Page 53 - Plastics News - April 2026
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FEATURE NEWS
eters in real time. By acknowledging deviations scrap.
and providing recommendations, the system
reduces quality variations before they result in The Upstream Mind Shift
The system compares all target and actual val-
ues with a defined reference, similar to a tradi-
tional quality control process. However, the main
advantage here is that the recognition of quality
issues occurs online. As a result, operators can
correct the root causes of problems directly in
the machine instead of inspecting components
after they are molded. Ultimately, this shifts qual-
ity management one step upstream, ensuring
dimensional stability and preventing flow marks
before the cycle finishes.
Source – Plastics Engineering
THE REGULATORY BLIND SPOT IN PLASTIC DESIGN
slowly, often through voluntary programs and in-
dustry pledges. That focus is shifting.
Yet regulators are increasingly converging on
a quieter vulnerability in plastic products. Ad-
ditives, colorants, fillers, and effect pigments
increasingly define whether a plastic product
complies with the law. These materials give plas-
tics their performance and appearance. They
also introduce chemical, safety, and recycling
he new EU 10/2011 and REACH mandates risks that regulators can no longer ignore.
shift the focus of plastic compliance to-
Tward pigments and additives, affecting Regulation Is Catching Up with What Formula-
NIR recyclability and migration limits. tors Already Know
For the past decade, plastic regulation has fo- The shift is already visible in Europe. Commis-
cused on polymers. Policymakers targeted sion Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic food
monomers of concern, recyclability targets, and contact materials, updated in January 2025,
resin-level bans. Environmental criteria entered continues to expand its positive lists and migra-
April 2026 PLASTICS NEWS 55
