Kickstart: EPS makers invite everyone, even critics, to social media discussion

As companies gear up for the next round of plastics treaty talks, the expanded polystyrene industry is trying an unusual approach: launching a private social media forum for both EPS critics and supporters to build understanding in the negotiations.

The Global EPS Sustainability Alliance (GESA) opened a moderated LinkedIn forum April 2 aimed at the negotiations, which start up again April 23 in Canada. EPS representatives have been at previous rounds of the talks arguing to keep their material off lists of problematic plastic applications.

GESA wants diplomats, plastic makers and brand owner companies, environmental advocates, journalists and other stakeholders to use the forum to "exchange ideas, perspectives and knowledge aimed at improving sustainability and tackling pressing environmental challenges."

"We want to explore topics like recycling, chemical transparency, mismanaged waste remediation and more to understand what's working and where there are knowledge gaps," said Betsy Bowers, spokesperson for GESA and executive director of the EPS Industry Alliance in Crofton, Md.

In a statement, GESA said it wants the forum to be open to all points of view.

"Individuals or organizations who disagree with GESA (and/or EPS-IA by extension) or have negative sentiment towards EPS, etc., are more than welcome to join and will be approved when they request to do so," the group said. "While there are some very basic rules/criteria for posting to avoid mudslinging … the forum exists to be a place of free and fair discussion."

Thanks to Plastics News' Steve Toloken for this item.

There soon may be a whole new meaning to the concept of keeping money in circulation.

Spectra Systems Corp., a Rhode Island-based maker of polymer bank notes, now is offering bills made using chemically recycled biaxially oriented polypropylene. Toray Plastics America makes the film using material from ExxonMobil Chemical Co.

The Fusion brand is part of an audited mass-balanced recycling chain certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus process. Spectra's security printing subsidiary, Cartor Security Printers, obtained the certification.

Polymer bank notes were first introduced in Australia in 1988. About 30 percent of countries worldwide use plastic bills.

It may still feel like winter in some areas of the U.S., but a weather forecasting company is looking ahead toward summer and fall, and it sees rough conditions ahead.

"The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to feature well above the historical average number of tropical storms, hurricanes, major hurricanes and direct U.S. impacts," Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane forecaster for AccuWeather Inc., said in a post on the private company's website.

AccuWeather is predicting an "explosive" hurricane season — officially June 1 to Nov. 30 — due to higher-than-normal water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. It expects 20-25 named storms with eight to 12 of them hurricanes.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration usually releases its hurricane forecast in May.