________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Plastic serves so many important roles and I would always say that they should consider leaning into it rather than running away from it
that they ’ ve got the necessary information to make the decisions that they ultimately must make . It ’ s our job to compile information from our members and then speak on their behalf .
The other part of advocacy is making sure our message is being heard . If there ’ s a story running in a major publication , we want to be there . If there is a story running in a trade publication , we want to be there . It ’ s our job to ensure our message and our facts and information get where they need to be to advocate for plastics .
Finally , we inform our members on what is happening on Capitol Hill or in their home state ; how policies being enacted or introduced could positively or negatively impact industry and our environment . This past spring , we held a fly-in in Washington D . C . where our members spoke to their representatives directly about the importance of our industry . We strongly believe collaboration is key to reaching our shared goals . The plastics industry never comes to the table empty handed . We offer solutions , talk about innovations , and are always looking for ways to improve circularity and keep plastic out of the environment .
What are some of the main challenges faced by industries trying to reduce their plastic footprint , and how can PLASTICS assist ? Anytime someone focuses solely on the plastic footprint , they will miss the mark on sustainability . Environmental footprint should be about every impact . It should be about energy consumption , emissions , water usage , recyclability , durability and the total lifecycle of a product . For industries trying to reduce their overall environmental footprint , I would advocate leaning into plastic use in many ways but then committing to greater circularity . When those two things are combined , and this has been shown in lifecycle assessment after lifecycle assessment , plastic wins . Plastic is the best material for nearly every application in which it is used .
If a leader of another industry told me their members want to move away from plastic , my first question would be : “ What are they trying to accomplish ?” If it is to reduce the overall environmental impact , we know arbitrarily eliminating plastic will increase environmental impact . If it ’ s about reducing waste , plastic remains the right answer . The preservation of food alone demonstrates the value of plastic . The protection of products cannot efficiently be replaced by other materials in most cases . Plastic serves so many important roles and I would always say that they should consider leaning into it rather than running away from it .
The other part is also finding ways to improve the private system to focus on circularity , such as designing for recyclability and finding ways to efficiently collect materials so they can be recycled .
This is part of our job in bringing the industry together . Our job is to lead on sustainability and work with our members to be at the cutting edge of what other industries are looking for .
Looking ahead , what do you think is next for the plastics sector ? I think the plastics industry is going to continue to grow . We are at the heart of the overall economy . Any macroeconomic headwinds are going to have an impact on the plastics industry . We are concerned about the trends in regulation and legislation
12