Extrusion International USA 5-2022

33 Extrusion International 5/2022 vation through chemistry to advance sustainability. Polypropylene (PP) is durable, light- weight, highly recyclable and, thanks to Millad, offers glass-like clarity. This improvement enables PP to be used in applications such as thin-wall packag- ing. It also is one of the least energy- intensive polymers to make and recy- cle compared to other clear polymers. Additionally, the How2Recycle ® label- ing program in late July upgraded the eligibility of rigid PP tubs, bottles, jugs, and jars to “Widely Recyclable” in the United States. CO 2 reductions based on reduced cycle time and energy usage are high- ly dependent on energy source. Milliken & Company Milliken.com Plastics Industry Association Bioplastics Innovation Award  The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) announced sustainable technology company, Anellotech, as the winner of PLASTICS’ 2022 Inno- vation in Bioplastics Award. The an- nouncement came as part of PLAS- TICS’ annual, online #BioplasticsWeek awareness and education event. Anellotech won the award in rec- ognition of the development of the first PET (polyethylene terephthal- ate) bottle made entirely from lob- lolly pine and other biomass feed- stocks, potentially lessening the industry’s reliance on petroleum and natural gas as feedstocks. PET is a widely used plastic most commonly seen by consumers in plastic bever- age bottles. According to Anellotech, their product will enable the plastics in- dustry to use the same plastic materi- als used today while producing them from sustainable biomass resources, dramatically improving the sustain- ability of the plastics industry. “I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the employees of Anel- lotech," said David Sudolsky, CEO of Anellotech. "We're excited to join our Bio-TCat Process development partners, IFP Energies nouvelles and Axens, as well as our strategic part - ner Suntory, in creating new routes to sustainable plastics." Anellotech’s patented Bio-TCat™ technology converts biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene (in - cluding paraxylene used in making PET), which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counter- parts and result in a product with 70% lower greenhouse gas emis - sions than petroleum-based PET. “PET is the most recycled plastic and enjoys a lower comparative car- bon footprint than metals or glass in most applications,” said Patrick Krieger, Vice President of Sustain - ability at PLASTICS. “Producing with renewable feedstocks only improves the sustainability of the material and puts the industry a step closer to realizing a more circular plastic economy.” A formal presentation of the Bio- plastics Innovation award will be made at the PLASTICS Re|Focus Sus- tainability & Recycling Summit, to be held in Minneapolis in May of 2023. The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) www.plasticsindustry.org/ innovation-bioplastics-award Milliken begins production at world-class clarifier plant. (Photo © 2022 Milliken & Company)