EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
PlasticsEurope president Patrick Thomas: Plastics industry needs to be at the forefront of combating problems like marine litter / Lessons from "PolyTalk" to be applied at global level / Europe is the source of the solution
 Patrick Thomas (Photo: Bayer MaterialScience) |
Plasteurope.com spoke exclusively with Patrick Thomas, president of PlasticsEurope (Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticseurope.org) and CEO of Covestro (Leverkusen / Germany; www.covestro.com), at the recent “PolyTalk” conference (www.polytalk.eu), held in Brussels / Belgium on 16 and 17 March 2016 (for details, see Plasteurope.com of 30.03.2016).
Plasteurope.com: It is quite revolutionary for a body like PlasticsEurope to be hosting a conference on marine litter, is it not?
Thomas: Plastics manufacturers already recognised the problem of marine litter before PolyTalk. So already in 2011, more than 60 associations in 34 countries signed "The Global Declaration for Marine Litter Solutions", under which more than 185 projects are planned, underway or completed. And in 2013, we came together and established the World Plastics Council (WPC) to expand our global reach, and to stand up in front of the UN, where we are currently applying for recognition.
The fact that only 25% of our audience this year comes from the plastics industry indicates that our agenda has spread beyond the industry and also shows how much progress we have made. Mind you, some people are still fearful of the kinds of debates we are holding today. It is not a matter of course for a plastics industry body to be holding a discussion where one of the presenters brings along the contents of a camel’s stomach.
What this shows, though, is that our industry has become more transparent. The plastics industry is on the front foot and has become much more adaptable. We have realised that we want the same as the European Environment Commission. Just like them, our goal is zero plastics to landfill.
That being said, a lot of the plastics entering the ocean come from countries in Asia. The main polluters identified in a recent study are China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. That is why it is so encouraging to see players like the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation join WPC.
Plasteurope.com: Given that most of the litter entering the ocean comes from Asia, would it not have been more appropriate to hold a conference of this type in Asia?
Thomas: No, not at all. The topic will move from PolyTalk to the World Plastics Council, where it can then be addressed globally. With a problem this vast, it is important to start building a base from small islands, places where you can achieve some measure of success.
In Europe there is a tradition of dealing with matters head-on. That culture allows us to create an environment where people can listen to each other. To illustrate: At each PolyTalk, the number of industry participants has fallen, and we now feel we have a good balance between the private and public sector to create a meaningful dialogue. It is not productive to hold meetings of this kind with only industry present. We need to spread the word.
Plasteurope.com: So the role of Europe is that of a trailblazer?
Thomas: I believe that Europe is the source of the solution. The recycling rates in countries like Germany and Austria testify to a type of behaviour among the population. But the necessary structure needs to be in place, too. In the UK there are simply too many different systems right now, so the current structure doesn’t really work. The lessons that are drawn in Europe can easily be transferred elsewhere, and that once again is what the World Plastics Council is there for.
It is no secret that in Europe we invest in patents and innovation, so we are at the forefront of solutions to many of the complex modern problems. What we need now is to improve our data and analysis tools. And for the plastics industry itself to get involved. Many producers are already doing so as part of the “zero pellet loss campaign”. It is imperative that our industry set a good example.
So this year’s PolyTalk is a starting point, providing a forum where all stakeholders can come together, explore ideas and new avenues and hopefully lay the groundwork for global initiatives in the future.
Plasteurope.com: Thank you very much.
Plasteurope.com: It is quite revolutionary for a body like PlasticsEurope to be hosting a conference on marine litter, is it not?
Thomas: Plastics manufacturers already recognised the problem of marine litter before PolyTalk. So already in 2011, more than 60 associations in 34 countries signed "The Global Declaration for Marine Litter Solutions", under which more than 185 projects are planned, underway or completed. And in 2013, we came together and established the World Plastics Council (WPC) to expand our global reach, and to stand up in front of the UN, where we are currently applying for recognition.
The fact that only 25% of our audience this year comes from the plastics industry indicates that our agenda has spread beyond the industry and also shows how much progress we have made. Mind you, some people are still fearful of the kinds of debates we are holding today. It is not a matter of course for a plastics industry body to be holding a discussion where one of the presenters brings along the contents of a camel’s stomach.
What this shows, though, is that our industry has become more transparent. The plastics industry is on the front foot and has become much more adaptable. We have realised that we want the same as the European Environment Commission. Just like them, our goal is zero plastics to landfill.
That being said, a lot of the plastics entering the ocean come from countries in Asia. The main polluters identified in a recent study are China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. That is why it is so encouraging to see players like the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation join WPC.
Plasteurope.com: Given that most of the litter entering the ocean comes from Asia, would it not have been more appropriate to hold a conference of this type in Asia?
Thomas: No, not at all. The topic will move from PolyTalk to the World Plastics Council, where it can then be addressed globally. With a problem this vast, it is important to start building a base from small islands, places where you can achieve some measure of success.
In Europe there is a tradition of dealing with matters head-on. That culture allows us to create an environment where people can listen to each other. To illustrate: At each PolyTalk, the number of industry participants has fallen, and we now feel we have a good balance between the private and public sector to create a meaningful dialogue. It is not productive to hold meetings of this kind with only industry present. We need to spread the word.
Plasteurope.com: So the role of Europe is that of a trailblazer?
Thomas: I believe that Europe is the source of the solution. The recycling rates in countries like Germany and Austria testify to a type of behaviour among the population. But the necessary structure needs to be in place, too. In the UK there are simply too many different systems right now, so the current structure doesn’t really work. The lessons that are drawn in Europe can easily be transferred elsewhere, and that once again is what the World Plastics Council is there for.
It is no secret that in Europe we invest in patents and innovation, so we are at the forefront of solutions to many of the complex modern problems. What we need now is to improve our data and analysis tools. And for the plastics industry itself to get involved. Many producers are already doing so as part of the “zero pellet loss campaign”. It is imperative that our industry set a good example.
So this year’s PolyTalk is a starting point, providing a forum where all stakeholders can come together, explore ideas and new avenues and hopefully lay the groundwork for global initiatives in the future.
Plasteurope.com: Thank you very much.
03.05.2016 Plasteurope.com [233698-0]
Published on 03.05.2016