Dow, LyondellBasell call for global deal to eliminate plastic waste

The leaders of the world's two largest plastic manufacturers on Sept.
1 called for a global agreement to eliminate plastic waste from the environment, urging governments and stakeholders around the world to push for a deal at an upcoming UN meeting A treaty resolution
.

Dow Chemical Chairman and CEO Jim Fitterling and LyondellBasell CEO Bob Patel join today's Wall Street Journal special event - "Arriving There: A Global Agreement to End Plastic Waste"
.
They speak on behalf of the American Chemistry Council and the International Council of Chemical Societies, representing the world's leading chemical and plastics manufacturers
.

Dow operates 106 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and regions around the world and employs approximately 35,700 people worldwide
.
Dow achieved about $39 billion in sales in 2020
.

The pair told The Wall Street Journal that plastics manufacturers are committed and eager to increase constructive engagement with governments and other stakeholders to advance a circular economy, in which plastics are reused rather than discarded
.
"Simply put," Fitterling said, "our vision is to prevent plastic from entering our environment by popularizing waste collection and reuse rather than throwing it away
.
"

They urged support for a resolution at the UN Environment Assembly in February 2022 that would begin negotiations on a global agreement to end plastic waste in the environment
.
"We shouldn't confuse the value of plastic with the issue of plastic waste,
" Patel said
.
"This is a global challenge that requires a global solution
.
With the support of the United Nations, we can develop a global framework to help us address this critical issue
.
"

The Wesseling complex in Germany is LyondellBasell's largest manufacturing facility in Europe
.
Polyolefin products at this site are used in the manufacture of films, cable and pipe coatings, fuel tanks, injection molding and household goods
.

To achieve their vision, plastics manufacturers propose a set of five principles to eliminate plastic waste, accelerate a circular economy for plastics, and serve as the basis for a global agreement
.

* All governments have agreed to eliminate plastic waste spills into the environment by a specific date, and develop regionally appropriate national action plans and policies that allow for flexibility based on local conditions
.

* Enable widespread use of waste collection and support the deployment of technologies, including advanced recycling, to improve the circularity of plastics
.

* Recognize the role of plastics in a low carbon future by supporting life cycle analysis as a means of assessing the impact of plastics and alternatives
.

* Support innovation in product and packaging design by developing global guidelines on design, recycled content and resource optimization with industry input
.

* Using a validated and harmonized methodology to measure the progress of plastic waste through globally accepted indicators of definition and reporting
.

"Jim and Bob have played a leadership role in developing solutions to eliminate plastic waste from our environment, both in their company and in the industry," said Joshua Barca, vice president of the American Chemistry Council's Plastics Chapter
.
"Plastic manufacturers look forward to participating in discussions on a new agreement that will help lead to scalable solutions to end plastic waste around the world
.
"