3rd Sustainability guide & recycling of plastics and the discussion about the ban of single-use products

In issue 684 of Plásticos em Revista magazine, a specialized vehicle for the plastics industry, the 3rd Sustainability Guide & Plastics Recycling was published, giving an overview of the challenges faced in this sector.

The theme addressed in this edition is the ban on single-use plastic products, the main post-consumption waste for recycling operations, as a result of the pressure against plastics, which makes companies of all sizes and markets choose to ban the use of plastic in their operations.

As has been proven in several studies, plastic brings benefits not only for industry and consumers, but it is also the material that has the smallest carbon footprint compared to those commonly presented as more sustainable alternatives, such as aluminum and glass. That said, the thought proposed by the guide is:

What specifically is the Brazilian plastic industry not doing yet and should be doing to curb these bans?

This question was posed to several members of the sector, among them, Valgroup’s Sustainability Manager, João Henrique Alves, who gave his point of view on the issue, as well as potential ways to solve this challenge:

“The two points that we see as fundamental for the industry to focus on are concentrated on communication, and the incentive for both private and public sectors to practice circular economy. On the first level, the plastics industry needs to reinvent its communication, to bring to society the relevant information regarding the use of plastic in packaging and the social risks entailed by its banishment, such as an increase in the price of products and services resulting in the impoverishment of low-income groups. In parallel, it is up to the industry to highlight to the public the threats to the aggravation of climate change embedded in the use of more carbon-emitting materials. As the focus of this communication, we have the common consumer, with little

perception regarding the science behind materials engineering, but who, in practice, experiences the convenience offered by plastic packaging. The opinion of this population is of great concern for the companies that own the major consumer brands (brand owners). For this reason, consumer awareness, based on scientific data about the benefits of plastic materials and the importance of the correct separation and disposal of their waste, would bring less pressure on these companies to make changes to packaging materials without a thorough evaluation of the impacts. In the second plan, the incentive to the development of circular economy should be prioritized …”.

Check out the full answer and analysis from other interviewees by clicking on the link:

https://plasticosemrevista.com.br/online/684/docs/plasticos_684.pdf