In a digital meeting, the plastics manufacturing industry association, Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, inked the Operation Clean Sweep® Pledge, in efforts to tackle pollution.
Specifically, the goal is to stop the loss of pellets into the environment.
Therefore, in efforts to reach ‘zero pellet loss’, the Port of Rotterdam joined forces with PlasticsEurope and other parties, including PlasticsEurope and Ducor Petrochemicals, that recently organized a digital meeting to discuss the current challenges arising from the pollution.
One of the results of the conference is that cooperation throughout the chain is necessary to achieve the goal of zero pellet loss and that there is certainly a willingness to do so. A campaign for the clean-up of plastic pellets and plastic litter also took place in the Port of London this summer, which the Port of Rotterdam Authority carried out in collaboration with the companies Ducor and HEBO.
In addition, the port deals with pollution from plastic pellets scattered along banks and in the water. These plastic pellets are produced by various companies for use as a raw material for the production of all kinds of plastic products. The unintentional loss of the pellets during the production process and transport is currently being addressed by many companies.
Josepha van Kollenburg from the sector association, PlasticsEurope Netherlands commented that
Among other things, we do this by making companies aware of their responsibility, training staff and advising companies in taking measures in their work processes that help prevent pellet loss into the environment.
Moreover, following the extra attention for plastic pellet pollution, various parties are currently monitoring a possible rise in new pellets on land or in the water. In addition, efforts are made to take measures to prevent pellet loss.
Concluding, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and PlasticsEurope call on companies that are not yet participating in Operation Clean Sweep® to join. New participants can use the knowledge and experience already acquired, so that they can quickly implement preventive measures to prevent pellet loss.
