EU member states support mass balance approach: EC

Spanish Market: Petrochemicals
20/06/24

EU member states are largely in line to support the mass balance accounting fuel-use excluded definition for defining recycled content percentage, and are likely to support these definitions going forwards, according to the team leader on plastics at the European Commission, Werner Bosmans.

Bosmans, speaking at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) in Amsterdam, said there will be a public consultation on the definition of mass balance accounting soon, probably in the summer. The definition for mass balance was approved by the EU parliament in April when ministers overturned an objection from the EU environment committee. Most EU member states are now broadly in favour of the definition with third-party verification, Bosmans added. A defined approach for mass balance accounting would help to lend transparency to policy for recyclers.

Further investment in the recycling sector was needed, Bosmans said, in order to increase capacity and he said that the commission viewed "mechanical recycling as better than chemical recycling and chemical recycling as better than incineration". While there may be a focus on different types of recycling technology, Bosmans said that focus should be "not about how much of the cake is a certain technology, but the size of the cake overall", when discussing supply in Europe for recycled content. The EC reasoning for this view was that mechanical recycling caused less environmental damage than other methods, Bosmans added.

Bosmans said it appeared likely that EU member states would hit 2025 targets set out in the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) legislation for all PET bottles produced to contain 25pc of recycled content, and 2030 targets of 30pc recycled content for PET bottles. Bosmans also spoke of figures that plastic recycling was 13 times more likely to happen when separate collections of waste at a consumer level were implemented, highlighting the importance of collection for the value chain.

By George Barsted

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27/06/24

US House panel advances waterways’ projects bill

Houston, 27 June (Argus) — A Congressional committee on Wednesday advanced a bill to authorize a bundle of US port and river infrastructure projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) biennially authorizes projects handled by the Corps' civil works program aimed at improving shipping operations at the nation's ports and harbors, and along the inland waterway system. The traditionally bipartisan legislation also approves flood and storm programs, and work on other aspects of water resources infrastructure. The House of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday passed the bill by a 61-2 vote. The Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works passed its own version of the bill on 22 May by a 19-0 vote. Neither the full Senate nor House have yet voted on the bills, which will need a conference committee to sort out different versions. A key difference is that the House bill did not include an adjustment to the cost-sharing structure for lock and dam construction and major rehabilitation projects. The Senate measure adjusted the funding mechanism so that 75pc of costs would be paid for by the US Treasury Department's general fund, with the rest coming from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The 2022 version of the bill made permanent an increase to 65pc from the general fund and 35pc from the trust fund, which is funded by a barge diesel fuel tax. The House committee's decision not to include the funding change drew disappointment from shipping interests. The Waterways Council was "disappointed that the House did not include a provision to modernize the inland waterways system", but was hopeful that conference negotiations would result in its inclusion, Tracy Zea, chief executive of the group, said. The latest House version of the bill authorizes 12 projects and 160 new feasibility studies. Among the projects receiving approval were modifications to the Seagirt Loop Channel near the Baltimore Harbor in Maryland. The federal government would pay $47.9mn towards an estimate $63.9mn project to widen the channel, which would help meet future demand for capacity within the Port of Baltimore. That would include increased container volume at the Seagirt Marine Terminal. The project was in the works before the 26 March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge temporarily diverted freight from Seagirt and many other port terminals. The committee also authorized $314.25mn towards a resiliency study of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The study would consider hurricane and storm damage and identify ways to improve navigation, reduce the maintenance requirements, and provide resiliency. The waterway connects ports along the Gulf of Mexico from St Marks, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas. The House version of the bill also includes provisions to strengthen flood control, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. "Critically, WRDA 2024 will help communities increase resiliency in the face of climate change," representative Rick Larsen (D-WA) said. By Abby Caplan and Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Mexico to tap economist for energy minister

27/06/24

Mexico to tap economist for energy minister

Mexico City, 27 June (Argus) — Mexican president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum appointed economist and lawyer Luz Elena Gonzalez to become energy minister in her government that will take office on 1 October. Gonzalez has a long record in public service and served as finance director of the Mexico City government during Sheinbaum's tenure as the capital's mayor from 2018-2024. She has no direct energy industry experience. Sheinbaum won a convincing victory in the 2 June presidential elections and will take office on 1 October when Morena political party founder and current president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ends his six-year term. Gonzalez will face a range of challenges as energy minister including completion of the long-delayed Olmeca refinery, development of a plan to tackle state-owned Pemex's enormous debt, expansion of Mexico's electricity generation and grid capacity with a renewed focus on clean energy and the construction of natural gas storage. She will also be in charge of policy decisions that will define the role of private-sector investors in the energy sector. Gonzalez will replace Miguel Angel Maciel, appointed following energy minister Rocio Nahle's resignation in October 2023 to pursue the Veracruz gubernatorial election. Nahle, who took office as energy minister in 2018, led efforts to build the Olmeca refinery and has been a strident supporter of Lopez Obrador's energy sovereignty policy that has sought to restrict private-sector investment. Sheinbaum also appointed Jesus Esteva as transport minister, Raquel Buenrostro as civil service minister, David Kershenobich as health minister and Edna Elena Vega as urban and rural development minister. All of the candidates appointed today have either worked with Sheinbaum during her period as Mexico City mayor or in Lopez Obrador's government. By Rebecca Conan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Dow to buy flexible plastics recycler Circulus

25/06/24

Dow to buy flexible plastics recycler Circulus

Houston, 25 June (Argus) — US-based chemical producer Dow has agreed to acquire Oklahoma-based flexible plastics recycler Circulus, part of Dow's efforts to expand its recycled polymer offerings. Circulus has mechanical recycling facilities in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Arab, Alabama, with a combined input capacity of 50,000 metric tons/yr (110mn lb/yr) of flexible polyethylene. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, Dow said. Financial details were not disclosed. The acquisition marks Dow's first purchase of a recycling facility as the company seeks to produce 3mn t/yr of circular and renewable plastic by 2030. Dow said the purchase of Circulus will help enhance its offerings in applications such as shrink packaging, stretch film, and food packaging. Dow has previously been active in recycled polymers markets, partnering with WM in 2022 to collect residential film in a pilot program , and partnering with Closed Loop Partners to create a circular plastics fund . By Zach Kluver Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Toyo, SCG enhance waste plastics recycling partnership

24/06/24

Toyo, SCG enhance waste plastics recycling partnership

Tokyo, 24 June (Argus) — Japanese engineering firm Toyo Engineering and Thai petrochemical producer SCG Chemicals plan to enhance their partnership in the chemical recycling of waste plastics, aiming to launch an upgraded demonstration plant in Thailand by early 2025. The agreement to co-operate on the future commercialisation of the chemical recycling technology of SCG subsidiary Circular Plas (CirPlas) and the development of a licensing business is a follow-up to the companies' initial deal to study the feasibility of chemical recycling in Thailand in January 2022. CirPlas is 60pc owned by SCG and has developed chemical recycling technology turning mixed plastic wastes into naphtha and then plastic resins. Toyo and SCG plan to add a new unit to the operating pilot plant in south Thailand's Rayong province. The companies are still examining the output capacity of the enhanced pilot plant and future commercial operation. They are unsure when they will start operations of the commercial venture. The circular economy has been a major topic in Japan's petrochemical industry on the back of the country's 2050 decarbonisation goal. Petrochemical producer Mitsui Chemicals in March began using pyrolysis oil , generated from waste plastics, to manufacture petrochemical products at its Osaka naphtha-fed cracker. Sumitomo Chemical plans to begin recycling polymethyl methacrylate in 2025. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Cirrec aims for 250,000 t/yr PET tray recycling by 2025

21/06/24

Cirrec aims for 250,000 t/yr PET tray recycling by 2025

London, 21 June (Argus) — Netherlands-based PET tray-to-tray recycler Cirrec hopes to reach 250,000 t/yr of input capacity by 2025 with new sites in Denmark and Germany anticipated to come online in the next year. Cirrec is owned by the Faerch Group and is one of the largest PET tray-to-tray recyclers in Europe. The company is looking at further sites for expansion after 2025, including in the UK, according to recycling director Aron Damen, in a presentation made at PRSE in Amsterdam. Cirrec has an input capacity of 60,000 t/yr with a site in the Netherlands that opened in 2024. Damen said that action to beat challenges to the PET tray-to-tray recycling market included expanding knowledge in sorting centres to help identify and sort PET tray waste. PET tray waste has more variable levels of PET compared with bottle bales, Damen added. A sentiment shared with PETCORE Thermoforming technical manager Jose-Antonio Alarcon in a recent Q&A with Argus. The average PET tray bale contains 50-80pc of PET compared with a less variable 70-75pc PET for bottle bales. Issues with collection and supply can lead to a loss in terms of feedstock for tray-to-tray recyclers. If the industry wants to achieve full circularity, action needs to be taken across the value chain from consumers to recyclers and eventually end users, Damen added. "In order to achieve full circularity, the tray-to-tray industry needs to stop stealing from the bottle industry," said Damen, highlighting the need for greater sorting and variations in consumer behaviour when it came to recycling PET trays as opposed to bottles. Capacity for PET tray-to-tray recycling is largely driven by feedstock availability, which is likely to limit production in the next few years unless there is more competition on the market, which would incentivise the sale of feedstock, Damen said. By George Barsted Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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