Patents for tomorrow’s plastics

The rate at which plastics are produced (about 50 million tonnes per year) is outpacing our ability to manage the resulting waste. New technologies will help us all to better reduce, reuse and recycle plastics. Patent examiners Wibke Meiser and Maxime Dossin are two of the co-authors of the EPO’s latest study that reveals the innovation trends in chemical and biological recycling, as well as the growth in research into plastics that can self-repair and are easier to recycle. In this podcast they share their detailed knowledge of these booming technologies and interpret the statistics and trends in global innovation as measured through international patent filings. The episode is moderated by Jeremy Philpott, Communications Manager, EPO.