Plastics’ Cream of the Crop for January

The phrase "cream of the crop”, which originates from the dairy practice of skimming the cream—the richest part— off the top of milk is used to describe something that’s the best.

Like these articles at PlasticsToday, which drew the most reader interest throughout January, according to website metrics. The month's Top 10 represent a diversity of topics and markets across the breadth of the plastics industry including resin pricing, a legislative deadline, an uncommon force majeure declaration, microplastics, and more.

If there’s a common thread, it’s that numbers played a key role this cycle, and are found in four of the articles: 54, 55, 350, and 3 as in 3D.

Knowing readers’ time is valuable, we’ve listed numbers 10 through 6 below, with the top five found in the accompanying slideshow.

10. 3D Printing Trends to Watch in 2024

Increasingly fulfilled technological promises coupled with uncertainty in industry restructuring will mark the year ahead.

9. Resin Price Report: Ineos Declares Force Majeure on Polypropylene Production

The Chocolate Bayou Petrochemical complex in Alvin, TX, has an annual polypropylene production capacity of around one billion pounds.

8. Plastics Companies, Brands Keep Eyes on CA SB 54 Deadline

The formal rule-making process for a California law targeting waste from single-use packaging and plastic food ware is set to begin.

7. Resin Price Report: PE, PP Resin Prices Projected to Rise in Q1 2024

The PlasticsExchange projects a penny uptick in resin prices, placing January prices $0.02/lb above December.

6  Microplastics: They’re Here, They’re There, They’re Every Everywhere

Like soccer icon Roy Kent on the “Ted Lasso” series, micro- and nanoplastics seem to be everywhere, including in our bodies. How worried should we be?