FRANCE

Nation-wide circular economy plan released / Aim to recycle all plastics by 2025 / Elipso remains highly engaged

NPE 2018

US plastics show sets exhibitor and space record / Strong economic backdrop / Recycling plays prominent role / Orlando remains the venue until 2027

SPANISH PACKAGING INDUSTRY

Economic recovery helps sector gain highest business volume in 10 years / Rising number of plastic containers companies / "Hispack" 2018 attendee numbers up

SERBIA

Government voices support for plastic carrier bag fees and possible ban / Steps to reduce post-consumer waste

CHINAPLAS 2018

Record attendance at new exhibition centre in Shanghai / Speedy, high-end production / E-commerce and digitalisation expanding in China's plastics industry

PLASTICS AND ENVIRONMENT

Irish restaurants organisation urges plastic straws ban / UK government mentions ban for wet wipes

UK PLASTICS INDUSTRY

More than 60 firms sign up to "UK Plastics Pact" / Plastics waste initiative led by Wrap / First global network of this kind / Supported by Ellen MacArthur Foundation and BPF

TURKEY

Strong economic start to year / Highly dependent on plastics imports / Polymer consumption expected to reach over 9m t in 2018

CIRCULAR ECONOMY ITALY

Further steps towards EU plastics strategy / New forum for recycling quality

UK PLASTICS INDUSTRY

Experts assess what domestic plastics sector might face upon leaving the EU / BPF Brexit seminar in London

US PLASTICS INDUSTRY

Plastics shipments set to sustain modest growth in 2018 / Employment to grow more slowly because of skills gap / Plastics Industry Association report

PLASTINDIA

Return to New Delhi in 2021 / Disillusionment follows euphoria about Gandhinagar

SLOVENIA

Plans for European circular economy hub / Ljubljana has first-rate separate waste collection

PLASTICS RECYCLING ITALY

Government introduces policy incentivising use of recycled plastics / Tax benefits in fiscal 2018 budget

ROMANIA

Plastic carrier bag ban to come into effect 1 July / Packaging deposit scheme under discussion / National waste programme not yet up to EU standards

GREECE

Environmental fee on plastic carrier bags in shops / Alignment with EU directive to curb consumption / Greek plastics industry association foresees problems

SERBIA

New projects for waste management / Chinese investors to build plastics recycling factories / Novamont in talks with local authorities

FRANCE

Relatively limited market growth in 2017 / Share of exports declining slightly / Paris declares closed-loop economy a priority issue / Plastics converters' association FEP opposes quota for recyclate use

BULGARIA

Potential as low-cost plastics processing hub / New investments to drive growth in export-oriented processing / AMI database

SPAIN

Increase in machine sales / "Equiplast" attendance points to economic upswing of Spanish plastics sector