Fierce fights they are... On the one hand we have old plastic industry players hailing the hygiene and use of more, new plastics in CoVid crisis times. On the other, we have environmental backers, virologists and governmental leaders stressing the environmental crisis as the absolute cause for all the misery we are in now. 

The additive manufacturing industry is stepping up to help with Covid-19 relief efforts. Here’s how to apply the lessons we’re learning now for the future.

There’s never been a greater focus on recycling than in the last 12 months – especially where plastic is concerned, says Paul Rendle-Barnes. What challenges is the industry currently facing and what does the future look like?

WasteShark, which was developed by company RanMarine Technology, is the world’s first robot designed to collect plastics and biowaste from water environments.

Sustainability is increasingly at the heart of brand development, regardless of industry or sector. Whether it’s the CSR communication of a global business or the promise of a more responsible approach from a start-up, sustainability impacts us all. 

As technology advances, we are seeing the emergence of new and collaborative methods of addressing this challenge. 

Gradual large-scale use of bio-based feedstock in plastics production combined with intensive recycling will eventually remove fossil fuels from the feedstock. 

The European Union has launched a number of plans to help reduce our material and energy footprint, from CO2 emissions reduction plans to its Circular Economy Package. A key challenge for the industry is how to integrate these goals within their current operational contexts and future investment plans whilst at the same time maintaining competitiveness and delivering value to society. 

As the styrenics value chain, we are well aware of the ways our material is central to every day life, from food contact to healthcare applications, from home insulation to child safety in the form of bicycle helmets