On 27 April, the British Plastics Federation (BPF), in collaboration with PlasticsEurope, is hosting a half-day online seminar on the theme of Achieving Sustainability in Plastics.
The event will look at circularity initiatives, achieving carbon neutrality and the funding available to companies to help accelerate innovation.
The programme will open with a presentation from Linda Crichton, the local authority recycling policy officer from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), about government legislation relating to plastics sustainability, as well as developments in the UK government’s Resources and Waste Strategy. This will be followed by two sessions exploring circularity initiatives and successes - one from SABIC’s Senior Manager Innovation Management Packaging Gert Coun, and one from Tesco’s Head of Packaging James Bull.
Carbon neutrality is another major part of the sustainability ambitions of many companies. This topic will be explored by Covestro’s Vice President of Strategy and Portfolio Development Nick Smith. Chairman of the BPF Sustainability Committee and Inovyn’s Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Jason Leadbitter will also discuss the bio attribution process, which measures the extent to which fossil-fuel-derived feedstocks have been substituted by either renewable or bio-based feedstocks.
UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Challenge Director for Smart Sustainable Plastics Packaging Paul Davidson will provide information about the funding available to plastics companies, before BPF Senior Recycling Issues Executive Helen Jordan explains the key findings of the recently published Recycling Roadmap. They will be followed by a panel debate on sustainability within the plastics industry featuring Professor of Polymer Science at Manchester University Michael Shaver, OPRL Executive Director Margaret Bates and Green Alliance’s Head of Resource Policy Libby Peake.
The final session of the event will feature Veolia’s Organics and Technical Director Tim Duret, who will be presenting on the role of plastics recycling in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Achieving Sustainability in Plastics will run from 14.00 to 16.40 on 27 April. The event costs £49 + VAT for BPF and PlasticsEurope members and £99 + VAT for non-members.