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Multiple jurisdictions in Canada have implemented stewardship programs, putting onus on producers to manage the products and packaging they churn out at the end of life. This two-part series tells the story of British Columbia’s 21 producer responsibility programs, focusing on one in particular. And it takes a look at Ontario’s plans to transition from 50% to 100%-funded producer responsibility for packaging and paper. Years back, British Columbia, Canada set out to incentivize producers to take a hard look at products they put on the market, with thought to how they could design them to be easier to deal with at the end of life. The idea was to ensure that governments and taxpayers did not have to pick up the tab for managing waste commodities and their packaging—while finding solutions…

Utility patents protect ideas and inventions; design patents protect aesthetic features of a product; and trademarks protect the exclusive consumer association with your company that your brands, logos, or designs evoke. Despite the differences in these types of intellectual property (“IP”), these are some common issues that arise in patent and trademark lawsuits. Overlap of Design Patent With Trade Dress Design patents and trade dress are legal protections for visually identifiable features of a commercial product, the purpose of which is not exclusively or primarily functional. Famous examples include the distinctive shape of Coca-Cola bottles and the red soles of Christian Louboutin shoes. The owner of the UGG brand has both design patents and trademarks covering its shoe designs, demonstrating that these two forms of intellectual property can cover the same aesthetic features. If a…

Acknowledging that solar energy has a “huge promise” for India, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said in her Budget speech that “to build up domestic capacity, we will notify a phased manufacturing plan for solar cells and solar panels”. The Centre had imposed a 25% safeguard duty on solar imports from China and Malaysia in July 2018 for two years, which was extended to July 2021, at a rate of 15%. Even though Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention any import restrictions on solar cells and modules to boost the domestic manufacturers, the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) does not rule out the imposition of basic customs duty (BCD) on such items. Addressing the media about the implications of the budget on the renewable sector, MNRE…

Rise in automation in the automotive sector, surge in need for safety, accuracy, and productivity, and reduction in labor costs in organizations fuel the growth of the global automotive robotics market. Based on region, Asia-Pacific contributed to the highest market share in 2019, and is expected to maintain its dominant share throughout the forecast period. Portland, OR, Feb. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by Allied Market Research, the global automotive robotics industry generated $6.63 billion in 2019, and is expected to reach $13.60 billion by 2027, witnessing a CAGR of 12.8% from 2020 to 2027. The report provides a detailed analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive landscape, and evolving market trends. Download Report Sample (339 Pages…

Surge in demand for safety and convenience-related features, high demand for electric vehicles, and stringent safety regulations of governments drive the growth of the global automotive motors market. PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Automotive Motors Market by Type (DC brushed motors, Brushless DC motors, Stepper motors, and Traction motors), Vehicle Type (Two-wheelers, Electric Two-wheelers, Passenger cars, Light commercial vehicles (LCVs), Heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs), BEV, PHEV, and HEV), Function (Performance, Comfort & Convenience, and Safety & Security), Technology (PWM, DTC, and others), and by Application (Alternator, ETC, Electric parking break, Sun roof motor, Fuel pump motor, ECM, Wiper motor, Engine cooling fan, HVAC, VVT, EGR, Starter motor, Anti-lock brake system, EPS, PLG, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020–2027." According to the report, the…

Jorhat has been included in the list of 150 districts in the country selected by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) to participate in the Eat Right Challenge. After the selection, the Jorhat district administration has swung into a proactive mode to ensure that the district meets all food safety and hygiene norms of the regulatory body. Tezpur in Sonitpur district of Assam has also been included in the list. Briefing newspersons at Jorhat on Tuesday, deputy commissioner Roshni A Korati said the period of participation was from October 2020 to June 2021, but due to the pandemic crisis, many things had not been done. The DC said samples of food were collected from hotels, eateries and also the SHGs and sent to Guwahati for testing. “If they meet…

Recent certifications on TENAA reveals details about the 2021 Xiaomi Mi 10 5G, including its details. The Redmi K40 gets BIS certifications as well. Representative Image: Xiaomi Mi 10 5G special Edition There have been rumours related to a 2021 reboot of the Xiaomi Mi 10 5G for a while but nothing concrete ever came out. The recent TENAA listing, however, reveals the design of the 2021 Mi 10 5G and some of its specifications. The new Mi 10 5G seems to be an affordable alternative to the Mi 11 flagship from this year, thanks to its use of the Snapdragon 870 chipset. The design is reminiscent of the Mi 10 Extreme Commemorative Edition. Also Read - Poco X3 Pro, Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, Realme 8 Pro: Best smartphones under Rs…

With talks of "timely" 5G roll out in India resurfacing again after a Covid-hit year that delayed spectrum auction, there are hopes that the fifth-generation cellular technology could be a reality in the second half of the year, even though various reports suggest that its mass adoption could still be years away. New Delhi: With talks of "timely" 5G roll out in India resurfacing again after a Covid-hit year that delayed spectrum auction, there are hopes that the fifth-generation cellular technology could be a reality in the second half of the year, even though various reports suggest that its mass adoption could still be years away.The government is not selling traditional 5G spectrum in the upcoming auction the bidding for which will commence in March, but a tweak in the notice inviting applications has raised hope…

Surat: As many as 16 mineral packaged drinking water plants in four different municipal zones in the city were sealed on Tuesday by the health department teams of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) after these were found operating without the mandatory Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and ISI certification.The food and health department officials raided plants in Katargam, Rander,Udhana and Limbayat.Dr Ashish Naik, deputy municipal commissioner (health and hospital) told TOI, “We had received information on the illegal operation of several mineral water plants in four different municipal zones who were delivering compromised quality water on daily basis sans adherence to BIS and ISI criteria.”Dr Naik further said that BIS certification is must for all those manufacturers selling mineral water. “We will punish those who don’t follow the prescribed norms…

All of us here mourn the death last month of Hamlet Batista, our friend and contributor. Hamlet first appeared in Practical Ecommerce in an interview. A mutual acquaintance, an SEO practitioner, had suggested that we publish his views. “He’s really smart,” the acquaintance told me. “He’s applying for a genius visa.” “Too Much SEO Can Harm an Ecommerce Business,” my Q&A with Hamlet, we published in January 2012. Optimizing an ecommerce site solely for search engines, not humans, was a trending topic then. Hamlet addressed it expertly. He and I stayed in touch. Eventually Hamlet agreed to write recurring articles. From January 2017 to August 2020 he wrote for Practical Ecommerce 37 insightful SEO pieces to help merchants. And, boy, were they popular. He explained how to recover from an organic-search traffic…