The British Plastics Federation (BPF, London EC2A 3JE; www.bpf.co.uk), will enlist the aid of the newly regrouped trade association PlasticsEurope (B-1160 Brussels; www.apme.org), and the converting sector´s trade body EuPC (B-1000 Brussels; www.eupc.org) for an image improvement campaign in the UK. Additional assistance, including financial input, will be sought from major end-user industries, according to Jim Jeffries, president of BPF and managing director of Baerlocher UK. “I believe our industry needs to lobby major end-user industries to devote a small part of their large marketing budgets to extolling the merits of plastics in their products,” Jeffries asserted. “So, Mr. Mercedes and Mr. Ford, tell the world why you use plastics. And, while you´re at it, give it some glamour,” he added.

Such a campaign, the BPF believes, would help to change the attitude of the general public, most of whom think the plastics industry´s contribution to society is negligible compared with the damage it allegedly inflicts. “We have been bombarded by the environmental lobby, who have misrepresented our contribution to society,” claims Jeffries, noting that the consequence of a poor image is that investors put their money elsewhere, in supposedly sexier, cleaner industries that, as a result, attract more top graduates.

Whilst manufacturing probably never will be able to compete with careers in sport, fashion or television, says the BPF president, the plastics industry should be able to sell itself easily within the manufacturing sector as sustainable. Because of its versatility and cost-effectiveness, possibilities for replacement of other materials are unlimited. “Adding value to society – not a drain on resources” would be the slogan Jim Jeffries favours.