Borealis (Vienna / Austria; www.borealisgroup.com) is planning to launch a project worth EUR 4m, together with its partners, in order to improve waste management in Southeast Asia – and reduce marine litter. The plastics producer presented the "STOP" (Stopping the Tap on Ocean Plastics) initiative at the international "Our Ocean" conference hosted by the European Commission on 5-6 October 2017 in Malta.

A feasibility and assessment study was conducted in Indonesia from July to September 2017, with respect to transitioning the waste management system there to a "zero-leakage pathway with increasing rates of plastics recycling, job creation in new after-use economies and public health benefits." The company says a first city partnership will be launched in 2018. Indonesia's government wants to reduce plastics waste in the country by 70% by the end of 2025.

In the German market, the group is also furthering commitments to environmental concerns, with its takeover of plastics recycling company mtm plastics (Niedergebra / Germany; www.mtm-plastics.eu) in 2016 – see Plasteurope.com of 06.07.2016. It is currently increasing polyolefins waste recycling capacity at its German subsidiary with an investment of EUR 15m. In addition, Borealis has committed itself to the "Zero Pellet Loss" initiative at its plants. The initiative is a global commitment of the plastics industry to minimise the loss of plastic granules into the environment.