Extrusion International 4-2026-USA

29 Extrusion International 4/2025 Sustainability Report Highlights Role in Electri cation, Circular Economy Orion released its 2025 Sustainabil- ity Report, showcasing how the com - pany’s materials are advancing elec- tri cation, energy storage and the circular economy. With the theme “Driving innova- tion – essential for the future,” the report’s highlights include upgrading technology in Sweden that recovers heat from the production process and supplies it to a city. In South Africa, operational improvements reduced waste by 30%. And globally, Orion achieved a safety record at its plants that was nine times better than the chemical industry’s average. The company’s achievements with sustainability were recognized with several honors, including a Platinum rating from EcoVadis, 10 safety awards from the International Carbon Black Association, a listing on the European Commission’s Innovation Radar and a “Green Factory” designation in China. Key growth opportunities include supplying differentiated conductive materials for: • Battery energy storage systems, driven by increased use of renewable energy and the expansion of energy- intensive data centers. • High-voltage wire and cable appli- cations, which are essential to electri - cation infrastructure. • Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, a market that continues to grow despite short-term volatility. “We see sustainability as a strate- gic business opportunity,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “Our ultra-pure conductive additives help power the global energy transition, from electric vehicles to grid-scale storage. We are helping enable a cleaner, more elec - tri ed future.” The report also highlights the im- pact of Orion’s bio-circular products. For example, ECORAX® Nature 200 can reduce product carbon footprint by up to 100% compared with con- ventional fossil fuel-derived grades, demonstrating the environmental bene ts of circular and bio-circular solutions. The full Sustainability Report is available on Orion’s website: https://orioncarbons.com/ sustainability/ Hearing on Recycling Bills to Boost American Manufacturing and Jobs Commended The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) released the following statement after the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Com- merce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing on the Recycled Materials At- tribution Act (RMAA) and the Packag- ing and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act. “We thank Chairman Gus Bilirakis, Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky, and the members of the Subcommit- tee for examining these important bi- partisan proposals. We also recognize Reps. Nick Langworthy and Randy Weber, the original sponsors of the RMAA and the PACK Act, respectively. The RMAA and the PACK Act repre- sent some of the most consequential recycling policy reforms in decades. Together, these bills would establish consistent national de nitions for recycling, recycled content, and re - cycling claims and labeling – creating the regulatory certainty needed to strengthen American manufacturing, encourage investment and innova- tion, and address today’s growing patchwork of state requirements. That consistency would support clear- er recycling claims, reduce consumer confusion, strengthen recycling mar - kets, and help increase recycling rates. The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s recent unanimous ap- proval of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act, the Senate’s passage of the STEWARD Act, and today’s hearing underscore growing bipartisan momentum to strengthen America’s recycling system. PLASTICS looks forward to working with Con- gress to advance these bipartisan pro- posals.” https://www.plasticsindustry.org/ newsroom/plastics-recycling- legislation-hearing/