Plastics today: Key challenges and EU strategies towards carbon neutrality: A review

Never as today the need for collaborative interactions between industry, the scientific community, NGOs, policy makers and citizens has become crucial for the development of shared political choices and protection of the environment, for the safeguard of future generations. The complex socio-economic and environmental interconnections that underlie the EU strategy of the last years, within the framework of the Agenda 2030 and the green deal, often create perplexity and confusion that make difficult to outline the definition of a common path to achieve carbon neutrality and “net zero emissions” by 2050. Scope of this work is to give a general overview of EU policies, directives, regulations, and laws concerning polymers and plastic manufacturing, aiming to reduce plastic pollution, allowing for a better understanding of the implications that environmental concern and protection may generate from a social-economical point of view

Innovative Technology for the treatment of collagen and leather

Currently over 85% of the world leathers are tanned with chromium (III) salts. However, it is now known that chromium retained in the skin can give rise to Cr (VI), which is highly toxic and carcinogenic. The main alternatives used industrially (synthetic tannins, natural or aldehydes) to tan leather impart physical and mechanical properties inferior to Chrome, and moreover do not solve health problems for the consumer or environmental impact since these skins may release formaldehyde (carcinogenic) and phenol (cytotoxic). The possibility to find a viable alternative to the methods currently used industrially for the tanning of skins thus remains an open question

Sustainable use of 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride as metal free tanning agent

Leather manufacturing is water, energy and waste intensive and requires integrated prevention and control of pollution. Tannery effluents, if not properly treated, may cause significant damage to soil and water bodies thus, tanners are looking for more environmentally sustainable technologies. In this concern, a process has been designed employing a new tanning agent allowing to produce totally metal-, formaldehyde- and phenol-free non-toxic leather. The agent tested is 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride (DMTMM), which appears to be a very efficient tanning agent producing hides with shrinkage temperatures as high as Ts = 87 °C. Environmental and economic benefits arising from the use of DMTMM are discussed

By-products from mechanical recycling of polyolefins improve hot mix asphalt performance

Waste of polyolefin (WOPO), the sinking fraction of polyolefin recycling, is today a production waste sent to incineration. This work reports a method for the recycling of WOPO as efficient additives to produce hot mix asphalt (HMA). Physical-mechanical characteristics of HMA containing bitumen 50/70 and WOPO were compared to PE/PP mixed polyolefin (MPO) and standard HMA control specimen. Modified HMA mixtures were characterized by density, air voids, indirect tensile strength, indirect traction coefficient, Marshall stability and quotation. Atmospheric emissions for HMA containing WOPO were proven to comply within Italian legal requirements. Data acquired demonstrate that HMA containing 4 wt% of grinded WOPO by weight of asphalt binder may be efficiently employed as flexible and resistant mixture for road pavement. Environmental and economic data reported further highlight the impact of this technology, not only for asphalt producers, but also for recycling facilities, improving plastic recycling, reducing plastic incineration, waste management costs and greenhouse emissions