NEWS
New LCA study reveals the dark side of replacing plastics
Substituting plastics with alternative materials is worse for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in most cases, accord- ing to a study by the University of Sheffield in the UK. Research into the environmental impact of plastic products versus non-plastic alternatives published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology has found that in 15 out of 16 applications examined, plastic products resulted in lower GHG emissions than their alternatives. The study used life cycle assess- ments (LCAs) with varying focuses.
Sheffield University said: “Even when focusing solely on direct life-cycle emissions, plastics maintain their advantage in nine out of 14 applica- tions. Factors such as lower energy intensity during production and the weight efficiency of plastics contribute to their reduced environmental footprint compared to alternatives like glass or metal.” “Not all alternative or recycled
products are better for the environ- ment than the products they replace,” said Dr Fanran Meng, Assistant Professor in Sustainable Chemical
New CEO at Chroma Color
Formulator and supplier of specialty colour and additive concentrates Chroma Color has appointed Joe Herres as Chief Executive Officer, starting in April. He replaces Shruti Singhal. Herres said: “I am very excited to take the leadership role in a business I love in an organisation made up of incredibly dedicated and talented team members.” He has been the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at
Chroma for the past 15 months. Herres said: “I see great opportunities to continue our journey with our customers in helping them grow their business which in turn strengthens Chroma’s ability to partner even more effectively.” �
www.chromacolors.com
India’s Chini to produce PLA
Indian sugar producer Balrampur Chini Mills is to invest INR20bn (around €225m) to build an integrat- ed plant for production of polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics.
It claims the 75,000 tonnes/yr plant will be the country’s first industrial scale bioplastics production capability when it starts production in 2027.
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The company has not confirmed a location for the new facility but says it will be built on a greenfield site alongside one of its existing 10 sugar plants — it has a sugar cane crushing capacity of 80,000 tonnes a day — where it can take advantage of existing local infrastructure. “We see the utilisation of sugar as a raw material in
COMPOUNDING WORLD | May 2024
PLA production as pivotal for a sustainable future,” said the company’s Executive Director Avantika Saraogi. The company has appointed Stefan Barot to the role of President (Chemicals). He has more than 35-years in the global chemical and bioplastics industries including time at BASF. �
www.chini.com
Engineering at the University of Sheffield.
He said environmental policymaking needs to be based on LCAs to make sure that GHG emissions are not unintentionally increased through a shift to more emission-intensive alternative materials. He said: “Demand reduction,
efficiency optimisation, lifetime extension and reuse/recycling, are win–win strategies to reduce emissions effectively. Solely focusing on switch- ing to alternative materials is not.” �
www.sheffield.ac.uk
Tosaf laser
additives
Tosaf has released a new series of environmentally friendly laser additives offering versatile light and dark colour marking, ensuring transparency and improved cost-benefit ratio. Laser marking is seen as
an accurate and perma- nent marking method that can be carried out at high speeds, making it suitable for commercial use. It can create complex shapes and the marking itself is resistant to abrasion and scratching. It also elimi- nates the need for inks and the like which simplifies the recycling process. Laser marking technology is particularly well-suited for external applications such as pipes, profiles, and irrigation products. �
www.tosaf.com
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: CHROMA COLOR
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