Public Policy
After a week spent at the plastics treaty talks, it seems clear that, challenges aside, it will have a major impact on the industry.
A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals' Sixth Circuit has thrown out a large class-action lawsuit filed by a Glendale, Ohio, firefighter against 10 chemical companies over exposure to PFAS chemicals.
Representatives of the small bioplastics sector were on hand at the latest round of plastics treaty talks in Kenya Nov. 13-19 to argue that negotiators were glossing over a key point: that their materials can cut the link between plastics and fossil fuels.
The Nov. 29 settlement resolves a February 2018 lawsuit brought against the chemical companies by the state of Ohio in Washington County regarding Chemour's Washington Works facility along the Ohio River.
With a broad consensus that the most recent round of plastics treaty talks accomplished less than hoped, some are saying the disappointment could become a turning point to force changes.
U.S. mold makers are holding tight through the end of a bumpy 2023 while waiting for a possible tax reform bill from the federal government.
Bill Wood: "We might be inclined to think of a soft landing as something trained pilots master and execute thousands of times a day without incident, but I cannot totally rule out the possibility that a better comparison might be ... Apollo 13."
Plastics firms at the just concluded round of treaty talks in Kenya push for demand-side solutions, while consumer goods makers want a broader agreement with limits on plastics.
An industry group points to growing opposition to plastics production caps, while environmental groups warn that negotiations risk failure without a course correction.
A judge said the Canadian government acted outside its authority but the country's climate minister said he's strongly considering an appeal.
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