On 24 Nov., 2015, the annual Petcore Europe Conference will take place in Brussels. Well known in previous years as the PET Network Day, the conference brings together more than 100 experts and leaders from the PET (polyethylene terephthalate) value chain in Europe and beyond as well as representatives from European institutions. This year, the conference will focus on sustainability, te circular economy, innovation and globalization, conference organizers say.
“For everyone involved in the PET value chain, it is essential to stay up to date on the latest developments regarding European legislation, trends, innovation and what is happening outside of Europe,” says Patrick Peuch, Petcore Europe executive director. “That is why our event is very important for all actors in the PET value chain.”
The first session of the conference is dedicated to sustainability and outline different European Union projects, such as the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) on packed bottled water or the EU Polymark project focusing on the first results of a novel identification technology for differentiating high-value plastics in waste streams. Furthermore, speakers will discuss the EU food contact plastics recycling regulation as well as the emerging problem of recycling PET thermoforms.
The second session on the circular economy primarily focused on the eagerly awaited European Circular Economy Package as well as the Europewide PET collection and recycling rates in 2014, based on a survey commissioned by Petcore Europe.
The innovation session outlines examples of new PET packaging and future trends like the use of PET in aerosols. Furthermore, a novel technology for the recycling of heavy coloured postconsumer PET packaging is scheduled to be presented and discussed.
The last session on globalisation features a presentation on the PET situation in India, Russia and the USA. After a presentation by Waste Free Oceans on the problem of marine litter, a panel debate about the effective communication on PET to the public and how industry can respond to public concerns and needs concludes the session.
The Petcore Europe Conference is open to everyone involved or interested in the PET supply chain. To register for the event or to receive the detailed programme, please contact Eva Schneider, Petcore Europe Communications Officer, at eva.schneider@petcore-europe.org or visit the website www.petcore-europe.org.