Cafés across New South Wales will no longer be forced to serve dine-in customers with ceramic mugs or glassware, and participation in reusable cup schemes will remain entirely voluntary, the state government announced today.

The two major concessions to the NSW Plastics Plan 2.0 framework follow intense pushback from café owners and small business advocates, who voiced deep concerns about the financial toll of mandatory measures in an already punishing economic climate.

A review published on October 8, 2026, in the journal Agricultural Products Processing and Storage examines in-situ packaging technologies designed to reduce postharvest losses in fruit and vegetables. More than one-third of global fruit and vegetable supplies are lost or wasted annually across the supply chain.

Unlike conventional packaging, in-situ packaging forms protective layers directly on produce surfaces. The review identifies three main approaches: coatings, fibrous membranes and hydrogels.

The 350-tonne-per-day installation will integrate advanced HT-CTMP technology, evaporation, flash drying and automation, with start-up planned for Q2 2028.

ITC Limited’s Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division (ITC-PSPD) has selected Valmet as its technology partner for a new Bleached Chemi-Thermo Mechanical Pulp (BCTMP) production line at its Bhadrachalam mill in India.

• Cheerios with Ziploc PantrySeal™ is here – bringing a resealable bag to the traditional cereal box to answer fan demand to help keep cereal fresher longer.
• The new bag also features a convenient “pour spout” to make it even easier to serve up the perfect bowl of Cheerios.
• Cheerios with Ziploc PantrySeal™ will be available as a new choice for Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios exclusively at Walmart.com beginning Oct. 27.

You asked, Cheerios™ and Ziploc® Brand delivered – freshness you can reseal!

 A practical alternative that fits existing carton packaging systems without adding complexity.

Addressing limited options in established carton packaging systems
In many carton packaging environments, manufacturers have often had to rely on a very limited set of closure system options. The 27 H-PAK addresses this challenge by offering a reliable alternative that fits into existing production setups without requiring significant changes.

Food and consumer goods manufacturers face growing pressure to reduce plastic packaging while maintaining speed, cost efficiency, and shelf appeal. For Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, this meant designing entirely new secondary packaging machines capable of replacing plastic shrink-wrap with paper.

In Episode 139 of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spotlighted Shabari Naturals, celebrating our 2026 Japan Good Design Award with the entire nation.

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), in association with The Hindu Group, is organising the Semiconductor Summit 2026 on Tuesday (October 27, 2026), the premier global gathering for innovators, engineers, and industry leaders shaping the future of electronics.

As technology accelerates through advanced lithography and sustainable manufacturing, this event brings together top minds to explore breakthroughs in chip design, power efficiency, and next-generation materials.