Page 44 - Plastics News April 2020

BPF urges government to classify plastic sector Plastics recycling entities largely deemed
workers as essential 'essential'

British ecycling collection and processing has been
eP l a s t i c Rdeemed essential by states that have issued stay-
F e d e r a t i o n at-home orders, meaning industry entities are not
( B P F ) h a s subject to forced shutdowns. As states over the past
asked the UK week prepared to enact strict stay-at-home orders to
Government help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the
t o c l a s s i f y “essential” designation became a key talking point
plastic sector across many business sectors. The Institute of Scrap
employees as Recycling Industries (ISRI) on March 18 penned a letter
key workers to Vice President Mike Pence, urging the federal
d u r i n g t h e government to consider the industry “essential.”
Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. In a letter written to Similar efforts came from the National Waste &
members of parliament, BPF stated that packaging is Recycling Association (NWRA), Solid Waste Association
essential and having workers in packaging facilities is of North America (SWANA) and others. On March 19, the
crucial. The letter follows Prime Minister Boris Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA),
Johnson's Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak update which is part of the Department of Homeland Security,
earlier this week, which stated that all non-essential published a list of essential infrastructure sectors, a
workers in the UK must stay in their homes except to designation that includes those providing “support to
shop for essentials. Included in the list of essential ensure the effective removal, storage, and disposal of
workers are key public services employees, food chain residential and commercial solid waste and hazardous
workers, teachers, government, utility workers, those
working in transport, and those in the public safety
sector. In the letter, BPF director-general Philip Law
said: “I am writing to you to call for the urgent
introduction of measures to ensure the continued
provision of essential household and pharmaceutical
goods across the UK, as well as meeting key
infrastructure demands. Unless changes are made – in
particular, the recognition of key parts of the plastics
sector as critical infrastructure – the manufacturing
industry will not be able to meet demand.” Law listed
key products supplied by the plastics sector, which
include packaging as well as medical equipment, pipes waste,” as well as “truck drivers who haul hazardous
systems, and communications and energy supply and waste materials to support critical infrastructure,
systems. He added: “The BPF is witnessing critical item capabilities, functions, and services.” Meanwhile,
shortages and government action is needed to address numerous states have enacted stay-at-home orders
this. For example, there have been estimates of an over the past week. Although structured differently, all
overall uplift in retail sales last weekend of between so far allow for the continued operation of recycling
600% and 800%. This has massively increased demand services. Advocates are pointing to the role recycling
for packaging in addition to other products “Packaging plays in the supply chain, in addition to its waste
companies and other key processors are reliant on a management and sanitation function. ISRI described
steady supply of raw materials, and the polymer recycling as “essential to supplying U.S. manufacturing
distributors who ensure the material reaches those in with the materials necessary to produce steel,
the supply chain. We urge the government to evaluate aluminum, paper, plastics, rubber and many other
the consequences of closing key sites and to recognise materials.” In Michigan manufacturers pointed to the
that plastic manufacturers are part of the critical vital role recycling collection plays in their ability to
infrastructure of the UK.” produce high-demand products.

APRIL 2020 41 Plastics News