Plastics is a worldwide success story, it can save economics and the environment.
New materials and EU directives, a new opportunity for plastic producers?
The situation of the last two years has been called by some as the "innovation winter" and the
"global technological cold war". We are pressed by emission reductions, product prices, low public opinion about plastics.
GLOBAL THREATS ARE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES - economic, environmental, geopolitical, social and technological:
|
|
Global threats and priorities |
Opportunities to tackle - breakthrough topics for plastics |
|
1 |
Climate, +1,5 oC, CO2, methane |
CO2 processing – CCS, Super-insulations VIP, Biorafineries |
|
2 |
Drinking water |
Superabsorbers, Micro/nano filters, Composites |
|
3 |
Dead oceans – eutrophication with P and N |
Recycling of polymers and waste waters, Biopolymers, Superabsorbents |
|
4 |
Energy, fossil fuels |
Polymer electronics, PV, OLED, Functional/response materials, Insulations |
|
5 |
Food |
Intelligent (bio)packaging, Super-barrier films |
|
6 |
Health, aging, population growth |
Implants, 3D-print, Composites |
|
7 |
Self-sufficient houses |
VIP Insulations, Micro/nano foams, Composites, Super-barrier films, Functional/response materials |
|
8 |
Vehicles |
Composites, Nano-foams, Blends, (Blok)copolymers, Integrated injection moulding, PVD, CVD, HVOF |
|
9 |
Sources, rare metals |
Biopolymers, Recycling of cars, EE, magnets, Compoosites |
|
10 |
Waste |
Recycling of polymers, Reactive extrusion, scCO2, Biopolymers |
European plastics industry
- Employs 1,5 mill. people in 60.000 companies.
- Multiplier effect is 2,4 in GDP and 3 in employment.
- It is among the 5 most innovative sectors.
- 7,5 mil. tons of plastic waste is recycled.
- 27,1 mil. tons of plastic waste is collected.
- Plastic insulation saves 250 times more energy, than it consumes.
- Reduces hit impacts by 4 times.
- Processing in the EU amounts to 49,9 mil. tons.
- Average growth in years 1950-2017 was 8,5 % annually.
- Continuous growth for over 60 years.
- Production increased from 1,5 to 348 mil. tons in years 1950 to 2017.
- Global production increased for 3,8% from 2016 to 2017.
Consumption of plastics by countries (Source: PlasticsEurope)
Consumption of plastics by segments (Source: PlasticsEurope)
Evolution of plastic waste treatment and recycling 2006-2016
PLASTICS - data
- Producers of plastic products in Slovenia (source: GZS)
- Plastic - the Facts, PlasticsEurope 2019
- PlasticsleMag
