Dow, LyondellBasell, BASF, Henkel and other CEOs launch Alliance to End Plastic Waste

LONDON (ICIS)–CEOs from chemical and plastics producers, consumer goods companies, retailers, converters, waste management firms and other organisations have signed up to the new Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), they said on Wednesday.

The Alliance will be one of the largest non-profit organisations, with an initial commitment of over $1.0bn to help end plastic waste in the environment, and an overall investment goal of close to $1.5bn over the next five years.

It will seek to drive forward with the circular plastics economy, promote recycling and tackle plastic waste in some of the worst polluted parts of the world, including rivers in Asia and the world’s oceans.

“Everyone agrees that plastic waste does not belong in our oceans or anywhere in the environment. This is a complex and serious global challenge that calls for swift action and strong leadership,” said David Taylor, AEPW chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble.

“This new alliance is the most comprehensive effort to date to end plastic waste in the environment. I urge all companies, big and small and from all regions and sectors, to join us.”

The AEPW detailed a four-part strategy to end plastic waste in the environment, including:

– Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure development to collect and manage plastic waste, and increase recycling in areas of greatest need.

– Innovation
Innovation to minimise waste, and advance and bring to scale new technologies that make recycling and recovering plastics easier and create value from all post-use plastics.

– Education & Engagement
Education and engagement of governments, businesses, and communities to mobilise action.

– Clean Up
Clean up of areas where plastic waste is concentrated today, particularly major rivers that carry significant amount of plastic waste to the ocean.

Senior executives from Procter & Gamble, LyondellBasell, Dow, Veolia, BASF, Henkel, SUEZ, Renewology, Circulate Capital and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) will participate in an announcement to launch AEPW, broadcast live on the internet from London.

As well as those mentioned above, other members of the AEPW include Berry Global, Braskem, Chevron Phllips, Clariant, Covestro, DSM, ExxonMobil, Formosa Plastics, Mitsubishi Chemical, Mitsui Chemicals, NOVA Chemicals, Oxychem, Reliance Industries, SABIC, Sasol, Shell, SCG Chemicals, Sumitomo, Total, and Versalis.

Picture source: Gary K Smith/FLPA/imageBROKER/REX/Shutterstock

Additional reporting by Niall Swan