During the K 2016 trade fair in Düsseldorf (19-26 October 2016), ASSOCOMAPLAST joined Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), an environmental protection programme addressing the plastics industry introduced by the U.S. association SPI and the American Chemistry Council. OCS lays out guidelines for reducing the accidental loss of plastic pellets, powders and flakes generated during the production of plastic articles.
It is well know that discarded plastic packaging (caps, bottles and various containers) frequently ends up polluting seas and oceans. This may principally be attributed to the “bad habits” of consumers, who are often not sufficiently committed to recycling.
However another, smaller, part of the problem is due to the release into the environment of plastic pellets from the production process, which also end up in the waste stream. And this is why the plastics industry is called upon to take action to limit, if not prevent entirely using codified procedures, this loss of material.
The Operation Clean Sweep programme appeals to the sensibilities of polymer producers, transporters, storage facilities and processing firms to adopt a number of best practices (often requiring very little effort), each in its own area of operations.
The machinery manufacturing industry is also implicated, albeit only marginally, since some minimum quantity of granules may be lost during machinery testing and certification.
By signing the protocol, ASSOCOMAPLAST has shown its commitment to promoting the initiative in Italy.
For more information: www.opcleansweep.org.