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Author Chemco Group Posted on

MICROPLASTICS IN THE OCEAN AND THEIR EFFECTS ON MARINE HEALTH

One of the most durable materials that man has ever produced is plastic. Today, we are all aware that plastic can take hundreds of years to dissolve, and research indicates that it is feasible for plastic to only partially degrade before becoming what we refer to as microplastic. The health of our world and all its inhabitants would suffer greatly as a result of microplastics, which are microscopic pieces of plastic that can be consumed by marine animals and end up in their bodies and tissues.

 

Even though people are becoming more and more conscious of the dangers this substance poses to life, plastic pollution continues to be one of the main factors in the loss of marine species, health issues for both humans and animals, and the devastation of our ecosystems.

As the name suggests, microplastics are minute pieces of plastic. They are officially described as plastics with a diameter of fewer than five millimeters (0.2 inches), which is smaller than the typical pearl used in jewellery. Microplastics can be divided into two groups: primary and secondary.

  1. Primary – Microfibers shed from clothing and other fabrics, such as fishing nets, as well as microscopic particles made for commercial use, such as those found in cosmetics, are the two main types of microplastics.
  2. Secondary – Particles known as secondary microplastics are produced when bigger plastic objects, such as water bottles, break down. The sun’s rays and ocean waves are the key environmental variables that contribute to this disintegration.

 

Microplastics have been found in commercial seafood, drinking water, and even in plankton and whales, among other marine organisms. Sadly, conventional water treatment facilities are unable to completely eradicate all signs of microplastics. In the ocean, dangerous compounds can bind with microplastics, further complicating the situation before they are consumed by marine life.

 

Author Chemco Group Posted on

INDIA EMERGING AS A GLOBAL PLASTIC HUB

The production of polystyrene in 1957 marked a promising beginning for the Indian plastics sector. Since then, the industry has quickly expanded and diversified. Over 2,000 exporters work in the sector. Four million people are employed by the plastics industry, which has more than 20,000 processing facilities, 80–90% of which are small- and medium-sized businesses. By 2025, this industry is projected to generate 9.1 lakh crores. 90% of hard plastics and 60% of flexible garbage are recycled as part of the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability. 90% of PET bottle trash is recycled, and manufacturers use scrap plastic from within the company.

Plastic has been essential for decades in a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, packaging, construction, electronics, transportation, and machinery. The outstanding qualities of plastic, such as its lightweight, durability, chemical stability, and flexibility, can be credited for its widespread use. You can find plastics almost anywhere because they are so useful and ingrained in our daily lives.

India exported USD 10 billion worth of plastics in the 2019–2020 fiscal year; by 2025, this figure is anticipated to rise to USD 25 billion. India exported raw ingredients for plastic valued $3.29 billion in FY2021. The Indian plastics sector produces and exports a wide variety of raw materials, including packaging, laminates, fishnets, plastic-moulded extruded items, polyester films, plastic woven sacks and bags, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), leather fabric and sheets, and travel accessories. The sector benefits greatly from the abundance of raw materials available domestically. As a result, manufacturers of plastic do not rely on imports. India is a potential global sourcing hub for these goods because the raw materials, such as polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and PVC, are produced domestically.

India’s economy benefits greatly from the plastics industry, which yearly produces goods worth 3 lakh crore. India can so develop into the top supply centre on the planet. Despite numerous benefits, the industry faces obstacles like increased costs and a shortage of raw materials like polymers, rising transportation costs, a lack of containers, and an inverted duty structure as a result of some free trade agreements. China is a significant competitor in this market. Government assistance on these matters will secure domestic industry growth and boost exports.

A PLI programme for the plastic industry, similar to those for other industrial sectors, might increase the output of plastic goods and assist exports. With guaranteed quality, a drop in the cost of power to the sector, and cheaper financing rates for capital investments, the competitiveness of plastic products can be increased. Future FTAs may specifically include some plastic products, which could encourage export expansion.

Similar to programmes for other industrial sectors, a PLI programme for the plastics industry might boost exports and expand production of plastic products. The competitiveness of plastic products can be raised with guaranteed quality, a decrease in the cost of power to the industry, and more affordable financing rates for capital investments. Future FTAs might particularly mention some plastic goods, which might promote export growth.

Author Chemco Group Posted on

SPRITE TO GO GREEN BY ELIMINATING GREEN BOTTLES

Can you picture being green and yet harming the environment in a world where everyone echoes the ‘go green’ slogans? Well, Sprite would probably understand! The iconic soft drink is finally putting away its famous green packaging as its step toward creating eco-friendly recyclable packaging. The elimination of green bottles has been in the planning for a while now. Although clear plastic bottles can also be recycled, green plastic bottles aren’t as beneficial. Thus, the Coca-Cola Company, the brand’s owner, has already begun switching Sprite’s recognisable green bottles in countries like the United Kingdom for more environmentally friendly transparent bottles. According to Fast Company, clear Sprite bottles started to appear in some areas of the country by last year, but today the other shoe has dropped: Coca-Cola has announced that beginning on August 1 all Sprite bottles in the U.S. and Canada would switch to clear packaging.

Coca-Cola has revealed that Sprite’s complete visual identity would be updated in addition to the new clear bottles “to create a uniform appearance and voice throughout the world.” The logo will still be green, but it will now have a more overt “Recycle Me” message to help drive home the new bottle design. By the end of 2021, 47 nations had moved from green to clear Sprite bottles, and by the end of this year, over 70 additional markets would have joined that list, according to a Coca-Cola spokeswoman. The original packaging is constructed of green PET, a less recyclable material that is frequently categorised as a single-use item. Even if the bottle makes it to a recycling plant, it is separated from the other recyclables since it tends to stain the finished product.

In the release, Julian Ochoa, CEO of R3cycle, one of the recycling businesses collaborating with Coca-Cola, said that removing colours from bottles increases the quality of the recycled material. “This change will make food-grade rPET more widely available. Clear PET Sprite bottles may be recycled and turned back into bottles, promoting the circular economy of plastic. In that vein, Sprite isn’t the only Coca-Cola product giving up its green packaging to become more environmentally friendly. As part of Coca-Cola’s commitment to convert its whole green plastic portfolio to clear plastic, the company said Fresca, Seagram’s, and Mello Yello will also start switching to clear packaging in October.

The business will save 90 lakh kgs of new plastic compared to 2019 through similar initiatives with DASANI, another Coca-Cola product that will be redesigned with 100 percent recycled plastic. According to the company’s news statement, this will result in a reduction of 25,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 alone.