Companies in the plastics supply chain are putting a lot of effort into calculating their carbon footprints, and coming up with strategies to become carbon neutral. Sustainable Plastics Editor Karen Laird explains what’s driving the issue and why it will be a major talking point for exhibitors at the K 2022 trade show in October. She also recaps the Plastics Recycling Show Europe, including highlights from the annual recycling awards.

To achieve ambitious sustainability goals, the plastics industry will need both mechanical and chemical recycling, Karen Laird said in the May Sustainable Plastics Live webinar. Laird, the editor of Sustainable Plastics magazine, argued that plastics recycling is not a myth, thanks to improved technology. But improvements to collection infrastructure, and extended producer responsibility, are needed.

In the April Sustainable Plastics Live, we talk about product design, with a focus on packaging. How is the shift to tethered caps taking place? Also, the European plastics system needs significant change within 5 years to meet long-term circularity and net zero emissions goals. What will happen if it fails to meet those goals?

Does the Ukraine crisis put plastics sustainability on hold, or will it accelerate progress toward a circular plastics industry that's not as dependent on fossil fuels for feedstock and energy?