Author Archives: Pranay Jain

A UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution is needed to combat waste!

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While plastic plays an important role in our lives and brings many benefits, despite ongoing efforts, much of it ends up as waste in incinerators, landfills and the environment. Its durability also presents a challenge, particularly when it leaks from the value chain and becomes pollution. Plastics can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, causing harm to nature and people. Every year, millions of tons of plastic leak into the environment, and mounting evidence shows this problem will continue to grow unless we fundamentally rethink the way we produce, use, reuse, and dispose of plastic.

 

Photo: Brent Durand

 

Currently, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic are flowing into the ocean each year and there is no sign that leakage rates are slowing. Indeed, the global volume of plastic entering the ocean is forecast to triple over the next 20 years. Cheap and easy-to-make plastics have become so prevalent in packaging that their use has increased twenty-fold since the 1970s and is expected to double again in the next two decades.

 

Photo: U.S. News

 

All of us should have a role in the global effort aimed at stopping plastic pollution and are committed to tackling this issue. Setting concrete targets to create a circular economy for plastics and address this challenge through voluntary initiatives alone cannot solve this issue. A coordinated international response is needed, one that aligns businesses and governments behind a shared understanding of the causes of plastic pollution, and a clear approach to addressing them.

Unless all sectors are able to work together to eliminate unnecessary and problematic plastic, shift to reuse models, radically increase recycling levels and stop the leakages in the current system, plastic will continue to pollute ecosystems and result in significant ecological, social, and economic harm.

 

The UN Treaty is needed to:
1. Combat waste that ends up in oceans, land & air.
2. Engage with corporates stepped up along the entire plastic packaging value chain.
3. Reduce, reuse and recycle single-use plastic forms part of a circular economy.

 

 

Photo: Getty

 

𝗔𝘁 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲, we think that by acting together for a common good we can shape the agenda for a new treaty on plastic pollution and so make a difference.

There is an pressing need to arrive at a global treaty on plastic pollution which addresses issues of safe plastic waste disposal. It would also drive countries towards creating a uniform system for diverting plastic waste from reaching the ocean. Several countries if left on their own may not adopt best practices required to tackle plastic pollution. Even if they do, it may take a long time to achieve this shared goal.

 

Click HERE to learn more about the UN Treaty for Plastic Pollution to combat waste.

Key Highlights of 2021 IPCC Climate Report & Takeaways for the Plastic Industry.

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The Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change – eight years since the last one in 2013, addresses the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, bringing together the latest advances in climate science, and combining multiple lines of evidence from paleoclimate, observations, process understanding, and global and regional climate simulations.

Human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways, a major UN scientific report has said.

 

Photo: AdobeStock

 

The report “is a code red for humanity”, says the UN chief. The landmark study warns of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding, whether it’s heatwaves like the ones recently experienced in Greece and western North America, floods like those in Germany and China, or a key temperature limit being broken, ‘their attribution to human influence has strengthened’ over the past decade. Since 1970, global surface temperatures have risen faster than in any other 50-year period over the past 2,000 years.

 

Photo: California wild fires, 2013. Stuart Palley/EPA.

 

The new report also makes clear that the warming we’ve experienced to date has made changes to many of our planetary support systems that are irreversible on timescales of centuries to millennia. The landmark study confirms beyond any doubt that temperatures and sea levels are rising at an alarming rate. Despite commitments made at the UN Paris Agreement, to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, the world is still heading towards nearly 3°C global warming and the sea level will rise by 2mts by the end of this century. The oceans will continue to warm and become more acidic. Mountains and polar glaciers will continue melting for decades or centuries.

We have done a bad job so far. While it is not the end of the world for us (as yet), we need to come up with radical changes in the way we use energy, make products and invest.

BUT, we can still avert the worst impacts of climate change IF WE ACT TODAY!

 

Photo: CypressCreek

 

EcoBlue’s Opinion: Takeaways for the Plastic Industry – 

For the Plastic Industry, there is a lot that can be done to correct the past mistakes:

  1. Recycled plastics have a two-third to three-forth lower CO2 footprint as compared to virgin resins and they often reduce marine litter.
  2. Choose energy-efficient systems while making investments, like Solar Energy & Bio-fuels.
  3. Solutions available for hard-to-recycle materials, provided we embrace Extended Producer Responsibility. Without EPR, more than half of the plastic waste will never get recycled.

At EcoBlue Ltd., we are committed to doing our part, and with only a few years for a fundamental course change, we call on everyone to join forces and act!

 

Click HERE to learn more about the 2021 IPCC Climate Report & Takeaways for the Plastic Industry.

Accelerating the Circular Economy for Post-Consumer PET Bottles in Southeast Asia.

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In recent years, the global momentum for rethinking the way plastic packaging is produced, consumed and disposed of has grown faster than ever. The largely linear approach to the way plastic packaging enters and exits our lives for fleeting moments has reached its limits and the challenges have become apparent. A year earlier, another baseline quantification determined that 8 million to 12 million tons of plastic leak into the oceans each year, with eight of the top 10 countries for plastic leakage being in Asia.

 

Photo: Pixabay

 

The GA Circular – Driving Circular Economy in Asia Report, Full Circle, provides for the first time, systematic and comparable baseline collection rates for PET bottles (one of the most recyclable forms of plastic packaging) in Southeast Asia and highlights the need for a fundamental shift in the approach to driving circularity of PET bottles. The six countries studied (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Malaysia) account for a total population of over 600 million people, more than the population of all the EU’s 28 countries. Five of these six countries are among the top ten global contributors to ocean plastic leakage!

This baseline research (2018) shows that the average collected-for-recycling rate for PET bottles in nine key cities in Southeast Asia is 54%. The average landfill rate is 36% and environmental leakage rate is 10%. There is a wide variation in these rates across the cities.

 

 

EcoBlue’s Comments: While the priority actions as recommended in the GA Circular Study, Accelerating the Circular Economy for Post-Consumer PET Bottles in Southeast Asia, will go towards improving the recycling rates of PET bottles, EcoBlue believes that they should be complemented with the following measures to be more effective:

  1. Government-regulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives should be introduced as they are more effective than voluntary initiatives.
  2. The action plan should include measures for improving the recycling of all plastics and not just PET bottles for achieving true circularity.
  3. Legislations to allow recycled content in food contact applications are the need of the hour in SE Asia.

 

Click HERE to learn more about the Circular Economy for Post-Consumer PET Bottles in Southeast Asia.

EcoBlue’s upcoming facility offering Recycling Solutions for PET, HDPE and PP is getting closer to start-up!

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Last year, EcoBlue had committed to set up a world-class 2nd state-of-the-art recycling facility for PET, HDPE & PP in Thailand.

We are glad to share with you all that the progress at the site is going well and the company is on track to complete the installation and commissioning of the plant later this year! Equipment from the best technology suppliers like Starlinger and TOMRA is already at the site and is currently being installed at Rayong, Thailand.

With this recent investment, EcoBlue will increase the capacity for its food contact rPET resin to 30,000 tons per annum, and for Polyolefins (rHDPE and rPP) to 10,000 tons per annum.

The plant will also feature new innovations from the company like 3D Pure Filtration Technology!

 

Click HERE to learn more about the upcoming recycling facility!

ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris!

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The Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris will play an important role in helping ASEAN turn the tide in the battle with plastic waste and protect the vital marine environments that sustain the region for generations to come.

 

Photo: Koldunov/iStock

 

Marine plastic debris is a global problem. The way plastics are currently produced, used and managed often does not reflect the economic benefits of an approach to a ‘circular’ economy and results in harm to the environment. International action remains key to tackling the most significant sources of plastics litter in the oceans.

The  volume  of  solid  waste  and  marine  debris generated  across  Southeast  Asia  has  rapidly increased in recent years. At present, it is estimated that 53 percent of the waste generated in ASEAN is uncollected! Of the waste that is collected, less than a quarter is recycled. The remaining quantities are either illegally dumped after collection (around 34 percent of collected waste) or treated and disposed of (around 43 percent of collected waste).

 

 

EcoBlue’s Comments: It is heartening to see concerted action being taken at the ASEAN level including bold policy measures are proposed like:

  1. Reduction in Single-Use Plastics.
  2. Financing programs including a clear emphasis on Extended Producer Responsibility.
  3. Standards and use of recycled plastics.

The framework is strong like the EU Plastics Strategy and the need for it cannot be emphasized enough. We hope that the ASEAN Member Countries put their weight behind these principles and bring in the required national legislation in the prescribed timelines without diluting the spirit.

We at EcoBlue, look forward to National Legislations being developed on these lines to achieve true circularity for plastics.

 

Click HERE to learn more about the Action Plan!

For True Circularity, ALL plastics need to be recycled!

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The campaign started by Zero Waste Europe’s Bag Free World became a global initiative to aware people around the world. The day, July 3 has been designated as the International Plastic Bag Free Day to promote the use of eco-friendly items such as paper bags or cloth bags instead of plastic bags and get rid of the single-use plastic bags.

As per United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) report, 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used globally every year. The world produces 300 million tons of plastic waste every year which is equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. The report also warns that our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050.

It’s time to ‘Go Green’ and make environment-friendly choices if we want a pollution-free world for the next generation.

We at EcoBlue believe in recycling! Hence, for true circularity, ALL plastics need to be recycled!

Most of the demand and supply for recycled polymers pertains to only PET bottle recycling. For true circularity, we must find solutions and create demand for the recycling of complex Polyolefins like Polypropylene and Polyethylene. Unfortunately, the waste stream for Polyolefins comprises hundreds of types of material types which can make the recycling process quite daunting.

At EcoBlue, we accept this challenge and strive to provide solutions for recycling all kinds of complex materials to help our customers meet their sustainability goals. Join us on the journey to true circularity.

So today on International Plastic Bag Free Day, let us resolve to recycle all plastics!

Click HERE to learn more about true circularity!

 

EcoBlue’s 3D Pure rPET gets LNO from US FDA

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EcoBlue’s 3D Pure rPET range includes high IV rPET which is suitable for PET Bottle application and Amorphous rPET that is suitable for PET Film and Polyester Filament applications. The LNO has been given for the following use conditions:

  • 3D Pure Bottle Grade rPET (High IV): Can be used at levels up to 100% recycled content in the manufacture of articles for contact with all food types under Conditions of Use (COU) B through H.
  • 3D Pure Regular rPET (Amorphous): Can be used at levels up to 100% recycled content in the manufacture of articles for contact with all food types under Conditions of Use (COU) C through G.

We are the first recycling company in Thailand with U.S. FDA approval. 3D Pure rPET is a perfect solution the Consumer Product and Apparel companies to meet their sustainability pledges!

EcoBlue @ Workshop on Plastics Circularity: Opportunities and Barriers for the Private Sector organized by The Pollution Control Department of Thailand and the World Bank

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EcoBlue’s Managing Director, Mr. Pranay Jain took part in a consultation workshop on Plastics Circularity: Opportunities and Barriers for the Private Sector organized by The Pollution Control Department of Thailand and the World Bank. The findings from the workshop would be used to inform a market study on plastics circularity, opportunities and barriers in Thailand, a study commissioned by the World Bank. GA Circular has been engaged to conduct the market study and had facilitated the consultation workshop in Bangkok on 28th February, 2020.

At this workshop, Pranay made a presentation on Recycling – Challenges and Solutions. He spoke about how only about 12% of the 300 million tons of plastics being used gets recycled at a global level. Thailand has a plastic production about 10 million tons with a recycling rate of about 5%.

Recycling has been identified as the backbone of a sustainable economy. However, currently the demand for recycled plastics is limited to bottles and apparels which do not improve the overall recycling rates.

The recycling rates have been declining in the recent 6 months due to the decline in oil prices and virgin resin prices making recycling not an economically lucrative activity. Apart from economic challenges, recycling is facing many challenges from other fronts like government policies that are deterrent for recycling industry and poorly designed packaging which reduces the output of recycling. Use of PVC labels, printing on bottles and cups, PP cups with PET Caps, full body labels, pumps etc. are some examples of poorly designed packaging which reduces the recyclability of the same. Design for recyclability has to be a key focus area for packaging industry!

A drop in recycling rate means more and more plastic waste is being land filled, littered or reaching our oceans. Only voluntary measures cannot bring about the desired change. A policy framework needs to be put in place. For example, the 10 million tons of pledge for recycled content by EU is prompting companies to make commitments that can be measured. Studies have shown that Extended Producer Responsibility & Landfill restrictions are the most effective measures for improving the recycling rates.

We have to work towards creating an environment where recycling can thrive. It would need:

  • Design for recycling guidelines
  • Creating a market for recycled polymers so that recycled plastics can survive even when the virgin prices are low
  • Permit use of recycled materials in food contact applications
  • Conduct risk assessment studies for single use plastics to categorize and prioritize actions to be taken
  •  Redefine BOI policies to include washing etc as a promoted activity.

Ecoblue’s 3D-Pure rPET resin made from Post-Consumer PET waste material is now Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified!

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We are proud to share that our 3D-Pure rPET resin grades with source material of Post-Consumer PET Bottle waste are now Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified. A GRS certification indicates that an organization follows responsible social, environmental and chemical practices in production.

This is EcoBlue’s commitment towards sustainability and our environment by not only providing high quality rPET that can replace virgin PET but also ensuring that the material is produced in safe and equitable working conditions with no harmful impact of production to people and the environment. EcoBlue’s rPET has been established for use in producing 90% rPET content biaxially-oriented films and is suitable for use in filament yarn.

The Global Recycled Standard is a holistic certification for products with recycled content. The desired effect of the GRS is to provide brands with a tool for more accurate labeling, to encourage innovation in the use of reclaimed materials, to establish more transparency in the supply chain, and to provide better information to consumers. GRS certification is administered by the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit dedicated to driving changes in sourcing and manufacturing and ultimately reducing the textile industry’s impact on the world’s water, soil, air, and people.

GRS certification ensures that when companies like us claim that we are sustainable, it is no false claim!

EcoBlue emphasizes on Liner recycling at The Global Release Liner Industry Conference and Exhibition, 2019 at Charlotte, USA.

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The Global Release Liner Industry Conference and Exhibition took place in Charlotte, NC, USA on 1- 3 May 2019. The theme of the conference was “Collaborating Across The Value Chain”.  EcoBlue’s Managing Director, Mr. Pranay Jain, spoke on the topic “Moving Towards Sustainable PET Liners” and participated in a panel discussion regarding Sustainability in the Liner industry.

Labels form an intergral part of packaging. However, from a sustainability perspective they not only hinder the recycling process of containers but also generate more waste during the process of production in their supply chain than the final end-product. At this point of time, almost all the filmic liner waste is diverted to landfill. In order to make the label sustainable, it is important to give the liner a proper end-of-life solution by recycling. EcoBlue would like to bring together the Label supply chain to ensure that the Liner waste is collected and recycled in a responsible manner.  EcoBlue’s CircuLiner Recycling Program offers such a solution for recycling the PET Liner waste and thereby promoting circular economy. As an industry, we also need to push for incorporating recycled content in the PET Liners which has been successfully proven now.

EcoBlue’s CircuLiner Program: Promoting a Circular Economy

A number of interactive expert panel discussions also took place throughout the conference. Mr. Pranay Jain participated in the panel discussion:  The Good, The Bad and The Opportunity. The central essence of this discussion was the importance of bringing together all stakeholders involved in the Label supply chain – Film producers, Label Stock companies, Label Producers, Brand Owners and Recyclers to be committed to ensure that the Liner Waste is collected and recycled in a responsible manner.