LyondellBasell takes leadership role in global effort to end plastic waste

LyondellBasell, Proctor & Gamble and Veolia to lead global alliance

17-Jan-2019 - Netherlands

LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world announced CEO Bob Patel has joined with Proctor & Gamble CEO David Taylor and Veolia CEO Antoine Frérot in leading the newly announced global Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW).

The AEPW is the first-ever international coalition of chemical and plastics manufacturers, converters, consumer goods companies, retailers and waste management companies dedicated to partnering with the finance community, government, and environmental and economic development NGOs to find market-based solutions to ending plastic waste in the environment. LyondellBasell is a founding member of AEPW.

"From helping to reduce food waste and improving healthcare products to cutting fuel consumption and emissions from lightweight vehicles, there is no doubt that plastics have played a positive role in improving quality of life for billions of people around the world," said LyondellBasell CEO Bob Patel. "But like so many other products, responsibly managing their disposal or reuse has become a concern – not just for governments or NGOs, but for all of us."

The nearly 30 companies and organizations that comprise the AEPW have a goal to commit $1.5 billion over the next five years to develop and bring to scale solutions that will minimize and manage plastic waste and promote post-use solutions.

"This approach is unique because it brings together and focuses the efforts and knowledge of plastics producers, consumer goods companies and retailers, as well as waste management companies," Patel said. "Having the resources and knowledge of the entire global value chain under one umbrella with the same goal is really very powerful."

The AEPW's efforts will focus on four key pillars:

Infrastructure development to collect and manage waste and increase recycling
Innovation to advance and scale new technologies that make recycling and recovering plastics easier and create value from all post-use plastics
Education and engagement of governments, businesses and communities to mobilize action
Clean up of concentrated areas of plastic waste already in the environment, particularly the major conduits of waste, like rivers, that carry land-based plastic waste to the sea

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/158866/lyondellbasell-takes-leadership-role-in-global-effort-to-end-plastic-waste.html