October began with Brazilian pulp giant Suzano making new US acquisitions as part of its ongoing push into the North American market. Meanwhile, the US packaging industry was hit by Hurricane Helene, which left many companies temporarily closed. An investigation in the UK revealed that incineration has become a leading source of national emissions, and in the Netherlands, alternative polymer company Avantium opened the doors to its industrial production plant after 19 years of development.Among this month’s key developments, we look at some of the hottest topics, market dynamics and trends while speaking to some of the most prominent players in the industry.