Page 38 - Plastics News April 2017

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Plasticity forum to focus on reducing plastics waste

lasticity Forums will focus on plastic pollution, Earth Day Texas events. The Anaheim symposium takes
Precycling, waste streams and related topics on April place in the Hilton HOTEL during May 8-10 Antec technical
21 in Dallas and May 9 in Anaheim, California. At least a conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers in the
dozen presentations are planned at each sustainability adjacent convention center. Environmental advocate
oriented event. "Society is facing a great challenge," Doug Woodring founded and is managing director of the
said one of the speakers, Trish Hyde, CEO of the Sydney- Plasticity Forum. Robert Grace, president of R.C. Grace
based Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation LLC, is the forum moderator.
Ltd., a sustainable packaging initiative. "We know that
plastics play an important role in everyday life from
contact lens to clothes to product protecting packaging," BPF launches new strategy to
she said via email. "What we don't know is how to be boost plastic recycling in UK
completely sustainable with plastics to prevent the marine
degradation that we have today." he British Plastics Federation Recycling Group
Hyde views the Plasticity Forum as a way "to share T(BPFRG) has launched a new strategy to improve
knowledge and insights into achieving sustainability. It plastic recycling in the UK through industry-led initiatives
approaches the issue from a collaborative viewpoint so and regulation.
that we can all — industry, community and governments The strategy, said the BPFRG on 5 April, will encourage
— play a role in finding the ways forward." Libby Bernick, the development of the UK plastic recycling industry in
said in a statement: "Plastic offers many environmental order to maintain “valuable plastic material” in the UK
benefits such as reducing carbon emissions due to its to be used by the manufacturing
lighter weight compared to alternatives. However, there sector. The group has called
are also downsides including pollution by plastic waste — for a “split plastic packaging
especially in the ocean." Bernick is the New York-based recycling target” between UK-
global head of corporate business for the Trucost part based recycling and exporting.
of the S&P Dow Jones Indices division of S&P Global The target, said the group, will
Inc."Trucost's environmental data and analytics provides increase over time. The BPFRG
insights that can help companies develop more sustainable has also proposed creating an investment fund to help
plastics," she noted. Another speaker, Edward Kosior, develop new technology, using funding from extended
managing director of London-based plastics recycling producer responsibility, landfill tax or a minimum price for
consultancy Nextek Ltd., said: "Every plastic item can have PRN/PERN. Additionally, the strategy called for standards
a circular destiny; we just have to imagine it — and then for all grades of plastic feedstock for the UK or export
do it." He added "Plastics are created from the imagination market to create high quality material for recyclers.
of chemists, engineers and designers from the time they This, it said, is intended “to create demand” for the
are manufactured as granules to when they are sold as recycled products produced using public procurement
a product that makes an impact on our lives. We have and procurement from large corporate companies. “The
the enormous opportunity and, indeed, responsibility strategy’s aim is to increase recycling activity in the UK
to make sure that this creativity also encompasses the and has been produced in consultation with senior figures
way these products will end up after being used. Every in industry,” said chairman of the Recycling Group Roger
item can have a circular destiny. "It must start with the Baynham.The BPFRG will also be collaborating with the
design of every package given the huge volume and short Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP) to help
life," Kosior said. "We know how to do it, and there is no increase plastic recycling. This includes studying barriers
excuse for any future products not having the benefit of that prevent certain plastics from being recycled. PIRAP
our imagination." currently has 50 members from across the value chain
The Dallas event occurs in the Fair Park building formerly including retailers and brand owners.
housing The Women's Museum and during the April 21-23

Plastics News | April 2017 38