Extrusion International 4-2023

16 Extrusion International 4/2023 INDUSTRY NEWS Plastic Recycling Paves the Way to Combatting Pollution Plastic recyclers are the frontrun- ners in improving waste manage- ment and the quality of recycled plastics. Being one of the most envi- ronmentally sound waste manage- ment options – plastic recycling has also proven to work in practice and on an industrial scale. By saving up to 90% of CO2 emissions compared to the use of virgin plastics, recycling is also an important contributor to mitigating climate change. However, today, globally still over 90% of plastic waste is not recycled. Therefore, incentivising plastic re- cycling paired with increased col- lection must remain high on the agenda in the context of the discus- sion of the UN Global Treaty taking place at the end of May in Paris. This will allow the replacement of virgin plastic production, while also divert- ing plastic waste from landfills and incineration. With the EU having one of the most robust legislations European recyclers are pioneers in meeting the highest quality requirements. In practice, to ensure compliance with food contact legislation, for ex- ample, recycled plastics are subject to monitoring of substances imple- mented at recycling facilities. Additionally, over the past de- cades, the plastics recycling industry has been working towards devel- oping and implementing measures ahead of legislation to increase the environmentally sound processes, transparency and safety of recycled materials across the whole value chain. One such, example is setting a certification scheme to prevent the release of microplastics into the environment 1 which has been ad- opted by many recycling companies across Europe. Since plastic pollution is trans- boundary, strengthening interna- tional cooperation and setting le- gally binding targets to make plastic value chains more circular is a must. EU’s efforts have a crucial role to play here – with a holistic approach that effectively addresses the whole life cycle of plastic including their production in line with the design for recycling principles, increasing collection and sorting. Plastics Recyclers Europe www.plasticsrecyclers.eu 1 RecyClass R ecycling Process Certification: [https://recyclass.eu/get-certified/recycling-process/#1 ] (https://recyclass.eu/get-certified/recycling-process/#1) Commercial Availability of DURACON ® POM PM Series for Medical Industry Announced The Polyplastics Group announced the commercial availability of its DURACON ® POM (Polyoxymethylene/ Acetal) PM Series for medical applications. The compa- ny will supply materials to all global regions including Asia such as China and India, and Europe and the U.S. In the medical device marketplace, manufacturers and end users demand high-quality materials from reli- able suppliers. Polyplastics has served the medical and healthcare field for decades with its high-purity TOPAS ® COC (cyclic olefin copolymer). As the world’s leading POM manufacturer, Polyplastics now adds the PM Series to its medical grade portfolio and plans to expand material sup- ply to the medical and healthcare market. Polyplastics’ two acetal grades in- clude a standard viscosity grade, PM09S01N, which delivers the reliable mechanical proper- ties and moldability expected from POM. In addition, a high-flow grade, PM27S01N, will enable wall- thinning, miniaturization, and lightweighting of medi- cal devices that are becoming more complex and highly functional. These grades meet medical device manufacturers’ key requirements and are targeted for a wide range of ap- plications such as drug contact and delivery. Both grades offer global market regulatory compliance including ISO 10993 and USP Class VI biocompatibility/cytotoxic- ity, FDA Drug Master File (DMF) and Device Master File (MAF), and EU 10/2011 and FDA food contact 21 CFR 177.2470. The materials can be sterilized under hot steam and ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization conditions. The PM series adheres to strict quality management systems including con- formity to the VDI 2017 medical-grade plastics standard. They also provide full traceability of processes and prod- ucts, and production management based on GMP principles. Polyplastics Co., Ltd. www.polyplastics-global.com/en/ (Source: Polyplastics Co., Ltd. )