Priorities for action

The challenges facing the plastics industry, and society as a whole, are complex, but there are also very significant opportunities to drive positive change. To help address these challenges the WPC is focused on the following priority action areas.

The Global Plastics Treaty

The plastics industry is committed to an ambitious, country-driven Global Plastics Agreement with a targeted goal to ensure access to proper waste management, eliminate leakage of plastic into the ocean, and promote circularity.

Operation Clean Sweep®

Over 60 countries have committed, and acted, to reduce plastic resin loss to the environment through Operation Clean Sweep®, by implementing responsible plastics stewardship and active monitoring.

Basel Convention

Moving waste safely across boundaries requires careful handling to protect human health and the environment. The Basel Convention sets global standards on waste management, minimization, prevention, reduction, and circularity. As an accredited observer to the Basel Convention, the WPC advocates for policies, investment and innovation to accelerate action on circularity.

A science and innovation driven approach

The members of the World Plastics Council are heavily engaged in addressing the global challenges facing the plastics system, as both individual companies and through partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders.

Science and innovation, which is in our industry’s DNA and has helped us to successfully respond to all the challenges we have faced in the past, plays a fundamental role in our industries response to these global challenges.

These are some of the industry changing innovations that are helping us reach a more sustainable future. Our member companies and partner organizations are taking new steps all the time, so keep checking back to learn about the latest.

Braskem & Terra Circular

Upsyde, a joint venture of Braskem and Terra Circular, is committed to making a tangible impact by upcycling mixed and hard-to-recycle plastic waste.

Borealis

Borealis continues to invest in the expansion of its advanced mechanical recycling capabilities by building a commercial-scale plant in Schwechat, Austria.

Trinseo

The acquisition of recycler Heathland B.V. in January 2022 by Trinseo served as an important milestone in its strategic positioning within the market and enhances its footprint as a sustainable solutions provider.

Dow

In July 2022 Dow and Mura Technology announced their joint commitment to scale the chemical recycling of plastics.

LyondellBasell

As part of their circular economy strategy, LyondellBasell announced in 2022 a new Circular and Low Carbon Solutions business.

Shell

Shell and BlueAlp signed a strategic partnership to develop, scale and deploy BlueAlp’s plastic waste to chemical feedstock technology.

BASF

ChemCycling® is BASF’s chemical recycling business to manufacture high-performance products from chemically recycled plastic waste on an industrial scale.

TotalEnergies

As part of its ambition to reach 1 million tons circular polymers by 2030, TotalEnergies is developing products obtained through mechanical recycling of PE, PP and PS.

Dow

In its Steel2Chemicals project, Dow is investigating the use of alternative raw materials for its chemicals production processes.

INEOS

INEOS is constructing a € 4 billion state-of-the-art ethane cracker in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, called Project ONE.

SABIC

SABIC’s “Safer Chemistry Programme” has been created in 2020 to reduce and manage the use of chemicals of concern in production processes.

INEOS

INEOS and Wintershall Dea, a German energy company, are leading a consortium that is proving that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technical reality.

BASF

BASF becomes member of Catena-X Automotive Network Experiment with the Digital Product Passport to speed up its roll-out.

Acoplásticos

ICIPC LOOP ‘ecodesign’ label drives positive change in packaging recycling in Colombia.

Acoplásticos

Plas-TIC – Empowering the plastics circular economy through information

FEGEDEG

Changing lives through education and empowerment while reducing plastic pollution

Plastics SA

Successful Inkwazi Isu Project reduces waste, empowers the local community and fosters economic growth

Ecoplas

Manito certification aids improved plastic sorting and recycling

Acoplásticos

Dale Vida al Plástico (Bring Plastics to Life) strives to change consumer behaviour on plastic waste

Acoplásticos

Go Plastic initiative attracts innovation and entrepreneurship for a sustainable plastics industry

Acoplásticos

Creating a new life for post-consumer containers and packaging

Ecoplas

Ecoplas Green Schools programme inspires and educates on the role of sustainable plastics

Ecoplas

INTI-Ecoplas recycled plastic eco-label certification supports a circular plastics economy in Argentina

SABIC

Magnum becomes the world’s first ice cream brand to use recycled polypropylene plastic in its packaging in SABIC initiative

TotalEnergies

Production of sustainable polyethylene based on carbon captured from industrial waste gas

TotalEnergies

Total Corbion PLA has launched the world’s first commercially available chemically recycled bioplastics product

Tracking Our Progress

Tracking plastics circularity projects in countries around the globe