Industry News

Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina have developed a light source based on layers of light-emitting polymers. Professor David Carroll, who works at the university’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials, said the light, called Fipel for field-induced polymer electroluminescent technology, provides a whiter, softer light than fluorescent tubes and it can also be made in bespoke shapes. Production is expected to commence some time in 2013.

The material – a tear-resistant woven fabric – is applied directly to walls using a flexible adhesive based upon Dispercoll U, a waterborne polyurethane dispersion from Bayer. According to the company, the ‘wallpaper’ holds large areas of the masonry together, keeping it stable, giving the occupants time to flee the building to safety.

European countries recycled 33.6% of all its plastics packaging waste in 2011, surpassing the EU’s minimum requirement of 22.5%, according to a new report. The report `Plastics – The Facts 2012’ says European Union members, as well as Norway and Sweden, recovered 66.8% of plastic packaging waste last year. Some 5.246m tonnes (33.6%) was recycled and 33.2% went to energy recovery processes. Read more

The latest Markit/CIPS construction purchasing managers’ index has found that over October, activity in the UK construction sector rose marginally, but forecasts still remain bleak. The index rose slightly to 50.9 in October, up from 49.5 in September, but only fractionally above the 50.0 mark, which represents no change.

New uses for plastics are hitting the road in Europe, from high-end sports cars to the family van, as can be seen at the Paris Motor Show this month. At the press preview for the show — officially the Mondial de l’Automobile — Daimler rolled out its all-electric Mercedes SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive, which boasts extensive use of carbon fibre… Read more

BASF and Purac have formed a joint venture, called Succinity, in order to produce biobased succinic acid. The venture will be operational from 2013 and is in anticipation of a growth in demand of this product, fuelled by growth in demand for bioplastics, chemical intermediates, solvents, polyurethanes and plasticisers. Read more

While testing out its new Fusion hybrid, the Ford Motor Company found that efficiency came at the cost of noise, delivering "unpleasant powertrain sound" to the drivers. In an effort to offset this, they have resorted to "active noise-cancellation technology". Read more

At their annual conference in Brighton, the Liberal Demoacrats voted in favour of a 10p levy on every carrier bag used, a scheme which many say is not necessary for it has not proven to be a success in other countries. Read more

A woman's property is Paington, Devon, has been showered with 50 golf balls dropped by confused seagulls, who experts suggest have mistaken the golf balls for mussells, dropping the balls in order to crack them open and obtain the food inside. Where the golf balls come from still remains unknown.

For years, China has shown an insatiable appetite of waste plastic imports. With low-cost labour sorting and lax regulatory controls, the recycling business thrived. But the government has been taking actions to rein in the industry, first by imposing policies last year to tighten up the control of import and trade of scrap materials, and now, by enacting a new regulation that bans improper recycling practices that may pollute the environment. Read more

The construction sector is to be given a £50bn boost by the government in an attempt to reinvigorate its faltering performance, according to chancellor George Osborne. Read more