NEWS


Work starts on battery film plant in Canada


PS gets recycling boost in US


The US-based Plastics Industry Association has formed a new body to improve polystyrene recycling. The Polystyrene


Recycling Alliance (PSRA) will cover both standard and expandable polysty- rene, and involve brands, converters, and recyclers. “Polystyrene is inher-


ently recyclable and will be recycled at much greater scale in future,” said Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the association. PSRA has established a


Asahi Kasei’s battery separator film plant in Ontario is expected to start production in 2027


Asahi Kasei has broken ground on a lithium-ion battery separator film facility in Canada. The plant, in Port Col-


borne, Ontario, is expected to begin commercial production in 2027, subject to permits and approvals from relevant authorities. It is likely to operate as a joint venture facility between Asahi Kasei and Honda. Lithium-ion batteries are used for electric vehicles


(EVs) and other energy storage applications. The facility, expected to


create more than 300 jobs in the first phase, will have annual capacity of around 700 million sq m of coated lithium-ion battery separator film – which prevents the battery’s positive and negative electrodes from touching, while allowing lithium ions to pass through and energy to be stored. The company says the


plant will effectively be Canada’s first large-scale wet-process separator facility. “This is a bold step in advancing innovation in battery technology,” said Koshiro Kudo, president and representative director of Asahi Kasei. “It will further meet the growing demand for electric vehicle battery separators across North America.” � www.asahi-kasei.com


roadmap to guide the initiative. Initial data indicates that 32% of the US population now has access to recycle one or more polystyrene items. With ongoing investments in capacity, PSRA expects recycling access for several PS formats and applica- tions to approach “widely recyclable status” by 2030. Richard Shaw, chair of


PSRA, said: “Our focus is to expand recycling options for all types of polystyrene.” � www.psrecycling.org


Expanding PCR packaging options


Revolution Sustainable Solutions has acquired Island Plastics, which pro- duces post-consumer recycled (PCR) LDPE and LLDPE film-grade resin. The takeover will expand Revolu-


tion’s recycling capabilities, especially in the production of clear food-grade PCR for flexible food packaging and other applications.


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In October 2023, Revolution re- ceived a Letter of No Objection (LNO) from the US Food and Drug Administra- tion (FDA) for its mechanical recycling method to produce clear food-grade PCR-LLDPE resin from stretch film. The approval allows the use of up to 100% recycled content in food contact applications across a range of food


FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | January/February 2025


types and conditions, it says. “By integrating Island Plastics’


recycling capabilities and PCR prod- ucts, we are poised to enhance our sustainable ecosystem and further contribute to a circular economy,” said Scott Coleman, president and CEO of Revolution. � www.revolutioncompany.com


www.filmandsheet.com


IMAGE: ASAHI KASEI


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