Top 15 Innovations in Plastics 2023
Monday, 25 September 2023
Did you know there are innovative and sustainable solutions to drying off after a shower, listening to music, and even storing paint? While plastics have been around since the 19th century, new creative innovations are entering the market all the time – each one building upon the demands of society and the necessary push for more sustainable plastic products.
After the amazing response from last years article, the BPF has compiled a list of 15 new and creative plastic innovations that are changing society for the better...
Prevented Ocean Plastic is high-quality, fully-certified, recycled plastic that has been collected from coastal areas at risk of ocean plastic pollution – the company have collected over one billion plastic bottles and turned them into brand new products!
How does it work? Discarded plastic bottles are picked up from areas at risk of ocean plastic pollution and taken to local collection centres where they're sorted. They're then transported to plastic recycling factories where the plastic is washed, sanitised, and processed into raw material flakes or pellets and eventually recreated into recycled packaging on your supermarket shelf.
As we all know, the majority of plastic enters the water from developing regions that lack waste management infrastructure and collection incentives. The (UK-led) Prevented Ocean Plastic programme incentivises the collection of this ocean-bound plastic, builds replicable infrastructure while generating income for local communities, drives the elevation of standards within the industry, supports long-term environmental solutions, and offers consumers a better plastic choice… incredible!
Learn more about Prevented Ocean Plastic: www.preventedoceanplastic.com
2. Bluetooth Speaker Made From Recycled Plastic
Gomi, a small and sustainable design studio based in Brighton, are the world’s first brand to repurpose lithium-ion batteries from e-bikes, and combine them with plastic bag waste, deemed ‘non-recyclable’, turning it into design-led immersive audio products.
The gomi Bluetooth speaker embodies their vision for a circular future that is waste-free, turning the most difficult to recycle materials into desirable and repairable products that last.
Their products come with a ‘gomi for life’ promise, meaning that they even commit to repairing every product for life, thanks to its modular design. gomi wants to prove that there is a new waste-free way to manufacture our favourite tech, without sacrificing on quality or performance.
Learn more: gomi.design/pages/collection-one-speakers
Badaptor is a one-piece plastic battery adapter that lets users convert their existing battery system for use with a Ryobi, Makita, DeWalt or Milwaukee power tool. Rather than buying a whole new battery and charger system, the Badaptor gives users access to hundreds of other power tools, with no need to switch from their preferred battery system. This not only saves users money, it helps to reduce consumption of Li-Ion batteries too!
Not only this, but fewer batteries and chargers should also cut down on plastics and materials used in manufacture, and help to reduce unnecessary charging, leading to less energy use and helping users to contribute to a lower overall carbon footprint.
Find out how Badaptor are reducing carbon footprints: https://badaptor.com
4. Microban Utilising Novel Antimicrobial Chemistries to Create More Sustainable Plastics
As we well know, COVID, combined with a huge call for greater environmental responsibility, is shaping the future of plastic products - with 72% of consumers admitting they now worry about exposure to bacteria, while 85% are actively making choices to protect the environment*. This is exactly why Microban are helping to create smarter products that address both cleanliness and sustainability concerns through antimicrobial innovations.
Novel antimicrobial technologies from Microban work 24/7 to prevent material degradation, visual discoloration, and odours that may otherwise lead to diminished product performance. Based on non-heavy-metal and metal-free chemistries, their sustainable solutions actively support regular cleaning routines, helping to reduce the quantity of harsh cleaning chemicals required to keep surfaces clean, and lowering overall water and energy consumption.
Get the details: www.microban.com/blog
*Multi-sponsor Surveys (2020)
The Flossie is a self-contained flossing system which allows users with a hand dexterity condition to maintain a singular circular grip throughout the entire process of flossing, created by Christopher Kenny - a TU Dublin student.
40% of over 65s are faced with some sort of hand dexterity condition, and often these conditions mean flossing is impossible. But by not flossing, people are more prone to gum disease, tooth decay, and jaundice. Flossie’s mission is to make the flossing experience easier and more comfortable for everyone, to help maintain proper dental health.
For people with dexterity issues, intricate finger movements are most difficult. The Flossie allows the user to perform an entire flossing routine whilst maintaining the most comfortable of grips, making flossing less painful for the user!
See how it works: https://youtu.be/guGwZE2oTA0
Created by Berry Global, NEUE is bottled water consciously designed to fit in a small handbag, back pocket, or seat storage on a plane or train, to match today’s on-the-go modern lifestyle.
The first-of-its-kind form features a flat surface for a centralised label on one side and an uninterrupted convex window that magnifies the label on the other, delivering an eye-catching product on-shelf. NEUE is also championing the movement to a more circular economy with bottles made from 100% recycled plastic. This reduces the need to produce new plastic and diverts existing waste plastic from landfill or polluting the oceans and countryside. The bottle’s sturdy construction makes it suitable for refilling for multiple use, and it can be recycled.
We’re not the only ones who think it’s a great product - the water sold out within its first week of launching in Harrods. Take a look: https://neuewater.com/
7. Idry - The Innovative Towel-Free Body Drying Solution
The iDry was developed by Distrupol as an innovative towel-free drying system, ideal for the healthcare, hospitality, and leisure industries, as well enabling those with disabilities to have a stress-free shower or bath.
Using nothing but pure, warm air, the innovative technology will dry users from head to toe (in as little as two minutes) before they leave the shower. Energy efficient and soothing on the skin, the full body dryer is cleaner and greener than towel drying. The iDry dries users with no contact to the skin, preventing the transmission of germs and bacteria, reducing the risk of infection, and making skin drying easy and pain-free for those suffering with skin conditions.
Now being developed in Polylac PA757 M70 – a 70% PCR ABS for an impressive sustainability profile when considering the electricity and water savings this product enables, the iDry uses just 0.15kw of electricity per cycle and uses zero water!
Learn more: https://idry.me
Catheter Bag Carry, created by Edinburgh Napier University student Kenneth Thornton, encases a users Catheter Bag as it fills, preventing it from obtrusively poking out from within clothing, whilst also providing protection from bumps, knocks and falls.
It utilises fins nestling into the bag to compartmentalize liquids and stop uncomfortable movement through the day. Compatible with all NHS supply and private issue portable catheter bags available in the UK, it’s a great innovation in plastics which was won Thornton second place in the DIP Awards 2022.
Uponor have introduced the world’s first cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipe made from a circular manufacturing process using 100% chemically recycled raw material from Uponor’s own production activities.
The achievement is believed to be one of the first projects to successfully chemically recycle PEX material on a commercial scale which will “close the circularity loop” - producing a pipe suitable for drinking water and underfloor heating application - made entirely from its own production waste.
This hard-to-recycle plastic waste is now being turned into high-quality polymer feedstock, enabling the consecutive manufacturing of equivalent products with properties identical to those of the original material.
Learn more: https://www.uponor.com
10. Altro Stronghold 30: The First Adhesive-Free Flooring
Altro created the first adhesive-free safety flooring designed specifically for the rigours of commercial kitchens. It delivers sustainable, carbon-saving performance with minimum downtime and quick return to service for busy areas.
More than 95% of the installed floor can be recycled or reused after use and there is no need for a damp-proof membrane (DPM), reducing unwanted landfill content. The floor can be uplifted quickly and easily and any leftover floor can be used elsewhere. At the end of its life the floor can be recycled via a Recofloor collection point and regenerated into useful traffic calming products such as traffic cones.
Take a look: https://www.altro.com/uk/resources/altro-guides/adhesive-free-floors
Energystore has launched the energystore+ range of EPS insulation products, which dramatically reduces embodied carbon by using sustainable biogas during the manufacturing process.
They believe this innovation is the first insulation product available in the UK which uses biofuels in the manufacturing process. The resulting product range has the lowest embodied carbon of any insulation product in the UK. While currently undergoing EPD certification (publication expected in 2023), energystore+ is projected to be a carbon neutral insulation product.
The energystore+ product range replaces fossil fuels with an equivalent amount of renewable fuels throughout the value chain. This kind of production saves fossil fuels, further improving the positive sustainability profile of EPS.
In the first two months of sales, the product has been used in over 1,000 homes avoiding 240,000 kg of CO2e. Energystore are anticipating that the products will lead to an avoidance of over 6 million kg of embodied carbon annually as the UK transitions to net zero.
Amazing! Learn more: https://www.energystoreltd.com
12. Rhopoint ID In-line Transparent Appearance Analysis
The Rhopoint ID in-line is an innovative sensor that allows the in-process measurement of plastic films, glass or other transparent materials during production (and is the only instrument in the world that can measure these parameters in an inline format). The unit characterizes haze, sharpness, clarity and visible transmission – all important parameters that determine how packed products will be viewed by the consumer through the manufactured material.
The fast measurement allows the process to be adjusted in real time guaranteeing products meet customer expectations, reduce waste, and enable a higher percentage of recycled content…
See for yourself: www.rhopointinstruments.com
The Sherwood Jar, made by Plastek UK, combines several materials and technologies to produce a ground-breaking new 200ml thin-walled jar with remarkable environmental credentials.
Key Features:
- Thin-walled tooling, that still passes ecommerce testing.
- Uses new endothermic blowing agent which further reduces overall weight whilst still passing ecommerce testing.
- PCR material at 100% inclusion rate (a grade that doesn’t pollute future feedstock).
- UBQ climate-positive additive uniquely (in UK) for thin-walled applications.
- IR detectable MB for future recyclability.
Key Benefits:
- 100% recycled.
- 100% recyclable.
- Carbon positive from a material aspect.
Hear about the upcoming launch: www.plastikmedia.co.uk/plastek-uk-at-interplas-2023/
In 2022, the Glazpart R&D team collaborated with key industry players to develop the Link Vent 4000, launching this product in time for the regulatory changes. Within 12 months it has become the third highest selling product in Glazpart's ventilation portfolio with 24% of category sales, 130k units produced per month resulting in £160k per month additional sales.
With a clever yet simple user friendly design, the Link Vent’s innovative closing action allows easy control to reduce draughts and noise, by directing air away from occupants, and is an essential component for the window and door sector as companies need to comply with the new legislations.
Find out more: https://glazpart.com
Nars’ unique Herbal Antimicrobial Additive has revolutionized the polymer-based product industry, transforming ordinary items into self-sanitizing, long-lasting, effective solutions.
In partnership with SASA Polyester, they have worked to develop Lifetime Antimicrobial Carpets resulting in the creation of prototypes that showcased strikingly effective test outcomes, displaying an efficacy rate surpassing 99%.
Their innovative biopolymer technology, harnessed from nature itself, is a game-changer in the industry, melding polymer materials with herbal elements to create an antimicrobial additive that proves highly effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, from bacteria and viruses to fungi and mycobacteria.
Find out more about Nars: https://www.narsuk.co.uk/about/
If you’ve got a plastic innovation that you feel deserves to be in this list, submit it HERE for consideration — and you might even win one of next year’s Horners Awards!
Author
Rebecca Shortland
*Please note that this article is not a press release. Do not use on your own website unless given specific permission from the author.
