SPE: A-NZ | News

Feb 27
3 min

SPE: A-NZ President Letter

This is my first letter in 2023 so I wish you had a great holiday break and a fantastic start to the year. Our program team are working...

Feb 26
5 min

6 Trends About Recycled-Content Packaging

The key to success for recycled-content packaging lies in meeting various state regulatory demands, along with sustainability initiatives...

Feb 22
7 min

Automation in Thermoforming on the Rise

Equipment suppliers’ latest innovations exemplify this trend driven by factors such as labour shortages, higher-speed thermoformers and...

Feb 5
2 min

Worms hungry for plastic may transform recycling

A better understanding of these “mini recycling plants” may lead to upscaling of the enzyme process, potentially revolutionizing how...

Jan 22
3 min

Bioplastics Companies Struggle to Meet Demand

Brand owners are pressuring the biopolymers industry to commercialize materials and ramp up production, IDTechEx reports. As bioplastic...

Jan 15
3 min

Electric Vehicles Next Growth Engine for Plastics

Thermal management and enclosures for EV batteries have been identified as applications ripe for growth. A recent forecast by the...

Jan 9
1 min

Our bell-ringer no more

Vale Ian Fletcher We were greatly saddened to hear of the news that Ian Fletcher tragically lost his life in a car accident on Christmas...

Jan 2
3 min

Meet the plastic-eating enzymes that can fully break down garbage in days

Researchers hope the enzymes could create a truly circular system for the PET plastics that are still manufactured. Of the 10 billion...

Dec 4, 2022
3 min

EU unveils plans to cut Europe’s plastic and packaging waste

Draft regulations would ban mini-shampoo bottles and throwaway cups, with push towards reuse over recycling The EU executive wants to ban...

Nov 28, 2022
5 min

Plastics and Circular Economy Conference Communique

During the SPE Plastics and Circular Economy Conference, we have been discussed and heard from all speakers and attendees regarding an...

Nov 14, 2022
2 min

The Economic Outlook for 2023 with Alan Oster

The interim budget which has been presented by the new Treasurer of the Albanese Government, the Hon. Jim Chalmers MP, suggests that...

Nov 9, 2022
2 min

SPE: A-NZ President Letter

This is my first letter as SPE ANZ president. While I am excited about this new role and the new things I wish to bring to SPE and the...

Nov 6, 2022
2 min

SPE: A-NZ AWARDS Student competition: Research paper at ANTEC® 2023

The Society of Plastic Engineers: Australia-New Zealand Section (SPE: A-NZ Section) is offering a number of Awards to recognise the best...

Oct 15, 2022
4 min

Accurately tracking how plastic biodegrades

Electron microscopy image of the surface of a PBS film following incubation in a soil for six weeks: The surface of the PBS shows clear...

Oct 10, 2022
2 min

SPE: A-NZ President Letter

This Newsletter from the President of the Australia-New Zealand Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers is highlighting events which...

Oct 5, 2022
1 min

Circular Plastics Program

The Circular Plastics Program opened for expression of interest (EOI) submissions on 23 September 2022. An online information session...

Sep 28, 2022
3 min

Canada won’t come close to goal of eliminating plastic waste by 2030

Canada will miss its 2030 target by 2,092,994 metric tonnes if action isn’t taken to prevent plastics from becoming waste in the first...

Sep 27, 2022
2 min

Plastics and the Circular Economy 22 and 23 November 2022 in person 24 November evening online

Australia’s leading conference on plastics returns in full tackling key issues for a circular future. Taking place in person at Pullman...

Sep 22, 2022
3 min

Study Shows How Microplastics Can Easily Climb The Food Chain. Should We Be Worried?

It begins with plants sucking synthetic contaminants up from the soil. Then insects munching on those greens get their fill of...

Sep 15, 2022
2 min

Are Paper Bags Really Better for the Environment Than Plastic Bags?

New Jersey is the first state to ban single-use bags made from both plastic and paper, but one is actually worse for the environment than...