Discover 20 Breakthrough Start-Ups at Rethinking Materials this May.

Rethinking Materials is the only international event connecting ready-to-scale solutions with commercial partners including global CPG brands, investors and materials producers.

This May 14-15 the summit returns to London to showcase breakthrough new materials and drop-in technologies helping decarbonise supply chains, including innovations in renewable chemicals, biofabricated fibres, waste valorisation, carbon capture, AI and many more.

Attracting a multi-industry audience of C-Suite and Director-level decision makers including CEOs, Heads of Innovation, R&D, and Investment, the summit sets out to unite material innovation leaders to develop actionable insights for the future.

Making up part of the main agenda, the Technology Showcases are a fast-paced session giving early to mid-stage companies the opportunity to explain their tech or solution to an C-Suite audience of brands, retailers, producers, manufacturers, and investors. After pitching, they will be interviewed on-stage by a prestigious panel of industry specialists looking to take a deeper dive into their offering. Start-ups pitching on stage include:

• Algreen has invented the worlds’ first viable, 100% biobased polyurethane solutions.
• BioBond Adhesives develops bio-based adhesives and coatings to replace petroleum-based materials in various applications, including the packaging, electronics, construction, and automotive industries.
• Biomr uses the latest advances in ML to develop new high-performance specialty chemicals, based on abundant natural waste feedstocks.
• Cauldron Ferm is unlocking the potential of precision fermentation by rapidly deploying manufacturing capacity at a low cost.
• DisSolves is commercialising a disruptive, patented technology for creating edible pods and films.
• Gulsine is the only venture that provides a materials informatics platform to autonomously predict product shelf life without the need of years of stability tests.
• Kuori is an innovative Swiss Cleantech company committed to transitioning to a post-oil economy by transforming consumer plastics through a circular economy approach.
• OXCCU uses CO₂ and renewable energy to make fuels, chemicals and plastics.
• TerraSafe is disrupting the bio-based packaging space by combining multiple IP portfolios from top tier universities around the United States to create new commercial platforms.
• TextRe specializes in transforming mixed textile waste into sustainable engineered compounds, offering an alternative to high CO2 footprint virgin plastic polymers.
• TômTex makes revolutionary bio-based materials that are developed in collaboration with nature and 100% naturally biodegradable.
• Werewool are developing the next generation of biodegradable performance textile fibres with DNA-programmed colour and functional properties.

These showcasing start-ups have been carefully selected by material innovation specialists, to ensure only the most pioneering, dynamic tech is being spotlighted at the summit. A special thanks to the selection jury: Efrat Friedland, Positive Plastics; Luc des Vallières, Source Green; Sonalie Figueiras, Green Queen; Justin Guest, Archipelago Ventures; Johanna Wiese, Mistletoe; and Sagar Tandon, Beyond Impact.

The summit also offers the opportunity to to meet start-ups face-to-face, learn about their innovations first hand and ask questions directly to the entrepreneurs in the Start-Up Exhibition. Business leaders can book in 1-1 meetings and discover the next big solution that will future-proof their companies. The following start-ups will be in the exhibition:Day1Lab specialises in crafting plastic alternatives (bags and flexible packaging) using starch-based carbohydrate materials.

• FlexSea manufactures nature compostable, plug and play bioplastics derived from Seaweed.
• Keiryo develops a processing technology that reduces the manufacturing cost and environmental footprint of polymer-based articles.
• Kelpi’s seaweed-derived material is a sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel based plastic packaging and is fully compostable, marine-safe, and low carbon.
• Originnovation develops a unique technology that utilises thermal injection moulding technology to manufacture 100% food-grade mixture material into functional disposable utensils.
• Prescience Insilico Pvt Ltd. revolutionises research and innovation across multiple industries through computational R&D, enhancing materials optimisation and formulation predictions.
• Algenesis are on a mission to help eliminate plastic waste and microplastics caused by traditional petrochemical based materials. They will be showcasing Soleic branded Urethanes are plant based, compostable and marine degradable, encompassing PU foam technologies and Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU) polymers.
• Zerocircle is a material science company that creates pioneering ocean-degradable plastic alternatives as a drop-in solution which decomposes naturally in any mismanaged environment without leaving a trace of microplastics.

…as well as Biobond Adhesives, Dissolves, and TerraSafe Materials which are presenting during the Technology Showcases.

Two days of thought-leadership debate, group discussions, product demonstrations, start-up pitches, targeted 1-1 meetings and a busy exhibition make this a stand-out event for technology discovery and investment.

Key areas for discussion include scale-up investment, navigating hype cycles, AI-driven solutions, sustainable feedstocks, the regulatory landscape, regenerative and novel materials, recyclability, performance, designing out waste and transiting from plastic to paper in the pursuit of sustainability.

Find out more on the Rethinking Materials website: www.rethinkingmaterials.com

Get in touch: rachel.myall@rethinkevents.com

Submit Your Innovations for the RECOUP Awards 2024 & Snap Up an Early-Bird Ticket for The RECOUP Conference!       

RECOUP is proud to announce that entries are now open for the RECOUP Awards 2024. Recognising outstanding achievements in plastics resource efficiency and recycling, contributing towards a more circular plastics value chain, the awards aim to recognise and celebrate the innovative and inspiring projects and initiatives that have helped to drive the industry forward and lead to a more sustainable future.

The awards are FREE to enter with entries welcome from all relevant organisations and individuals who want to be recognised for their work and initiatives under the following award categories:

• Best Plastic Product Development for Recyclability or Re-Use
• Best Innovation in Equipment or Technology
• Recycled Plastic Product of the Year

To apply for the awards, please visit the RECOUP website https://www.recoup.org/recoup-awards-2024/ and complete the entry form by the 28 June 2024 deadline. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact RECOUP at enquiry@recoup.org . The winners will be announced at the RECOUP Awards Ceremony and Networking Dinner on Wednesday 25 September, at the Holiday Inn Peterborough – West. Spaces for the dinner are limited with tickets already on sale through the RECOUP website https://www.recoup.org/recoup-awards-2024/ .

The RECOUP Awards Ceremony and Networking Dinner is followed by The RECOUP Conference on Thursday 26 September with sponsors including Berry Global and WRAP. Registrations are now open for the day-long event, once again being held at Kingsgate Conference Centre, Peterborough.  Attracting hundreds of delegates each year The RECOUP Conference draws together stakeholders, NGOs, Local and National Government bodies and organisations from across the plastics and wider sustainability value chain, to network, share best practice, and get the latest updates from the plastics value chain.

Attendance remains FREE to members, with early-bird discounts available to non-members for a limited time only. To book your ticket for The RECOUP Conference please visit the RECOUP website, https://www.recoup.org/news-events/the-recoup-conference-2024/ .

Sponsorship packages are still available for both the awards and conference, offering organisations an invaluable opportunity to showcase their products and services in front of the most influential people in the plastics resource and recycling value chain. For more information about sponsorship packages, contact RECOUP Events and Membership Manager, Rebecca Davis, rebecca.davis@RECOUP.org

RECOUP publications aim to improve industry knowledge of packaging sorting and recycling processes

Plastics resource efficiency and recycling charity, RECOUP, have released their latest set of case studies ‘MRF Processes – Understanding Material Sorting’ and ‘Packaging Design Principles – Small Changes for a Big Impact.’

‘MRF Processes – Understanding Material Sorting’ intends to educate readers about how packaging placed in kerbside collections gets detected and sorted by material recovery facilities (MRF), from the entrance hall, right through to the final baled materials. The case study looks at common issues such as the recycling of small items, which can get lost early in the process and end up with the glass recycling fraction, as well as a detailed breakdown of how near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is used to determine which polymers packaging is made from to capture the packs for recycling.

‘Packaging Design Principles – Small Changes for a Big Impact’ is aimed at individuals new to the packaging industry and covers many design principles to improve the recyclability of plastics packaging at the design stage.  It covers the important components of packaging  for recyclability including the use of additives and barriers, adhesives, labels, and colourants, to help packaging designers make informed decisions.

Richard Cham, Senior Packaging and Recyclability Projects Officer at RECOUP said, ‘We often get asked about the processes that happen at the sorting stage, the MRF case study will assist stakeholders to understand the reality of how packaging is sorted and the implications design can have on the detection of different polymers.’

Paul East, Head of Packaging Recycling and Design at RECOUP said, ‘The sorting process at the MRF is a crucial link in the recycling chain. The Case Study illustrates how following design guidelines such as RECOUP’s Recyclability by Design, increases the likelihood  a pack will get sorted correctly.’

The case studies are accessible on the RECOUP website now for members and will become publicly available in 3 months. RECOUP also offers their members access to their laboratory testing facilities, including materials recovery facility sorting trials, free of charge to help packaging designers and brands to make informed decisions on pack design for recyclability. If you would like to find out more about RECOUP membership, then contact membership@recoup.org

For those seeking more in-depth information about the plastics resource and recycling value chain, registrations for RECOUP’s, not-to-be- missed annual conference, to be held on Thursday 26 September, are now open.

The plastics resource and recycling value chain event of the year sees hundreds of delegates in attendance and draws together stakeholders, NGOs, Local and National Government bodies and organisations from across the plastics and wider sustainability value chain, to network and share best practice.

To book your place at The RECOUP Conference 2024, please visit the RECOUP website, www.recoup.org

County Durham school recycling design competition

RECOUP’s Pledge2Recycle Plastics has joined forces with Durham County Council to launch a county-wide plastics recycling communications and education project. This initiative aims to encourage more County Durham residents to recycle and elevate the quality of plastic packaging recycled in the region through household collections.

As part of the project, a school recycling design competition, funded by the British Plastics Federation and local reprocessing firm Marmax Recycled Products, has been launched. The competition aims to continue to build on positive attitudes and behaviours in relation to recycling whilst at the same time finding creative solutions to recycling challenges.

Children and young people are invited to design a way for people to sort and recycle more items in one of a range of settings:

Bathrooms: to increase recycling of plastic items like shampoo and shower gel bottles, which in County Durham can be recycled at home in the blue-lidded bin

Kitchens: to increase recycling of pots, tubs and trays that come with food, which in County Durham can be recycled at home in the blue-lidded bin

Schools: to increase recycling of food and drinks bags & wrappings, which can be recycled at large supermarkets

Sports venues: to increase recycling of food and drink bags & wrappings, which can be recycled at large supermarkets

The winning design will be produced by Marmax Recycled Products and made from pre-formed recycled plastic sheets and planks which can be cut, shaped, drilled, and screwed together. The planks are 9cm wide and 3cm deep. Participants can find out more and submit their entries at https://www.durhamrecycles.co.uk/schools-competition/. The closing date for entries is 23^rd February 2024.

All pupils who enter the competition will receive a certificate of participation, whilst winners will receive a book token, goodie bag as well as the opportunity to see their design go into production at the Marmax Recycled Products factory. The winner’s school will also win new outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic, up to a value of £900 for their school playground such as stages, seating, picnic benches, water tables or table tennis table!

Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We are pleased to continue working in partnership with RECOUP to encourage and educate more people around recycling. Each year, the average household uses over 1,000 items – from plastics to cans – but less than half of this is recycled. It’s important we recycle as much as we can because, for every item recycled, we reduce the need to use raw materials, helping save energy and resources.

“Getting our schools involved in this project is also key as it enables us to encourage children to think creatively about how we can recycle more and helps them set environmentally positive habits.”

A spokesperson for Marmax Recycled Products said

“As we manufacture all our outdoor furniture from recycled plastic, and many schools in the region have our products on site, it’s really important for us to support projects like this. If our children have recycling at the forefront of their minds, and can see first hand the positive outcome of recycling, then a sustainable future for our region and beyond is more likely. I look forward to being involved in the judging and seeing what they come up with!”

A spokesperson for the British Plastics Federation said:

“The British Plastics Federation is very pleased to be involved in this competition. Children and young people are really motivated when it comes to protecting the environment and have great, fresh ideas. We look forward to seeing their designs.”

The project is supported by Durham County Council, The British Plastics Federation, Biffa, and Marmax Recycled Products.

Plastic Packaging Use and Recycling Collection Rates Drop for the First Time

Plastic resource efficiency and recycling charity, RECOUP, has launched its annual UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey, which estimates that year-on-year plastic packaging use and plastic packaging collection quantities have dropped for the first time.

It was estimated that there was reduction of around 70,000 tonnes in the quantity of household plastic packaging placed on the market in the UK, with quantities collected by local authorities at the kerbside also reducing by nearly 30,000 tonnes. Both have reduced by around 5%. There has also been a plateau in the development of kerbside provision, as all UK local authorities have collected plastic bottles for recycling at the kerbside since 2019, but only 88% collect plastic pots, tubs, and trays, the same as in 2021, and plastic films and flexibles dropping from 13% to 12%, the sixth year in a row this has decreased.

This amounts to a collection rate of 42% for all household plastic packaging – 63% for plastic bottles, 39% for plastic pots, tubs, and trays, and 7% for plastic films and flexibles. The UK’s overall recycling rate for plastic packaging from household and commercial sources is 52%.

With Simpler Recycling announced in October, and dates communicated with regards to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) across the UK, local authorities can now start to plan how they can tackle the changes needed, although payments to enable this from the new packaging Extended Producer Responsibility are yet to be fully established.

Policy alone may not unpick some of the complexities local authorities have with their collection contracts and infrastructure, but to avoid a further slide or stagnation in household plastic collections, efforts need to be made sooner rather than later, particularly with recycling targets due to increase.

This year’s Survey found that whilst local authorities are making significant efforts to communicate recycling specification to citizens, more resource and focus is needed on plastic packaging citizen communications and behaviour change programmes.

RECOUP is also launching its UK Citizen Plastics Recycling Behaviours Insights Survey 2023 which indicates an annual drop of 7% nationally of citizens claiming to recycle plastics drinks bottles every time, to 88%. Despite the fact that citizens tend to overclaim actual behaviours this reflects a worrying trend. However, where Pledge2Recycle Plastics has been partnering with Durham County Council to deliver citizen and community engagement on plastics recycling, individuals declaring to recycle drinks bottles every time rose by 2%, to 97%.

Anne Hitch, Business and Project Development Lead at RECOUP, commented:

“Whilst we continue to wait for supporting legislation, citizens remain uncertain about what to recycle in terms of plastics and how. 32% of all respondents to the Insights Survey declared that when they do not recycle an item it is because they are confused about if it is recyclable.

“If we are to gain ground in terms of kerbside tonnages and quality of plastics, it is crucial that investment in plastics recycling communications is given priority”.

57% of local authorities conduct ongoing waste and recycling communication campaigns, and a further 23% in the last 12 months. Significant inconsistency remains in messaging, including around asking for lids to be on or off bottles, packaging to be empty, rinsed, washed, flattened, or squashed.

The need for good communications is backed up by a small increase in reject rates, which were up to 37% for one local authority, and an average of 14% across all respondents.

Tom McBeth, Policy & Infrastructure Manager at RECOUP, commented:

“This year’s Survey has shown the reduction in packaging placed on the market.

“Whilst the collected material also dropped, in the context of the amount of material used, it shows a picture of stagnation in collection levels with service provision also remaining similar to the 2022 Survey.

“With the news of Simpler Recycling beginning to come into force in England from 2025, and some level of certainty in dates for material collection requirements, DRS and EPR, it is important that local authorities are now able to understand the funding they will have to drive the collection of more plastic packaging from consumers”.

The RECOUP UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey 2023 is available for RECOUP members to download from its website.