Polystyrene. Circular. Food grade. Ready now.

About the webinar

Over the past years, the value chain has taken decisive steps to realise the intrinsic circular potential of styrenics, including polystyrene (PS) packaging. It has developed multiple innovative recycling solutions, which are increasingly being scaled up in the market. These solutions allow to respond to a demand for safe and sustainable material required by EU law, including recycled content requirements for food packaging (under the PPWR).

The pre-K online event will take stock of the value chain’s progress in ‘closing the loop’ for PS packaging in practice by safely recycling it back to food contact applications.

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Learning Objectives

1. What is the intrinsic functional value and circularity potential of styrenics?
2. How do scientific studies confirm the safety of recycled polystyrene food contact material (rPS FCM)?
3. How has the value chain been adapting to the evolving EU regulatory framework, including for packaging (PPWR) and recycled plastic food contact material?
4. How have collection, sorting and recycling capacities for polystyrene packaging been developing?

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Jens Kathmann

Secretary General
Styrenics Circular Solutions
styrenics-circular-solutions.com

Jens Kathmann has served as Secretary General at SCS since October 2018. Previously, he held the role of Vice President Standard Products EMEA for INEOS Styrolution. Jens has over 30 years of international experience in the chemical industry, including BASF, in several managerial assignments across Asia and Europe. Jens studied business administration in Ludwigshafen and Mannheim.

Ken Huestebeck

Policy Director
Styrenics Circular Solutions
styrenics-circular-solutions.com

Ken Huestebeck was appointed as SCS’ Policy Director in mid-2022. In that function, he has been providing regulatory guidance to multiple developers of novel plastic recycling technologies. Ken has focused on circular economy issues since 2017, while growing the EU sustainability policy and regulation practice of a major global law firm. Previously, he worked on EU chemicals policy and upstream energy matters for a public interest law firm in Brussels and London. Besides being a German-qualified lawyer, he holds an advanced master in energy and environmental law from KU Leuven (Belgium).

Dr Frank Welle

Head of Department Product Safety and Analytics
Fraunhofer Institut für Verfahrenstechnik und Verpackung IVV
www.ivv.fraunhofer.de

Frank Welle has been Head of Department at the Product Safety and Analytics Department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) since 2019, previously serving as Deputy Head. The focus of his work includes the evaluation of post-consumer recyclates in direct contact to food or behind functional barriers, as well as the determination of the cleaning efficiencies and the food law compliance approval of recycling processes. Dr Welle is a chemist and received his doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.) from the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Dr Frank Eisenträger

ECO and Market Development Manager
INEOS Styrolution
www.ineos-styrolution.com

Frank Eisenträger is ECO & Market Development Manager at INEOS Styrolution located in Switzerland since April 2020. He manages the polystyrene recycling projects in EMEA as well as market development for all other product lines. He is driving food contact approvals and design for recycling within the company and also through SCS. Before, he worked as Product Director Polystyrene and Head of the Regional Development Centers.