China to ban single use plastics, bags in phases
The National Development and Reform Commission said in Beijing that the state would by 2025 establish a comprehensive system for the production, sales, consumption, processing and disposal of plastic items. Big cities are first up to roll out the changes, while other places will have more time to adjust. China wants to eradicate most of […]
Plastic Odyssey: World’s first plastic-to-fuel vessel to set sail in 2020
On his voyages as a merchant navy officer, Simon Bernard saw the extent of plastic pollution poisoning oceans, ecosystems, and mankind. The visionary is now launching Plastic Odyssey, a three-year expedition on the world’s first vessel to be fueled by plastic waste. “The mission’s ultimate goal is a world without plastic,” Simon said in an […]
European Social Innovation Competition is challenging plastic waste – applications due by April 4
The European Commission has launched the 2019 edition of the European Social Innovation Competition. The competition is open to applicants from EU member states and Horizon 2020 associated countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey. Under the theme Challenging Plastic Waste, this year’s edition of the European Social Innovation Competition […]
Coca-Cola discloses it puts out 3 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year
Coca-Cola has revealed for the first time it produces 3 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year – equivalent to 200,000 bottles a minute, The Guardian has reported. The data from the soft drinks giant was provided to the campaigner Ellen MacArthur, who is pushing for major companies and governments to do more to tackle […]
Adidas to boost recycled plastics shoes output in 2019 to help tackle ocean pollution
Sporting goods giant Adidas is stepping up its contribution to the global combat against the pollution of oceans with single-use plastics. This year, it plans to manufacture as many as 11 million pairs of sports shoes using recycled plastic waste, which is more than double compared with 2018, when it made five million pairs of […]
Recycling firm Integra Plastics building EUR 40 million plant
Bulgarian polyolefin recycling company Integra Plastics has started building a EUR 40 million plant in the town of Elin Pelin, on the outskirts of the capital Sofia. Integra CEO Julian Belev said in an interview with Bloomberg TV Bulgaria that the plant is expected to open in February 2019 and employ 85 highly qualified members […]
World’s first bike path made from recycled plastic opens in Netherlands
The world’s first PlasticRoad bike path opened recently in Zwolle, the Netherlands. Made from recycled plastic, the PlasticRoad is a completely circular product, with a significantly smaller carbon footprint than traditional road structures thanks to the longer lifespan and the reduction of transport movements involved in its construction, according to developers – Dutch firms KWS […]
Istanbul’s deposit system lets you pay transit fare with recyclables
As cities around the world start deploying deposit systems, Istanbul, with a population of nearly 15 million, has taken its efforts to increase recycling rates a step further. It now allows residents to top up public transportation cards by trading in plastic bottles or aluminum beverage cans. As part of the Turkish city’s deposit system […]