Recent reports indicate that the chemical recycling industry is on the verge of major expansion, with more than 40 plants currently in operation and more than 100 projects in the planning stage worldwide. The next few years will be critical in assessing the viability and cost-effectiveness of these projects, especially in Europe, where many new plants are expected to come on line. 

Challenges and Criticisms: Despite the positive outlook, the chemical recycling industry faces a great deal of scrutiny. Critics point to the poor performance or closure of many facilities, such as Regenyx, which ceased operations after failing to meet processing goals. This has raised concerns about the industry's ability to effectively fulfill its commitments to combat plastic pollution.

Regulatory and economic factors: The future of chemical recycling is heavily influenced by the regulatory framework, particularly in the EU. The ongoing debate over how to calculate recycling performance could have a significant impact on the viability of the industry. If calculation methods that favor certain types of recovered materials are favored, it could change the economic landscape of chemical recycling.

INDUSTRY RESPONSE: Large companies such as Dow and ExxonMobil are investing heavily in chemical recycling technologies with the goal of significantly increasing their processing capacity by 2030. However, reports indicate that many of these facilities are not operating at full capacity, raising questions about their long-term sustainability and effectiveness in addressing plastic waste.

Environmental Concerns: Environmental organizations continue to be skeptical of the claimed effectiveness of the chemical recycling industry. They argue that these recycling processes may not significantly reduce plastic waste and may exacerbate environmental problems by creating toxic by-products.

Overall, while there is momentum for chemical recovery technologies, significant challenges remain in terms of operational efficiency, regulatory support, and environmental impacts.

On November 6, Dutch PEF producer Avantium announced that it had signed an agreement with Parfums Christian Dior to use the new bioplastic in its packaging.Avantium has been working for three years on applied research with LVMH Recherche, the research center of Dior Perfumes and luxury goods giant LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). Three years of collaboration in applied research have culminated in the signing of a PEF supply agreement with Parfums Christian Dior, which will be the first brand in the cosmetics industry to use this material in its main packaging. PEF is a biopolymer derived from renewable resources, and Avantium's plant in Delfzijl will begin commercial production in 2025 with a capacity of 5,000 tons per year, marketed under the Releaf brand.

Véronique Courtois, President and CEO of Dior Parfums, commented, “For Dior Parfums, this launch marks a milestone in our commitment to incorporating sustainable materials into our products while maintaining the company's high standards of excellence and sophistication. The partnership with Avantium marks an important step towards more sustainable practices.”

Polyethylene glycol 2,5-furandicarboxylate (PEF) is a biobased (but non-biodegradable) polymer that can be used as an alternative to PET, with superior performance in certain areas such as barrier properties.

Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) -- AIMPLAS, a Spanish plastics technology center, is researching the addition of microorganisms to biodegradable mulch film to improve crop yields and productivity. This approach specifically involves adding probiotics and hydrogels to agricultural mulch films. 

Hydrogels are obtained from natural polyelectrolytes found in algae, such as alginate and carrageenan, and the addition of environmental probiotics to hydrogels improves soil water retention on the one hand, and on the other hand the probiotics improve crop efficiency and plant uptake of nutrients. 

This is the BIOENCAPSULACIÓ project, led by the Plastics Technology Center AIMPLAS and financed by the Valencia Institute for Business Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) and the ERDF Fund. This research project aims to address the urgent need to reduce the use of fertilizers in agriculture, which is directly related to the reduction of chemical use, food safety, water pollution and efficient water use, etc. AIMPLAS is also developing biodegradable mulches functionalized with these probiotics. Once they reach the end of their useful life, these films release microorganisms that stimulate metabolic pathways involved in plant development and growth by enhancing nutrient assimilation. This approach aims to reduce the need for additional chemicals. Both advances have been evaluated to ensure that microorganisms do not compromise the mechanical and chemical properties of the hydrogel or film, and that these biostimulants maintain their properties during plastic conversion processes such as film extrusion. 

What is paper yarn?

Paper yarn is a new type of material, mainly processed from paper fibers.

I. Production of raw materials and technology

The main raw material of paper yarn is all kinds of paper, including but not limited to waste paper and wood pulp paper. Through specific processing techniques, the paper is fibrillated to make it into a slender fiber-like form, and then made into a yarn-like form through carding, merging, twisting and other processes.

1. Pure paper yarn: that is, slit paper strips are directly twisted into yarn, and the slit paper strips are directly twisted into 100% paper composition paper yarn. In terms of quality, strong bone, smooth yarn surface, superior abrasion resistance. Rigidity, no extensibility, easy quality breakage, weaving difficulty; lower cost; in the use of woven tissues such as webbing, canvas, shirts and as the basic yarn raw material for secondary processing.

2. Composite paper yarn: paper strips and other materials with a certain processing method for composite yarn, paper slitting and twisting into a yarn: paper strips as a decorative yarn, the core yarn as the backbone yarn, solid yarn twisted wrapped around the decorative yarn in the core yarn to form a solid effect. In terms of quality, the paper exposed area is large, the paper sense style is strong, the paper's function of absorbing temperature and vapor permeability will not be affected; yarn breaking strength and elongation at break is high, flexible and not easy to break the paper; the quality can be spun fine count to 1/56Nm; the dryness is good, and the cloth surface is not easy to appear mode file; the processing costs are combined with penetration, one step of continuous production, and the subsequent advantages of large-scale cost reduction are obvious. In terms of application, all categories of applications: large circular knitting machines, shuttle looms, flat knitting machines, small cylinder machine products are applicable.

II. Characteristics

1. Environmentally friendly

The raw material for the production of paper yarn mainly comes from paper, which can be recycled and reprocessed by utilizing waste paper, reducing the dependence on traditional textile raw materials and lowering the pressure on the environment. In the production process, compared with the traditional textile process, the energy consumption and pollution of paper yarn is relatively low.

2. Unique appearance

Paper yarn has a unique texture and appearance. It usually has a rough surface with a natural texture, giving it a rustic feel. Color-wise, a rich variety of color options can be obtained by dyeing the paper or using colored paper as raw material.

3. Good air permeability

Due to the loose fiber structure of paper yarn, it has good breathability and allows air to circulate freely, making it more comfortable to wear.

4. Easily degradable

Paper yarns are relatively easy to degrade in the natural environment and do not cause long-term pollution to the environment as some synthetic fibers do.

III. Areas of application

1. Textile sector

Clothing: It can be used to make summer clothing, casual wear, etc. Its breathability is suitable for hot weather. Some designers also utilize the unique texture and appearance of paper yarn to design creative fashionable clothing. Accessories: such as hats, scarves, bags, etc., to add a unique style to fashion items.

2. Packaging area

Paper yarn can be made into packaging materials, such as handbags and gift box packaging. Its environmentally friendly characteristics meet the needs of modern consumers for green packaging.

3. Home decoration field

Curtains, carpets and other home furnishings, the natural texture and color of paper yarn can bring a warm, natural atmosphere to the home environment.

In conclusion, paper yarn as a new type of material, with environmental protection, unique appearance, good air permeability and easy degradation, etc., in the textile, packaging, home decoration and other fields have a wide range of application prospects.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of paper yarn?

Advantages of paper yarn include:

1. Environmental friendliness:

Renewable raw materials: mainly wood pulp and other natural plant fibers as raw materials, a wide range of sources and renewable, reducing the dependence on non-renewable resources such as oil, in line with the concept of sustainable development.

Degradability: It can be degraded faster in the natural environment after disposal and cause less pollution to the environment, for example, after filling the landfill with discarded paper yarn products, it will not remain for a long time and cause damage to the soil as some synthetic fiber products do.

2. Unique performance characteristics:

Good moisture absorption:

There are more voids between the fibers, which makes it have good moisture absorption, can quickly absorb moisture, and can keep the skin dry, especially suitable for making summer clothing or sportswear.

Good breathability:

Good breathability allows air to circulate freely, and you won't feel stuffy when wearing clothes made of paper yarn, improving the comfort of wearing them3.

Antibacterial and anti-odor:

With natural antimicrobial properties, it can inhibit the growth of bacteria and reduce the production of odor, which is an ideal material for some products with high hygiene requirements, such as underwear and socks.

Lightness:

The density of paper yarn is relatively small, and the products made of it are light in weight, which does not bring heavy burden to people when wearing or carrying, and is convenient for daily use.

3. Processing and design flexibility:

Simple processing: Its production process is relatively simple and does not require complex chemical treatment or special conditions such as high temperature and high pressure, which reduces the difficulty and cost of production.

4. Design Diversity:

Various textures, colors and styles can be created through different weaving, dyeing and other processes to meet the diversified needs of consumers, providing designers with a wide creative space.

5. Special visual effects:

With a unique texture and appearance, it can present a natural, rustic style, adding a unique artistic charm to the product, which is loved by some consumers who pursue individuality and environmental protection.

The main disadvantages of paper yarn are:

1. Lower intensity:

Compared with traditional textile fibers such as cotton, hemp, silk, etc., paper yarn is relatively weak and is prone to break or break when subjected to large tensile or friction forces, which restricts its application in a number of products with high strength requirements.

2. Poor dimensional stability:

The fiber will absorb water and expand after being exposed to water, resulting in changes in the size of the product and easy shrinkage, which affects the use of the product and the aesthetics of the product.

3. Insufficient durability:

After a long period of use and washing, the fiber structure of the paper yarn may gradually become damaged, resulting in a relatively short product life and the need for more frequent replacement.

4. Production scale constraints:

At present, the production technology of paper yarn is not mature enough, and the production equipment and process also need to be further improved and perfected, which leads to its production scale is relatively small, high cost and low market share.

How to overcome the disadvantages of paper yarn

I. Improving strength

1.Optimize raw material selection:

High-quality wood pulp fibers are selected to ensure the length and strength of the fibers. Longer fibers add strength to paper yarns because they are better able to intertwine and bond with each other during the twisting and weaving process.

You can consider adding some reinforcing fibers, such as natural fibers like flax fiber and hemp fiber, or high-performance fibers like glass fiber and carbon fiber. These fibers have high strength and stiffness and can be mixed with paper yarns to improve the overall strength performance.

2.Improvement of processing techniques:

Optimize the fibrillation process to reduce fiber damage. Use gentler chemical or mechanical treatments to avoid excessive cutting of fibers and maintain fiber integrity.

Increase the degree of twisting. Appropriately increase the degree of twisting of the paper yarn can increase the holding force between the fibers, thereby increasing the strength. However, the degree of twist should not be too high, so as not to affect the softness and processability of the paper yarn.

Adoption of special weaving structures. For example, a tight weave or interweave can be used to increase the friction and bonding between the paper yarns and improve the overall strength.

II. Improvement of dimensional stability

1. Perform pre-treatment:

During the production of paper yarns, fibers can be pre-treated, such as cross-linking using chemical reagents, to increase the water resistance and dimensional stability of the fibers.

Pre-shrinking the paper yarn so that it undergoes a certain degree of shrinkage before use, reducing shrinkage during subsequent use.

2. Selection of a suitable finishing process:

Waterproofing and shrinkage finishing agents are used to treat paper yarn products. These finishing agents form a protective film on the surface of the fibers, reducing water penetration and fiber expansion, thus improving dimensional stability.

Perform heat-setting treatment. By means of heating and stretching, the paper yarn is kept at a certain temperature and tension to improve its dimensional stability.

III. Enhancing durability

1. Surface treatment:

Coating treatment for paper yarn. Some wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coating materials, such as polyurethane and polytetrafluoroethylene, can be used to increase the surface hardness and abrasion resistance of the paper yarn and prolong its service life. 

Undergo UV-resistant treatment. UV light ages and degrades paper yarn fibers, reducing their durability. Paper yarns can be treated with UV inhibitors to improve their UV resistance.

2. Rational design of products:

When designing products, consider the characteristics of the paper yarn and avoid areas of excessive stretching and friction. For example, reinforcement designs or the addition of abrasion-resistant materials can be used in areas such as the elbows and knees of garments.

Choose suitable sewing methods and threads. Use sewing threads with high strength and good abrasion resistance, and adopt suitable sewing techniques to ensure that the sewing parts of paper yarn products are strong and durable.

IV. Scaling up production and reducing costs

1. Technological innovation:

Increase investment in research and development of paper yarn production technology and develop more efficient and energy-saving production processes and equipment. For example, adopt continuous production processes to improve production efficiency and reduce production costs.

Explore new raw materials and methods for paper yarn production. For example, using low-cost raw materials such as agricultural waste and waste paper to produce paper yarn, or developing new fibrillation technologies to reduce production costs.

2. Industrial cooperation:

Strengthening cooperation between enterprises upstream and downstream of the industrial chain to realize resource sharing and complementary advantages. For example, pulp producers, textile enterprises and garment enterprises can join forces to jointly develop paper yarn products and improve production scale and market competitiveness.

Promote industry standardization and normalization. Formulate unified product standards and quality testing methods for paper yarn, improve product quality and stability, and promote the healthy development of the market.

On September 17th, local time in Switzerland, a multinational team of scientists led by Jane Munk, a scientist in the food packaging industry, published a paper titled “New Food Package Composition Study and Database: Impacts of Food Exposure Chemicals on Humans”. 

The paper reveals a shocking statistic: of the more than 14,000 chemicals known to be used in food packaging materials today, 3,601 have been detected in humans, or about 25 percent of the total. Although scientists are not completely sure how these chemicals are transferred from food packaging to the human body, and the dangers of some chemicals to the human body have not yet been fully exposed, scientists emphasize that high temperatures tend to make the chemicals leach into the food more quickly, and thus into the human body.

Brigitte, one of the paper's lead co-authors, said the increasing number of food package ingredients now being detected in human blood, urine, breast milk and other specimens illustrates how little scientists previously knew about how the chemical composition of packaging materials affects the human body.

A few patterns that are relatively easy to identify through analysis are: the use of packaging such as take-out containers to heat up hot foods tends to accelerate the entry of these chemicals into the body; and foods that are high in fat and acid are more likely to absorb chemicals from packaging materials. 

In addition, Munk says that the smaller the food package, the more likely it is to create contact between the food and the package material. Once, she got a meal on an airplane that consisted of a salad in which olive oil and vinaigrette came in small 15-milliliter plastic bottles. As she watched her neighbors pour these dressings over their salads and stir them, she thought to herself, “I wouldn't do that anyway.”

Zoller, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said, “Food packaging is a significant source of human exposure to chemicals, but we haven't previously given much thought to this piece. This study fills in the gaps for us, at least by showing that a variety of chemicals are entering the human body unregulated.”

Munk says that most of the chemicals leaching out of food packaging come from plastics, “but a lot of people don't realize that the worst can come from recycled paper and plain cardboard.” She explains that plain cardboard, recycled paper made from recycled materials, or plastics used in food packaging can lead to non-food-grade inks being mixed into the food, which increases the chemical risk the human body faces.

Munk called for the need for the industry to better test food packaging and further standardize which packaging materials are safe. “We need to think about constructive ways of how to ensure these materials are safe.”

With the massive use of plastic packaging, it poses a serious threat to the environment and the sustainability of petroleum resources. The development of green, safe and biodegradable bio-based packaging materials is crucial. As a traditional packaging material based on lignocellulose, paper products have the advantages of good biodegradability, low cost and scalable production, and thus can be a powerful alternative to plastic packaging. However, paper products also have the inherent disadvantages of large paper surface pores and poor barrier properties. Therefore, further improvement of the barrier properties of paper products is a necessary way to expand the application areas of paper-based packaging materials. Lignin consists of three different phenylpropane units, coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol and mustard alcohol, which are called p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G) and silylene (S) lignin precursor monomers, respectively, and are randomly bonded together by strong C-C and C-O bonds.

Application of lignin in barrier packaging paper

Lignin can be developed as a functional component of barrier packaging materials due to its unique properties such as hydrophobicity, flame retardancy, UV-blocking and antioxidant properties. Due to the conjugation of functional groups such as aryl, phenolic hydroxyl, ketone and carboxyl groups within the lignin molecule, lignin has better UV radiation resistance. 

Oxygen barrier

Paper itself has large pores, which makes it difficult to block oxygen penetration. The reticulated dense structure of lignin molecules and the filling effect on the pore space of the fiber make it have better performance of inhibiting oxygen penetration.

Waterproof

As a structurally complex and inexpensive natural polymer, lignin consists of a number of different functional groups with a wide range of polarities throughout its structure, so that lignin has the potential to be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic, e.g. lignosulfonates are hydrophilic, whereas lignin sulfates are hydrophobic. The factors affecting the hydrophobicity of lignin-based barrier paper are mainly hydrogen bonding, micro- and nano-roughness of paper surface, in addition, the stability of hydroxyl groups in lignin affects the reactivity of lignin and solubility in water. Therefore, the modification of lignin through the modification of groups or the generation of new groups and the construction of micro- and nano-composite structures to improve the barrier properties of packaging paper have broad application prospects.

water vapor barrier

The hydrophobic properties of lignin attenuate the movement of water molecules on the surface of cellulose paper, thereby reducing the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of the paper. In addition, lignin also reduces the interaction between cellulose paper and water molecules, preventing the cellulose paper from wetting and swelling due to water absorption, and maintaining the material's water vapor barrier performance in high humidity environments.

Grease Barrier 

Currently, most of the methods for constructing oleophobic interfaces are complex and expensive. Due to its unique physicochemical properties, lignin is effectively coated on the surface of paper to provide low surface energy on the surface of the paper, thus realizing the effect of oleophobicity.

flame retardant

The aromatic ring structure present in the molecular structure of lignin gives it a good charring ability, and the continuous and tight coke layer produced in the process of charring avoids the direct contact between the fire and the paper base, which is conducive to flame retardancy.

Lignin is abundant, inexpensive, green and biocompatible. Therefore, it is economically and technically feasible to apply lignin in the field of bio-based barrier packaging materials, especially in the field of food packaging where food quality and safety requirements are more stringent. At the same time, the development of lignin-based functional materials to achieve its industrial application in the barrier packaging paper, to reduce the consumption of fossil resources, to promote industrial upgrading of the pulp and paper industry, to achieve the dual-carbon goals are of great significance.

In addition, the development of lignin-based barrier packaging paper should also consider the following issues: (1) further improve the understanding of the molecular structure of lignin by using different technical analysis means; (2) establish a database to analyze the influence of lignin on the barrier properties of wrapping paper materials under different process conditions; (3) explore the preparation methods and applications of new green functionalized lignin materials applicable to the field of high-barrier packaging.

Polylactic acid, also known as PLA, is a thermoplastic monomer. It comes from renewable organic sources such as corn starch or sugar cane. This means that PLA is different from most plastics. Instead of breaking down into persistent microplastics, it degrades completely in the presence of water (hydrolysis). This is a promising way forward as more and more microplastics become a persistent problem at the end of their life. These were discovered by Hydra Marine Sciences in a study commissioned by the Dutch Bioplastics Association, which advances bioplastics knowledge globally. PLA is a bio-based polymer made entirely from fermented plant sugars. The study showed that in an aqueous environment, PLA will hydrolyze into smaller sized molecules (hydrolysis).

1. Lactic acid

Hydrolysis is an abiotic process that occurs in the presence of moisture or humidity. In this case, PLA breaks down into smaller pieces. The rate at which this occurs is determined by temperature. Eventually, the polymer chains are so short that the material becomes soluble in water. It is then biodegraded by microorganisms into biomass, water and carbon dioxide. In other words: these processes do not produce toxic substances. Lactic acid, the monomer structural unit of PLA, is classified as safe and non-toxic in both the US and the EU. The same applies to the food contact requirements of many PLA grades. In addition, specific grades of PLA have been approved and used for decades in medical applications such as sutures and tissue scaffolds. These substances are safely absorbed and bioassimilated by the body after use. We now use it to make a wide variety of products: cups, cutlery, trash can liners, flexible food packaging. In other words, PLA seems suitable to overcome at least part of the microplastic problem.

2. Microplastics, an underestimated problem

Microplastics form a problem being underestimated by the industry. Consumer sentiment may be far ahead of industry policy in this regard, warns Lux Research's Anthony Schiavo, which could spark a backlash. He argued that before the backlash really begins, companies need to proactively respond to consumer sentiment by identifying and developing the worst sources of microplastics and directly engaging in microplastic cleanup efforts and technologies. Others agreed with this sentiment. On the one hand, we need to choose more responsible materials for the products we rely on; on the other hand develop a better infrastructure for plastics collection and waste disposal, says Erwin Vink, a member of the board of directors of Bioplastics Netherlands. PLA will be part of that solution, as it will not have the long-term effects of current micro- and nanoplastics, which are the final stage of non-biodegradable substances. Even so, for PLA, we should avoid littering the environment.

3. Biodegradable plastics

Fortunately, there are more biodegradable plastics such as polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), starch blends, cellulose-based plastics and lignin-based polymer composites. PLA stands out because not only is it environmentally friendly, but it's also an inexpensive and versatile plastic. And it has a low carbon footprint. We produce lactic acid from plant sugars through fermentation and then polymerize it into PLA, a polylactic acid biopolymer. Wikipedia says that PLA, has become a popular material because it is economically produced from renewable resources.In 2021, PLA is the world's highest consumer of bioplastics.PLA is the most widely used plastic filament material for 3D printing because it has a low melting point, high strength, low thermal expansion and good layer adhesion. It has many properties that may make it the most widely used plastic in the world.

Recently, FILA (Italian fashion sports brand) launched a “natural symbiosis T” T-shirt, each T-shirt using low-energy dyeing process and biodegradable materials. The main fabrics are all made of biodegradable fibers: 60% cotton + 40% CELYS™ polyester, and the woven labels, combinations of labels, and back neck tapes, including seams, are all made of materials containing biodegradable natural fibers, to implement energy-saving and carbon-reducing initiatives in a small way. This Sallis® polyester fiber can be degraded into water, carbon dioxide and biomass fertilizer under industrial composting conditions, returning it to nature, reflecting FILA's “From Nature To Nature” environmental protection concept.

Polyester fibers, commonly known as polyester, are used for traditional clothing. Ordinary polyester material will not degrade for hundreds of years, but will only fragment over time, resulting in a large amount of microplastics. Once formed, microplastics cannot be eliminated by any known technology. Therefore, creating a biodegradable polyester material to replace the non-biodegradable traditional functional fibers became the only solution. Scientists from Australia, after seven years, finally succeeded in creating CELYS™ biodegradable polyester materials and fibers in 2021, and got the certificate of industrial compost degradation certification in EU and North America! According to the composting test report from Rheinland Laboratories, the degradation rate of CELYS™ fiber is as high as 95.4% in 179 days! This means that for the first time the textile polyester industry finally has a solution to reduce the production of microplastics.