.

source : Arkema / SpecialChem

DuPont Achieves 100 Percent Renewable Electricity Across its European Union Operations

DuPont (NYSE: DD) today announced 100 percent of its grid electricity is from renewable sources across its entire European Union (EU) operations, through the use of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). This milestone underscores the company's commitment to achieving its renewable energy goal and acting on climate stewardship as part of its 2030 Sustainability Goals, as well as marking a key step towards DuPont’s commitment of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“At DuPont, we are guided by a core value of protecting the planet, aligning our sustainability goals to meet the expectations of our customers, value chain partners and the communities in which we operate,” said Alexa Dembek, Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer at DuPont. “Converting our European Union manufacturing sites to 100 percent renewable electricity is a significant step in our journey to further reduce our emissions, lower the carbon footprint of our products and put us on a clear path toward decarbonization in our operations by 2050.

In 2021, DuPont joined RE100, a global environmental initiative led by the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, which brings together companies committed to shifting the electricity used globally in its operations to 100 percent renewable energy.

The transition to 100 percent renewable electricity in the EU has included the installation of on-site solar panels and the purchase of bundled and unbundled RECs. DuPont currently operates 13 manufacturing sites in the EU.

source : Dupont

 

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀.

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀. 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗹𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆.

I keep noticing that radiation is often underestimated as a risk factor for plastics – until mechanical properties start to change and no one can quite explain why.

The process itself is well understood – but it’s not visible.

Depending on the environment, part geometry and radiation dose, polymer structures begin to degrade or cross-link. This can lead to embrittlement, loss of elasticity or even gas release.

With oxygen present, oxidative degradation is the most common outcome.

Without oxygen, degradation and cross-linking compete – and which one dominates depends on the details.

These changes don’t happen overnight. They happen gradually.

And that’s exactly what makes them so dangerous – because they often go unnoticed until the damage is done.

Anyone using plastics in radiation-exposed environments needs to be aware of these mechanisms.

Material selection alone isn’t enough. It’s about long-term behavior, boundary conditions – and the ability to design with foresight.

I firmly believe that those who take aging into account create real safety – not just in the material, but across the entire system.

source: Alexander Baart

#polymers #radiation #materialscience