Category Archives: A&A News

NextWave Plastics expands consortium.

Global brands consortium NextWave Plastics has announced consumer technology company Logitech and ocean-bound plastic suppliers Prevented Ocean Plastic and #tide ocean material have joined the network.

NextWave Plastics expands consortium on reducing plastic waste

NextWave Plastics is a consortium of multinational technology and consumer brands to collaborate and promote transparency to help decrease the volume of plastic litter by developing a global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains.

A growing number of its member companies across a range of industries are collaborating to reach their shared goal of diverting a minimum of 25,000 metric tons of plastic, equivalent to 2.7 billion single-use plastic water bottles, from entering the ocean by the end of 2025.

Adrian Grenier, the co-founder of Lonely Whale, said: “The addition of Logitech and ocean-bound plastic suppliers Prevented Ocean Plastic and #tide ocean material adds to the strength, diversity of knowledge, experience, and potential of the NextWave consortium to create even greater impact and transformational change within and across industries.”

Logitech joins the ranks of NextWave member companies like HP and IKEA; in addition to its pledge to avoid single-use plastic packaging whenever possible, Logitech was the first consumer electronics company to make the commitment to provide detailed carbon impact labeling on product packaging across its portfolio, with its first carbon labeled products hitting shelves back in April 2021.

Prakash Arunkundrum, global head of operations and sustainability, Logitech, said: “At Logitech, we are committed to continuing to expand our efforts to eliminate single-use plastic and we are increasingly using post-consumer recycled plastic as our preferred material at scale as we design for sustainability across our portfolio.”

What is the UK’s incoming Plastic Packaging Tax

From April 2022, a new tax on plastic packaging will be in place in the UK. Which products will be affected, how much is it, what penalties and sanctions are in place if manufacturers don’t comply, and what steps should the industry be taking now?

What is the UK’s incoming Plastic Packaging Tax

Disclaimer: The below notes reflect opinion and views as of 02/11/2021 and is a general summary of the legal position in England and Wales. It does not constitute legal advice.

Many of us make efforts to reduce our plastic usage in one way or another, but the UK government has now taken steps to target manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging by introducing a new plastic packaging tax (PPT); a tax, which, apparently, isn’t about revenue creation but has more exalted aims in mind – reducing the use of new plastics and increasing plastic recycling.

Which products will be affected by PPT?

PPT will be levied on plastic packaging that contains less than 30% recycled plastic. Imports of products in plastic packaging, such as drinks in plastic bottles, will also be caught. “Plastic packaging” will be classified as such if plastic is the heaviest component.

Rather surprisingly, given the environmental aims of PPT, “greener” plastics, such as biodegradable and compostable plastics, will still incur PPT (although this is currently being reviewed by the government) and the definition of “recycled plastic” does not include organic recycling.

Certain exemptions will apply, and PPT will not be incurred where the plastic packaging is for use:

  • With licensed human medicines
  • As transport packaging to import goods into the UK, e.g., packaging to secure the safe transit of goods
  • In aircraft, ship or railway stores for international journeys, i.e. not released into the UK.

Exported goods will also be exempt from PPT, provided that they are exported within 12 months.

How much is PPT?

The rate of PPT will be £200 per metric tonne of plastic packaging (that contains less than 30% of recycled plastic).

Who will pay PPT?

PPT will be charged from 1 April 2022 and potentially, everybody, from the largest plastic packaging manufacturer to the corner shop customer buying a packet of pasta, will see its effects. Although PPT will be levied on manufacturers and importers (both UK resident and non-UK resident) that manufacture (or import) ten metric tonnes of plastic packaging or more annually, the cost may well be passed along the supply chain to the end-consumers.

The draft legislation specifically provides that payment terms under existing contracts may be amended in order that the manufacturer or importer can pass on the PPT charge, although how this will affect business relations may well determine how often this option is used.

Any businesses that purchase plastic packaging (filled or not) should also bear in mind that liability for non-payment of PPT can be placed on other entities within the supply chain, i.e. not just the manufacturer or importer, if such entity “knew or had reasonable grounds to suspect that” PPT “had not been accounted for”. Government expects business customers to take “reasonable steps” to verify that payment has been made and intends to publish guidance on what constitutes adequate due diligence.

It would be no great surprise if this risk results in business customers requiring evidence of payment or some contractual assurance that payment has been made by the manufacturer or importer; requirements which will, no doubt, increase commercial complexity and the administrative burden on both parties. We must hope that the promised guidance will consider the commercial practicalities of such a provision.

What is clear is that contracts will need to specify whether costs are ex. PPT or inc. PPT, and invoices will need to state the applicable PPT amount.

Registration, filings and evidence

All manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging will need to register with HMRC unless they produce or import less than 10 metric tonnes in any 12-month period (regardless of the amount of recycled plastic that they use). The test to determine this is both forwards- and backwards-looking.

A business must register if:

  1. At any time after 1 April 2022, it expects to manufacture or import at least ten metric tonnes of plastic packaging in the following 30 days (registration must occur within 30 days of the first day that this condition is met); or
  2. It has manufactured or imported at least ten metric tonnes of plastic packaging in a 12-month period ending on the last day of a calendar month. If this applies, the business becomes liable for PPT from the first day of the next month and must register by the first day of the subsequent month. This second condition will initially be modified and will only look at the amount of plastic packaging which has been manufactured or imported from and including 1 April 2022.

(Imports that have not cleared customs or are not in free circulation in the UK are not included within these calculations.)

A group PPT registration is likely to be available and further details will be provided by government in due course, although it is expected that the ten metric tonnes test will be applied on a group basis, i.e. it will not be possible to disaggregate a business to avoid PPT. Where a group registration is made, all members of the group will be held jointly and severally liable for all the PPT debts of all group members.

Affected businesses will also be subject to increased record-keeping as they will need to maintain records to show:

  • The total amount in weight and a breakdown by weight of the materials used to manufacture the plastic packaging (excluding packaging which is used to transport imported goods)
  • The data and calculations used to determine if a packaging component is, for the most part, plastic and how much recycled plastic it contains
  • The weight of exempted plastic packaging and the reason for the exemption
  • The amount in weight of plastic packaging exported, and therefore the allowed relief from the tax.

Even where the recycled content test is met, businesses will need to register, file, and retain evidence to show that the relevant plastic packaging meets the threshold (plastic packaging will be assumed not to meet the recycled content test unless it is shown to do so).

Penalties and sanctions

Various civil and criminal sanctions and penalties apply under the draft legislation depending on the nature and severity of the offence. For example, failure to register with HMRC, failure to complete the requisite filings, or failure to pay the PPT due will incur a penalty.

Practicalities

Manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging should start to consider how the PPT regime will affect them and bear in mind that some effects may not be purely financial. For example:

  • How much plastic packaging manufactured/imported will be taxed, i.e. how much currently falls foul of the 30% recycled plastic requirement?
  • Consequently, what is the likely PPT liability?
  • Who will bear this liability – the manufacturer/importer or their customers? And what conversations need to be had with customers in this regard?
  • Can this liability be mitigated in any way, for example, an increase in the use of recycled plastic?
  • How will the information required to determine the amount of PPT payable be documented, evidenced, and recorded?
  • Who in the business will be responsible for complying with PPT requirements, collating the evidence, maintaining the records, and dealing with HMRC?
  • Who will liaise with customers regarding increased costs and evidential requirements?
  • What staff training will be required in relation to the new PPT legislation?

Disclaimer:

This note reflects opinion and views as of 02/11/2021 and is a general summary of the legal position in England and Wales. It does not constitute legal advice.

Consumers Share Their Experiences On Eco-friendly Packaging

Almost one in five consumers (19%) have said they would not buy from online retailers who do not use sustainable packaging, according to a survey published today (1 November, 2021).

Consumers Share Their Experiences On Eco-friendly Packaging

UK consumers share their experiences of opening online deliveries. The survey was completed by 600 people over the summer and covered online purchases from the fashion, food & drink, home & garden, and health & beauty sectors, with products ranging from cosmetics to large home appliances.

With national lockdown restrictions in place throughout the first part of 2021, consumers increasingly turned to the internet to meet their shopping needs while they remained at home. The survey showed that 88% of respondents said they spent more time shopping online during the pandemic and, of those, 64% said this behaviour would not change in the future, with 30% of consumers saying that they are likely to increase their online shopping.

Confirming the rise of the eco-conscious shopper, 97% of respondents said they follow recycling instructions where possible. However, 14% advised they were unsure about the recyclability of the packaging they received due to no instructions regarding disposal. This highlights the need for clear directions for end-users to understand how to dispose of their packaging responsibly.

Other highlights of the survey include:

  • Delivery: 96% of respondents said they favoured home delivery over click and collect, with 55% selecting home delivery for convenience, and 40% taking advantage of free delivery.
  • Sustainability: 73% of respondents thought that the packaging they received was recyclable.
  • Packaging branding: There was an increase in deliveries with unbranded packaging, growing from 32% in 2020 to 45% in 2021, suggesting that an increasing number of online retailers are missing the opportunity to connect with customers through an immersive unboxing experience that represents their brand.
  • Damages: There was a slight increase in the percentage of damaged deliveries, increasing from 5% in 2020 to 9% in 2021.

The survey was carried out across the summer of 2021, with respondents sharing images of their unboxing experience as well as completing the survey. The results are designed to provide retailers with valuable feedback from consumers.

The experience of opening a package containing a product ordered online has become known as “unboxing”.  Video and consumer reviews of not only products but the packaging that they arrive in are an important consideration for retailers.

Surgical masks can reduce COVID-19 spread by 75%

Researchers carried out the study in response to world leaders and the WHO questioning whether masks were effective.

Wearing surgical masks can significantly reduce the chances of those with COVID-19 infecting others, researchers have claimed.

According to a study by a team in Hong Kong, the rate at which the virus was transmitted through airborne particles or respiratory droplets was lowered by as much as 75% when masks were used.

“The findings implied to the world and the public is that the effectiveness of mask-wearing against the coronavirus pandemic is huge,” leading microbiologist Dr Yuen Kwok-yung, from Hong Kong University, said on Sunday.

Dr Yuen, who helped discover the SARS virus in 2003, said the study was the first of its kind.

He said that his team conducted the study because – while he has long supported wearing masks – world leaders, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), had questioned their effectiveness.

The study saw his team use two cages of hamsters in three different scenarios.

One group was infected with COVID-19 and the other was healthy, with a fan used to push air towards the infected animals – some which did not show symptoms.

Researchers said they found that without any masks between the cages, two-thirds of the healthy hamsters were infected within a week.

But when they placed masks on the cage with infected animals, the infection rate dropped to just over 15%.

The infection rate dropped by about 35% when masks were placed on the healthy hamsters’ cage.

Those hamsters that did become infected were also found to have less of the virus in their bodies than those who were infected without a mask, the research found.

Dr Yuen told a press conference on Sunday: “In our hamster experiment, it shows very clearly that if infected hamsters or humans – especially asymptomatic or symptomatic ones – put on masks, they actually protect other people.

“That’s the strongest result we showed here. Transmission can be reduced by 50% when surgical masks are used, especially when masks are worn by infected individuals.

“Up to this stage, we do not have a safe and effective vaccine.

“What remains practical is still either social-distancing measures or wearing masks.”

The UK government initially said face masks could not protect people, but it has revised its advice and is now recommending people wear face coverings where they cannot remain two metres apart in settings such as small shops and on public transport.

European countries including Italy and Germany have said people should wear masks in such settings.

At the start of the pandemic, which started in China, there was a rush to buy face masks in Hong Kong, where people remember the impact of SARS.

Hong Kong suffered 298 deaths from SARS, second only to mainland China, but the territory has only reported four fatalities from COVID-19.

Walking around without a face mask in Hong Kong, Japan or South Korea is seen as irresponsible, and several US states are also now advising people to wear them when out.

Understanding Anti-Static, Dissipative, Conductive, and Insulative

Static Electricity

As the name implies, static electricity is electricity at rest. The electrical charge is the transference of electrons that occurs when there is sliding, rubbing, or separating of a material, which is a generator of electrostatic voltages. For example: plastics, fiber glass, rubber, textiles, ect. Under the right conditions, this induced charge can reach 30,000 to 40,000 volts.

When this happens to an insulating material, like plastic, the charge tends to remain in the localized area of contact. This electrostatic voltage may then discharge via an arc or spark when the plastic material comes in contact with a body at a sufficiently different potential, such as a person or microcircuit.

If Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) occurs to a person, the results may range anywhere from a mild to a painful shock. Extreme cases of ESD, or Arc Flash, can even result in loss of life. These types of sparks are especially dangerous in environments that may contain flammable liquids, solids or gasses, such as a hospital operating room or explosive device assembly.

Some micro-electronic parts can be destroyed or damaged by ESD as low as 20 volts. Since people are prime causes of ESD, they often cause damage to sensitive electronic parts, especially during manufacturing and assembly. The consequences of discharge through an electrical component sensitive to ESD can range from erroneous readings to permanent damage resulting in excessive equipment downtime and costly repair or total part replacement. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)The sudden flow of electricity between two electrically charged objects caused by contact, an electrical short, or dielectric breakdown. A buildup of static electricity can be caused by tribocharging or by electrostatic induction. Anti-Static Preventing the buildup of static electricity. Reducing static electric charges, as on textiles, waxes, polishes, etc., by retaining enough moisture to provide electrical conduction. Dissipative The charges flow to ground more slowly and in a somewhat more controlled manner than with conductive materials. Dissipative materials have a surface resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 105 Ω/sq but less than 1 x 1012 Ω/sq or a volume resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 104 Ω-cm but less than 1 x 1011 Ω-cm. 2 Conductive With a low electrical resistance, electrons flow easily across the surface or through the bulk of these materials. Charges go to ground or to another conductive object that the material contacts or comes close to. Conductive materials have a surface resistivity less than 1 x 105 Ω/sq or a volume resistivity less than 1 x 104 Ω-cm. Insulative Insulative materials prevent or limit the flow of electrons across their surface or through their volume. Insulative materials have a high electrical resistance and are difficult to ground. Static charges remain in place on these materials for a very long time. Insulative materials are defined as those having a surface resistivity of at least 1 x 1012 Ω/sq or a volume resistivity of at least 1 x 1011 Ω-cm.

ESD Materials Categories

Materials for protection and prevention of ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) can be categorized into three distinct groups – separated by their ranges of conductivity to electrical charges.Anti-StaticResistivity generally between 109 and 1012 ohms per square. Initial electrostatic charges are suppressed. May be surface resistive, surface-coated or filled throughout. Static Dissipative Resistivity generally between 106 and 109 ohms per square. Low or no initial charges — prevents discharge to from human contact. May be either surface-coated or filled throughout. Conductive Resistivity generally between 103 and 106 ohms per square. No initial charges, provides path for charge to bleed off. Usually carbon-particle or carbon-fiber filled throughout.

Resistivity Test Methods

Surface Resistivity

Surface Resistivity Measurements

For thermoplastic materials intended to dissipate electrostatic charges, surface resistivity is the most common measurement of a material’s ability to do so.

A widely accepted surface resistivity test method is ASTM D257. It consists of measuring the resistance (via an ohm meter) between two electrodes applied under load to the surface being tested. Electrodes are used rather than point probes because of the heterogeneous makeup of compounded thermoplastics. Simply touching the surface with a point contact may not give readings consistent with the overall part (readings of this type are often insulative even when the part is actually conductive).

It is also important to maintain good contact between the sample and electrodes, which can require considerable pressure. The resistance reading is then converted to resistivity to account for the dimensions of the electrodes which can vary depending on the size and shape of the test samples. Surface resistivity is equal to resistance times the perimeter of the electrodes divided by the gap distance, yielding ohms/square.

Volume Resistivity Measurements

Volume Resistivity

Volume resistivity is useful for evaluating the relative dispersion of a conductive additive throughout the polymer matrix. It can roughly be related to EMI/RFI shielding effectiveness in certain conductive fillers.

Volume resistivity is tested in a similar fashion to surface resistivity, however electrodes are placed on opposite faces of a test sample. ASTM D257 also refers to volume resistivity, and a conversion factor again based on electrode dimensions and part thickness is used to obtain the resistivity value from a resistance reading. [Volume resistivity is equal to resistance times the surface area (cm2) divided by the thickness of the part (cm) yielding ohm-cm.]

ESD Awareness Symbols

ESD Susceptibility Symbol

The ESD susceptibility symbol incorporates a reaching hand in a triangle with a slash through it and is used to indicate that an electrical or electronic device or assembly is susceptible to damage from an ESD event. Used to identify ESDS [ESD sensitive items] and that personnel should be grounding when unpackaging or handling that item. It is also referred to as the ESD sensitivity symbol or ESD warning symbol.

The symbol is a reaching hand with defined fingers and fingernail, in a contrasting triangle with a slash in front of the hand.

ESD Protective Symbol

The ESD protective symbol differs from the ESD susceptibility symbol, by the addition of an arc around the outside of the triangle and the omission of the slash across the hand and the triangle.

The ESD protective symbol should be used to identify items that are specifically designed to provide ESD protection for ESDS items. Examples of these are packaging, ESD protective clothing and personnel grounding equipment. The ESD protective symbol should also be used on items designed to replace static generative materials. Examples of these items are ESD protective work station equipment, trash can liners, and chairs. The item is to be ESD protective or non-static generative by design.

ESD Common Point Ground Symbol

This symbol is established to indicate an ESD common point ground, which is defined by ANSI/ESD-S6.1 as “a grounded device where two or more conductors are bonded.”

This symbol consists of a bold outer circle inside of which are the words, ESD COMMON POINT GROUND, in bold type. Inside that are two thick contrasting circles and one thick circle that may fill the center or extend to the center where a snap, plug or other fastener may be connected.

View our range of Anti Static products here.