The plastic in circulation – A day about plastic & recycling

2019-12-11. STEPS researcher Anna Svantesson gave a presentation at Malmö University on the use of packaging in the daily trade industry in Sweden. Other talks included presentations from Sysav and Packbridge. The event was organised by students at Malmö University to highlight the complexity of plastics. Read more here.

STEPS researchers: All measures to address the plastics problem will fall flat if we ignore increased production

2019-11-14. The price of some recycled plastics is now higher than for new virgin plastics. Meanwhile, plastics production is set to double in the next twenty years. As long as we are not focusing on the root cause of the problem: increased production, measures to address the plastics problem will fall flat say researchers at Lund University. Read the full article here and download the scientific paper here.

Collaboration for Sustainability – How to Move Forward

2019-11-06. STEPS researcher Baozhong Zhang, Associate professor at Department of Chemistry, Lund University, participated in a discussion with academic and non-academic actors on how to create good win-win relationships and collaboration across borders that enable the progress towards sustainability. He spoke about STEPS collaboration with industry partners Bona, Perstorp and Nordic Sugar in the development of the demoproduct, StepOn, a floor coating made out of sugar.
The seminar was part of Talk: Sustainability, a seminar series addressing future challenges connected to the global goals for sustainable development.

So should investors think about plastic – STEPS research gives recommendations for sustainable investments

2019-10-28. Plastic companies which does not have a strategy for how to break their dependence on fossil fuels can be a risk for investors. Therefore investors need to make demands and ask questions about how the company’s plastic is produced, designed, packaged and how it can be recycled. So reads some of the recommendations in a new report from STEPS, Lund University, and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, directed at financial investors. The aim of the report is to make it easier for the financial sector to make sustainable investments. Read the full article here and download the report here.

What does the future of plastic look like?

2019-10-14. Plastic waste is a growing problem around the world, despite efforts to recycle or reduce plastic use. In order to really transform the recycling process, more attention needs to be paid to the composition of plastic, according to a new research article from STEPS and Lund University. The paper presents strategies on how to improve recyclability through the smarter design of polymers – and how bio-based polymers could shift to carbon neutral alternatives. Read more here and download the scientific paper here.

Fully-recyclable plastics packages by 2020?

2019-06-24. STEPS Master student Anna Svantesson presents her work on the Swedish Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry target of fully-recyclable plastic packaging by 2022, at Sysav today. Read more here.

Plastics ReDesigned: new collaboration with Form/Design Center

2019-06-19. Designers have a key role in the transition to a sustainable plastics society. But too often they have limited knowledge of plastics as a material, and are unsure of how to use it. STEPS and Form/Design Center in Malmö have come together to start a new collaboration to increase knowledge, highlight research, and to encourage new and creative design approaches. Read more.

EPS Low Carbon Economy Forum 2019: Industrial Implications of EU and Global Climate Change Policy

2019-06-18. STEPS workpackage leader Lars J Nilsson takes part in the special opening panel entitled ‘Technology outlook for the low-carbon economy’ at the EPS Low Carbon Economy Forum 2019 taking place in Brussels. Here you can access the full programme of this event.

STEPS researchers discuss plastics challenges in podcasts from Trifilon

2019-06-14. How can the government make plastic production sustainable? And what is the process of making plastics from sugar beets? These are some of the questions discussed in two podscasts featuring STEPS researchers, Tobias Nielsen, political sicentist, and Niklas Warlin, Phd student at the Derpartment of Chemistry at Lund University.

Listen to Tobias Nielsen’s podcast.

Listen to Niklas Warlin’s podcast.

The podcast series is made by Trifilon and is called Materials from Sweden. It features conversations with experst, academics and business people amongst others on the theme of materials, especially those found in consumer products, and also sustainability from any and all perspectives.

Shall we discuss plastic bags?

2019-04-29. The issue of how the use of plastic bags can be reduced has been widely discussed in the EU in recent years. The steps taken are far from sufficient and show how political dividing lines – both between member countries and between party groups – have governed the rules that exist today. Read the full article by STEPS researchers here.

Japan-Europe Dialogue 2019

2019-04-25. STEPS researcher Tobias Nielsen talks about pathways to sustainable plastics in front of scholars and practitioners, including Japan’s Vice-minister for Environment, at the Japan-Europe Dialogue 2019, Pathway to Reducing Marine Plastic Pollution -Toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals. 

The Annual Report 2018 is published!

2019-03-29. Now you can read STEPS Annual Report 2018 here.

Joint Forces for Sustainability Forum

2019-03-21. STEPS researcher Tobias Nielsen presented the five potential pathways to a sustainable plastics system at Joint Forces for Sustainability Forum. Read more here.

Crops or Carbon Dioxide? What is the Future of Plastics?

2019-03-09. Listen to researchers from Lund University and RISE exploring the possibilites of using residues from agriculture, or even carbon dioxide, to produce plastics in way that avoids food insecurity and negative climate impacts in the future. The event is organised by STEPS and is part of Lund Sustainability Week 2019.

Science and Innovation Talk at Tetra Pak

2019-03-08. Listen to STEPS researcher Tobias Nielsen, Political Science, Lund University, talking about Pathways to Sustainable Plastics at Tetra Paks Science and Innovation Talk! Five pathways to more sustainable plastics are discussed: bio-based, biodegradable, recycling, fewer types and reduced use.

Founders of Tomorrow

2019-02-24. Lars J Nilsson presented the 1.5 °C challenge based on the recent IPCC report and decarbonisation pathways for industry including plastics and steel at the Founders of Tomorrow Impact bootcamp and idea competition. Read more here.

Opinion piece in NyTeknik

2019-02-20. “Banning straws and plastic bags is not enough, we need a vision for the entire plastic use”
– writes STEPS researchers Fredric Bauer, Tobias Nielsen and professor Lars J Nilsson in NyTeknik.
Read the article here.

New STEPS paper published!

2019-02-19. Need a bag? A review of public policies on plastic carrier bags – Where, how and to what effect? by researchers Tobias Nielsen, Karl Holmberg and Johannes Stripple can be downloaded here.

Sveriges Plastutredning

2019-02-06. I december blev Sveriges plastutredning färdig. Och på EU-nivå finns en ny plaststrategi med bla direktiv om ett förbud mot engångsartiklar som sugrör, bestick och tallrikar. Ett bra ramverk men plastdebatten måste nyanseras. Det menar statsvetaren Tobias Nielsen som ingår i ett forskningsprogram om hållbar plastanvändning. Läs mer

European Biopolymer Summit

2019-02-13. ACI’s European Biopolymer Summit 2019 will bring together senior executives and experts from biopolymers’ manufacturers, chemical companies, and consultants, to discuss the latest changes, challenges and developments within the industry. More information and registration here.

The fight against plastic pollution has only just begun

2018-12-22. STEPS researchers from Lund University publish ”Kampen mod plastik er kun lige begyndt” in the Danish Politiken (p. 6, 2018-12-22). They write about the new EU directive on single use plastics and the fight against plastic pollution in the oceans and on our beaches. Read the full article here.