American Chemistry Council Stresses Urgent Need for Investment in Waste Management to Solve Ocean Litter, Calls for Ongoing Global Cooperation at G7 Meeting

HALIFAX, Sept. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - Addressing an audience of key stakeholders at the G7 Meeting of Environment, Oceans and Energy Ministers, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) today shared its latest progress and ambitious commitments to help end plastic waste in the environment.

Keith Christman, ACC's managing director of plastics markets, said U.S. plastics producers have committed to all plastic packaging being re-used, recycled or recovered by 2040 with an interim goal of all plastic packaging being recyclable or recoverable by 2030. Plastics makers in Canada and Europe have set similar goals, helping to provide a consistent framework for a more circular, global plastics economy.

"U.S. plastics makers share a deep commitment to ending plastic waste and are working swiftly with our global partners to drive meaningful change," said Christman. "Success will require innovations in design, new business models, and developing the technology and infrastructure that will capture the full value of the plastics we use today so they provide our resources and raw materials for tomorrow."

Christman emphasized the urgent need for all stakeholders to find new ways to work together to stop the flow of trash into the ocean, citing multiple studies that point to expansion of waste management systems as the fastest and most effective way to solve this problem.

"Leading plastics producers are working together to facilitate investments and accelerate deployment of solutions where gaps in waste management are currently the greatest," said Christman. "We are committed to driving positive and lasting changes in how we source, capture, use, and reuse plastics to help protect our planet, clean up our oceans, and enable people to live better."

Since 2011, ACC has helped lead the implementation of a global declaration on solutions for plastic litter. Today, more than 75 plastics associations in 40 countries have signed on to the declaration, and cumulatively they have undertaken 355 projects to help solve this problem. For example, the World Plastics Council and ACC both support Circulate Capital, new impact-focused investment firm, which directs funding toward the development of waste management infrastructure in South and Southeast Asia.

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The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®; common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues; and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $768 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is among the largest exporters in the nation, accounting for fourteen percent of all U.S. goods exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council