PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
THE fast-growing Plastics Recycling Show Europe exhibition and conference returns to the RAI Amsterdam on 10 and 11 April 2019, this year moving to the venue’s larger Hall 7. Visitor registration for free entry to the two-day event is at: www.prseventeurope.com
The pan-European, free-to-attend exhibition and conference are designed specifically for plastics recycling professionals. Making plastics packaging more recyclable and increased use of recycled plastics in packaging are among the topics that will be explored in the two-day conference. More than 110 companies and organisations from across Europe will be showcasing innovative plastics recycling technology, sharing best practice and networking at the event. A broad cross section of the industry is represented in the exhibition including plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, plastic material suppliers and compounders, pre-processors, plastics recyclers, waste management specialists and industry associations.
Key speakers at the conference include Gilonne Traub, Senior Research Analyst, New Plastics Economy at the Ellen Macarthur Foundation; Gian De Belder, Principal Scientist – Packaging R&D at Procter & Gamble; Leopold Thorsten, Head of International Packaging Development Home Care at Henkel and Karlheinz Hausmann, Global TS&D Fellow at Dow Europe.
The conference opens on 10 April with a session examining the latest developments and trends in the plastics recycling landscape in Europe, moderated by Mike Baxter, External Affairs Director, RPC bpi group. Among speakers in this session Per Stoltz, Head of Resources and Waste, Sustainability Group at IKEA will review the current state of affairs of the European plastics recycling industry, the legislative landscape and plastics recycling figures in Europe. There will also be updates on the European Union’s Plastics Strategy, plastics recycling figures in Europe and initiatives on fighting marine litter.
The materials focus sessions will explore the challenges, issues and opportunities within the sector for mechanical recycling, with sessions covering PET, PVC and technical plastics. Each material focus session will be overseen by the relevant Working Group Chairman from Plastics Recyclers Europe.
The second day’s opening conference session will look at technology, innovation and recyclability of plastic products. This will focus on design for recycling and technological developments in collection, sorting, shredding, washing, extrusion and plastics conversion. Distinguished speakers already confirmed include Gilonne Traub of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Gian De Belder of FMCG brand owner Procter & Gamble.
Day two continues with a polyolefins materials focus sessions which will examine the current status of polyolefin waste streams including high- and low-density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE), as well as mixed plastics recycling (pots, tubs & trays). Karlheinz Hausmann of Dow Europe joins the panel for the LDPE session, while Henkel’s Head of International Packaging Development Home Care Leopold Thorsten and Frank Welle of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV are among speakers in the HDPE session.
Winners of the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe will also be announced at a gala dinner at in Amsterdam on the evening of 10 April. The prestigious awards have been extended to eight categories for 2019 and includes an award for the Recycled Plastic Packaging Product of the Year.
Last year PRS Europe had a total footfall of more than 2,400 over two days, an increase of more than 1,000 compared to the launch event in 2017. Mike Baxter of RPC bpi Group commented: “This is probably the most important show for the European recycling industry on the annual calendar. Compared to all other shows in Europe, this show stands up above all the others.”
Jérémie Garbe, Sales Director of exhibitor Pellenc ST added: “PRS Europe is a great platform for the plastics recycling industry. If you are interested in plastics recycling in Europe and the world, you should certainly visit in 2019.”
• For more information and free visitor registration visit: www.prseventeurope.com
