In the wake of China's ban on recyclable plastics, a new industry coalition wants to try to make polypropylene into the next PET and HDPE in the curbside recycling system. It's ambitious project — PP has some of the lowest recycling rates now in plastics packaging and there are economic headwinds — but industry officials say they see opportunities.

Cleaning up ocean plastic and environmental pollution will take a lot more than the $1-$1.5 billion pledged from the industry-funded Alliance to End Plastic Waste, probably something in the range of $150 billion.

Chinaplas 2020 may be delayed until sometime in the third quarter of this year as organisers monitor the impact of the coronavirus epidemic while also balancing the logistics of running the biggest plastics show scheduled for this year.

Starbucks Corp. wants to make major moves away from single-use packaging, including plastics, as part of an effort to cut its carbon footprint and cut waste from its stores and manufacturing in half by 2030.

The Malaysian plastics industry is proposing an extended producer responsibility system for plastics packaging and says that with government support the country can quadruple the size of its plastics recycling sector.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, whose high-profile campaigns have enlisted six of the 10 largest fast-moving consumer goods companies to cut the environmental footprint of their single-use plastics, wants them to go a step further and pledge to reduce virgin plastics use.

World Plastics Council companies did not reveal specific decisions from their meeting, but executives said they would remain engaged in plastics-related discussions in places like the United Nations Environment Assembly, the Basel Convention and meetings of the G7 and G20.

The PlasticsEurope trade association is making good progress toward its 2030 Voluntary Commitment around plastics sustainability, but sees chemical recycling as the "ultimate solution" to plastics sustainability.

Joanna Drake, deputy director in the EC's Environment Directorate, outlined government steps that could be coming, including regulations to boost public confidence in the performance of recycled plastic so it equals that of virgin materials.

Improving the environmental footprint for materials industries — plastics as well as steel, aluminum, cement and even food production — is crucial to achieving global climate goals, according to a new report from the UK-based Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. are leaving the Plastics Industry Association, following pressure from environmental groups seeking to end plastics industry lobbying campaigns for state laws that limit local bans on plastic packaging.

A graphic for World Wildlife Fund's "Your Plastic Diet" campaign compares the 5 grams of microplastics consumed by humans each week to a credit card.

The environmental message at Chinaplas 2019 was pretty simple: The industry needs to find a way to address public worries around plastic waste or it risks future growth if consumers view plastics as a problem.

Hoping to slow plastic pollution in the environment, members at a high-level United Nations meeting 10 May decided to include plastic waste in a treaty governing trade in hazardous waste.