At the inaugural Our Ocean Conference on September 16, The Dow Chemical Company announced that it will commit US$2.8 million over the next two years to drive solutions that address global marine debris and litter.
“Dow is committed to finding viable science-based solutions to keep our oceans clean,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “These efforts are aligned to our 2025 Sustainability Goals and our efforts to advance a circular economy by delivering solutions to close resource loops and increase the rate of recycling and reuse of plastics.”
Dow’s US$2.8 million commitment will be focused on two areas. Approximately half of the support will go toward sponsorship of collaborative projects such as the Ocean Conservancy’s research and waste management pilot programs and to support educational programs to promote recycling and prevent littering.
The other half of Dow’s support will support ongoing research such as that being done by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation involving the development of new technologies to create a more circular economy while advancing opportunities to turn waste into a valuable end-state.
This includes work to increase the recyclability of flexible packaging and driving the development of chemical recycling technologies to convert non-recycled plastics into feedstocks that can be used to make new materials.
“Plastics offer many advancements that improve our everyday life – from packaging that helps reduce global food waste to life-saving innovations in the medical field,” said Diego Donoso, Business President of Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. “Yet, not all plastics waste ends up where it should and that is why we are working with the private sector, industry trade associations, academia and NGO’s to develop targeted global actions that will mitigate or even stop the amount of marine debris polluting our ocean.
News Source : China Plastic & Rubber Journal
