8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 01+02/24 www.petpla.net Petcore Europe – Annual Conference 2024 The conference, being held in Brussels from February 7-8, 2024, will take place against the background of the finalisation of the EU’s landmark Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Day One will consider the impact that the regulation will have on businesses operating both upstream and downstream, with industry experts and representatives from the European Commission. This year Petcore Europe will gather three DGs: DG Sante, DG Grow & DG Env, namely, Bastiaan Schupp – Legislative Officer – Food Contact Materials for the European Commission (DG Health and Food Safety), Stefano Soro – Head of Unit – Green and Circular Economy at European Commission (DG Grow) and Wolfgang Trunk – Policy Officer at European Commission (DG Environment) are coming together to debate and explore market developments shaping the sector. The agenda will cover reams of legislation and impending regulation, and address the challenges and opportunities facing those in the PET industry. Petcore Europe is launching a new working group, Advocacy, to cope with these challenges. The President of Petcore Europe, Antonello Ciotti, explains that the association has “a lot to say” on these issues and adds that Petcore Europe needs to be more agile in promoting its ideas when it has a common position among all its members. On Day One, the latest updates on textile and the ongoing PET Communications Campaign 2024 will be revealed. “Communication is important, and we must show how the PET bottle is being recycled,” says Antonello. “It can only be done if the consumer takes the first step. In countries without deposits, we do campaigns to increase the consumer’s understanding that recycling starts with them. The value of rPET is important and there must be an incentive for companies to start collecting.” During Day Two the experts from the entire PET value chain will share their updates on LCA, reuse, labels and other insightful topics, covering all the challenges and innovations, embraced by Petcore Europe Technical WGs throughout 2023. www.petcoreeuropeannualconference.org Reliance Industries becomes first in India to use chemical recycling for circular polymers Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), operator of the world’s largest integrated refining and petrochemical complex, has become the first Indian company to chemically recycle plastic waste-based pyrolysis oil into International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC)-Plus certified circular polymers. RIL shipped its first batch of ISCC-Plus certified circular polymers, named CircuRepol (Polypropylene) and CircuRelene (Polyethylene). RIL paves the way in India by using new technology to recycle plastic by converting plastic waste into special circular polymers, thereby making a positive impact on the environment. RIL’s commitment to sustainability is demonstrated through its innovative methods like chemical recycling which help create a circular economy. The company firmly believes in finding smart solutions to reduce plastic waste and inspire others to join in this journey towards a greener future. CircuRepol and CircuRelene have been designed to lead the way in circular economy practices. RIL’s Jamnagar refinery became the first refinery to get the important ISCC-Plus certification, proving that it can produce circular polymers through chemical recycling. The ISCC-Plus certification guarantees that traceability and rules are followed in making circular polymers. RIL has developed a technology that turns different types of plastic waste, including single-use and multi-layered plastics, into pyrolysis oil. The company is working with trusted partners to increase the production of this oil and turn the yield into circular polymers. Chemical recycling has many benefits, including turning plastic waste into high-quality materials for new plastic. These materials can be used for packaging that comes into contact with food. www.ril.com Hungary launches new deposit return scheme for drink container recycling Starting from January 1, 2024 Hungary has implemented a new deposit return system (DRS) for recycling singleuse drink containers. Manufacturer of reverse vending machines Tomra has partnered with Mohu (MOL Hulladékgazdálkodási Zrt.), the central system administrator for the DRS, to roll out a collection infrastructure aimed at making drink container returns as convenient as possible for recyclers. This DRS covers ready-to-drink or concentrated beverages (except milk and milk-based beverages), in singleuse aluminium cans and glass/plastic bottles, ranging from 0.1 l to 3 l in size. Consumers pay a deposit of 50 Hungarian forint (approximately 0.13 €) when purchasing an eligible drink, which is refunded to them once they return the empty drink container for recycling. Drink containers in Hungary can be returned to grocery retailers over 400m2 in size, and the growing number of voluntary and manual sites. This initiative aims to integrate recycling into consumers’ existing shopping routines. Tomra has installed more than 1,000 high-volume reverse vending machines (RVMs) for medium and large locations like supermarkets and hypermarkets in urban settings across Hungary, with the roll-out of further RVMs to continue in 2024. When a consumer inserts drink containers into an RVM, it automatically identifies and sorts the containers, and pays out the correct refund, more efficiently and securely than with a manual return of containers. Hungary’s DRS follows closely after a new deposit return systems launched in the Australian state of Victoria on November 1 and in Romania on November 30, and comes ahead of Ireland’s launch next month on February 1, 2024. www.mohu.hu www.tomra.com
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