NewsBits

An investigative piece in The San Francisco Chronicle reveals that California high school text books have apparently rewritten at the urging of lobbying firms affiliated with the American Chemistry Council. The revised curriculum paints plastic bags in a more positive light than the original text. Click here for the full story.

British grocery and retail giant Tesco has ended its use of oxo-degradable plastic bags, which the company had been distributing since 2005. Tesco said it noticed the bags were weaker than traditional PE bags – a claim degradable additive manufacturer Symphony Environmental Technologies contests.

Plastics firm EcoLogic has been given the green light by the Brazilian government to use its biodegradable plastic additives in food-contact applications.

According to a new report from Freedonia, the global market for recycled plastic packaging will hit $26 billion, increasing 10 percent by 2020. Asian markets are expected to account for nearly half the demand, followed by Europe and the United States.

An article in the New York Times examines the concept of a "plastic footprint."

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