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PLASTICS and ACC Announce Three New Members to Elite Operation Clean Sweep blue Status

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Matthew Kastner
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WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and American Chemistry Council (ACC) today announced the addition of three new members to Operation Clean Sweep blue. The elite status is achieved by exceeding rigorous standards set by Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS). OCS is an industry-led campaign dedicated to helping every plastic resin handling operation prevent plastic resin loss.

New OCS blue Designees:
  • BASF (Florham Park, NJ)
  • DuPont (Wilmington, DE)
  • Eastman (Kingsport, TN)

“Creating chemistry for a sustainable future is not just a tagline. We are proud to work with others along the value chain to drive a positive impact, which is why BASF signed on to OCS blue as a clear commitment to pellet loss prevention and protecting the environment,”said Gülay K. Serhatkulu, Senior Vice President, Performance Materials North America, BASF Corporation.

"At DuPont, we are committed to a set of bold sustainability goals that are good for our communities and for our planet,"said Alexa Dembek, Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer, DuPont."Joining Operation Clean Sweep blue underscores our commitment to best practices in facilities management and operation, including responsible resin handling and pellet containment processes."

“Eastman is committed to accelerating a more circular economy, and as that commitment stimulates product innovation at Eastman, it also inspires us to apply the same principles to our operations,” said Kellye Walker, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Eastman. “By joining Operation Clean Sweep blue, we are underscoring our circularity efforts with our zero-incident mindset approach to safety, ethics and compliance -- driving continual improvement and creating a better circle.”

“PLASTICS is proud of managing Operation Clean Sweep. Our industry recognizes the importance of ensuring that plastic is manufactured in a way that seeks to eliminate the loss of resin into the environment,” said Patrick Krieger, Senior Director of Materials and Sustainability at PLASTICS. “This requires coordination across the supply chain and dedication to sharing best practices and interventions. OCS blue reflects a commitment by these organizations to take this a step further seeking to become leaders in this mission. We welcome our newest members to the program and look forward to learning from and with them.”

“America’s plastic makers congratulate the latest companies to achieve OCS blue status, and we encourage every company that makes or handles plastic pellets to do the same,” said Joshua Baca, ACC’s vice president of plastics. “Plastics are essential to a safer, cleaner, lower-carbon world – and all of us must work together to keep these advanced materials out of the environment.”

The OCS blue achievement demonstrates these three companies’ commitment to preventing plastic from entering the environment or becoming marine debris. By achieving this elite status, these companies are held to a higher standard to eliminate plastic resin loss by conducting site audits, increasing employee awareness, and improving equipment, processes and procedures at their facilities.

For more than 25 years the plastics industry has promoted OCS, a campaign dedicated to helping every plastic resin handling operation prevent plastic resin loss. The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) strongly encourage companies to take their commitment – a pledge committing to OCS principles by plastics companies or plastics employees – to the next level.

American Chemistry Council

The American Chemistry Council’s mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safely and sustainably—for generations to come.

Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS)

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, representing nearly one million workers in the $432 billion U.S. industry. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members and the industry more globally competitive while advancing recycling and sustainability. To learn more about PLASTICS’ education initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, networking opportunities and policy advocacy and the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show, visit plasticsindustry.org. Connect with PLASTICS on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.