Industry Trends

March 2023

See what has been happening in Asia’s plastics & rubber industries over the last weeks. What are experts and industry magazines talking about?

What has been happening?

Smart container design reduces the need for containers, Tire wear a major source of microplastics, Testing next-generation Air Free Concept tire technology, and more. Find out what plastic & rubber journals and industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

Latest Plastics & Rubber Articles

Smart Container Design Reduces the Need for Containers
Plastics Technology

The widely adopted recycling goal of 30% is an ambitious step up from where we are today. But even if this milestone is reached, increased production will require massive investment in waste management infrastructure. If production doubles, the 70% that is not being recycled could exceed today’s total production by hundreds of millions of tons.
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Tire Wear a Major Source of Microplastics, Say Researchers
PlasticsToday.com

Imperial College London experts warn that even though EVs remove the problem of fuel emissions, society will continue to grapple with particulate matter caused by tire wear.
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Bridgestone to test next-generation Air Free Concept tire technology on ultra-compact EVs
Tire Technology International

An ultra-compact electric vehicle operated by Idemitsu Kosan at its Chiba Plant in Japan will be fitted with Bridgestone’s next-generation tire, the Air Free Concept. As the name suggests, the Air Free Concept does not require any air, thus preventing punctures and negating the need for tire maintenance, such as air pressure management, by supporting the load with specially shaped spokes on the side of the tire.
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Polymer coating could give electric vehicle batteries ‘big boost’
Express

The coating could allow battery electrodes to be made of silicon, rather than more expensive graphite, making electric vehicles cheaper.
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21 Tips to Slash Energy Costs in Molding
Plastics Technology

Significant energy savings are available to most molding shops. Time and money spent on reducing power requirements will lower those large utility bills facing you every month. How much could be saved if a shop reduced energy consumption by just 5% or 10%? Thousands of dollars.
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Some progress on thermoform recycling, but still a long way to go
Plastics News

PET and high density polyethylene bottles have been the brightest stars in the plastics recycling universe for a long time. They’re high-volume products, easy to collect and recyclers can reprocess them into valuable products. Manufacturers of other single-use plastics would like to achieve what PET and HDPE have accomplished. Could thermoformed PET reach that level? It has a long way to go, but the recent progress is encouraging.
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How 3D Printing Is Changing the Face of Plastics Processing
PlasticsToday.com

3D printing will not completely displace conventional production methods, but injection molders would be foolish to dismiss it out of hand.
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Fast and precise determination of total solid content of latex
Medical Plastics News Magazine

The fast, reliable determination of total solid content of latex precursors is critical for further processing into medical products. In order to determine the total solid content of latex, current standards such as the ASTMD1417-16 are used.
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Plastic entering oceans could nearly triple by 2040 if left unchecked
BusinessWorld

Plastics entering the world’s oceans have surged by an “unprecedented” amount since 2005 and could nearly triple by 2040 if no further action is taken, according to research published on Wednesday. An estimated 171 trillion plastic particles were afloat in the oceans by 2019, according to peer-reviewed research led by the 5 Gyres Institute, a US organization that campaigns to reduce plastic pollution.
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UTeM researchers develop plastic containers made from tapioca and banana leaves
NST Online Latest News

A team of researchers from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka’s (UTeM) have developed an innovative plastic container made from tapioca and banana leaves.
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Vietnam plans to raise tax on plastic bags and packaging
The Star Online

Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice has put forward a plan to increase tax rates on non-biodegradable plastic bags and packaging, as well as impose new excise taxes on single-use food and drink containers made from polystyrene foam.
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Reporters hid tracking devices in shoes that were supposed to be recycled, and they ended up at a market in Indonesia instead
Business Insider

Reuters tracked 11 pairs of donated shoes to test a recycling program launched by Dow and Singapore. Most landed in markets or remote areas in Indonesia, which banned used-apparel imports in 2015. Dow launched its own investigation and removed an exporter from the recycling program. In 2021, the US chemical company Dow and Singapore’s government promised to transform the rubber from old shoes into playground and running-track surfaces.
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Most supermarkets in Singapore will charge 5 cents for each plastic bag from July 3
The Straits Times

People will soon be paying for plastic at more places, with most supermarkets set to charge at least five cents per bag from July 3.
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WWF take on Indonesia's piles of plastic waste
The Jakarta Post

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia has launched its most ambitious effort yet to clear the country of plastic waste, as the NGO recently launched its Plastic Smart Cities initiative.
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China's manufacturing growth lifts Malaysian rubber market
NST Online Latest News

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian rubber market ended higher today as market sentiment was lifted by stronger-than-expected growth in China’s manufacturing activity, said a dealer.
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Thai farmers tap into sustainable rubber industry
The Malay Mail Online

By the light of a head torch, Wanida Hityim deftly strips bark from a rubber tree, collecting the milky latex as she explains why she’s among a small number of Thai farmers trying to work more sustainably. As the world’s largest producer of natural rubber — supplying more than a third of global stocks in 2021 — Thailand’s policies have stimulated massive deforestation, plummeting biodiversity and soaring soil erosion.
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Malaysian plastic recyclers express concern over revised electricity subsidy scheme
Malay Mail

The Malaysia Plastics Recyclers Association (MPRA) has expressed its concern over the potential impact of the revised electricity subsidy scheme on the industry. Its secretary-general Datuk Johnson Yoon said the announcement by the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) Ministry would negatively impact plastic recyclers and have a knock-on effect on local consumers.
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Plastic waste imports to be curbed
Bangkokpost.com

Thailand has begun restricting plastic waste imports and will ban scrap shipments of the material starting in 2025, the government said in a statement on Tuesday.
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Myanmar ships about 13,800 tonnes of rubber to external markets by sea in Jan
Global New Light Of Myanmar

Myanmar bagged approximately US$16.433 million from exports of about 13,800 tonnes of rubber in the seaborne trade in January 2023, the Ministry of Commerce’s data indicated. Myanmar shipped over 9,220 tonnes of rubber to China, 3,377 to Malaysia, 690 to India, 480 to Japan and a small volume to Sri Lanka last month.
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Using AI for tire inspection, Packaging suppliers convene to talk PCR and recyclability, Material suppliers find alternative markets amid softening auto demand, and more. Find out what plastic & rubber journals and industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

Plastics & Rubber Trends – October 2024

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The road to net zero: Powering sustainability in tyre manufacturing, Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products, Tyre factory with zero carbon dioxide emissions, and more. Find out what plastic & rubber journals and industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

Plastics & Rubber Trends – September 2024

Plastics & Rubber Trends – September 2024

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‘Eco-Friendly’ foaming agent masterbatch, Masterbatch bossts sustainability and recyclability, Chemical recycling studies for end-of-life tires, and more. Find out what plastic & rubber journals and industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

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