Sustainable Plastics - September/October 2022 - 20

Looking to climate
change; beyond
sustainable materials
corporating a significant share
of recycled content into our
polystyrene packaging. We've
achieved, and even exceeded,
our targets and have since continued
our own climate journey:
enhancing our capabilities with
in-house, automated lifecycle
assessments, participating in a
blockchain initiative, and continuing
with ISCC+ mass balance
certifications.
There is more to being a
Digitalisation, climate protection and circular economy
are the three core themes at K 2022. All three are having
a transformational impact on businesses and industry;
all three are shaping a sustainable future. Here, Trinseo's
Walter van het Hof discusses the role of plastics and
the businesses in the industry in mitigating the impact of
climate change. As he writes: " A change of mindset and
direct action is all it takes. "
I
20
n March 2022, the United
Nations Environment Assembly
(UNEA) passed
the most significant international
deal on the environment
since The Paris Agreement
on climate change. The
End Plastic Pollution resolution
is committed to putting an end
to plastics pollution globally
and lays the foundations for a
legally binding treaty to further
this objective by 2024.
The resolution highlights the
importance of taking a broad
view on the challenge of plastics
waste and promoting the
sustainable design of products
and materials where they're recycled
and reused for as long
as possible so they can continue
to play a productive role
in the economy. This supports
the goals of Plastics Europe as
well, which include seeing that
plastics continue to contribute
positively to society and to our
future, and at the same time,
mitigate any potential negative
impacts on the environment
through a number of deliberate
and focused actions.
September/October 2022
For many, the move by the
UN was seen as an effort to get
involved with the global issues
of plastic waste and climate
change. For others, it simply
reflects the work of industry to
date; efforts that will be highlighted
during this year's K
trade fair 19-26 October in Dusseldorf,
Germany.
Trinseo will be present at the
show, building on a series of
announcements we made at K
2019, which included building
a chemical recycling facility for
polystyrene in Europe and insustainable
solutions provider
than providing chemically or
mechanically recycled, or otherwise
sustainably advantaged
materials. We are reducing
carbon emissions in our own
operations and encouraging
customers to do the same, by
rethinking their own product
design and manufacturing
processes. Climate change reversal
demands a scientific approach,
and this can be quantified
today with deliberate and
disciplined action.
An evolving value chain
It's not just traditional plastics
manufacturers that share this
vision; organisations throughout
the value chain have been
implementing their own sustainability
initiatives in an effort to
reverse climate change. As such,
traditional supply chain lines
have merged, with greater collaboration
across industry than
we have seen for some time.
For example, Trinseo acquired
Heathland B.V. in January
2022, a recycler of plastics
waste, headquartered in The
Netherlands, gaining access
to an array of recycling technologies
and a reliable source
of recycled feedstock. Heathland
is focused on converting
post-consumer recycled and
post-industrial recycled plastic
waste, which includes PMMA,
PC, ABS, PS and other thermoplastics.
The company collects,
Sustainable Plastics - September/October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Plastics - September/October 2022
