GPCA ’24: Lack of recycling root cause of plastics pollution, Dow says

MUSCAT (ICIS)–Dow has attributed problems with plastics pollution to a lack of plastics recycling and not production, the US producer’s chair and CEO said at the 18th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) on Tuesday.

Plastics are “essential” to the modern world, according to Jim Fitterling, and demand will only rise in the years ahead – but most countries have no roadmap to recycle plastics, let alone reduce production.

Tensions between oil-producing nations, led by Saudi Arabia, and other nations advocating for a cut in plastics production, have stalled global treaty talks at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in South Korea.

The session concluded on 1 December with no definitive agreement.

“When policymakers take it upon themselves to decide one type of energy is right and another type of energy is wrong, rather than asking what is right for each unique situation, that’s when progress stops.”

Dow is embracing innovation in its energy transition goals, with Fitterling asserting that its energy transition is “here to stay”.

Through the company’s plan to “decarbonize and grow”, Dow aims to boost underlying earnings by over $3 billion while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5 million tonnes by 2030.

Dow is working to transform plastics waste and other alternative feedstocks to commercialize 3 million metric tons of circular and renewable solutions annually,  and generate an anticipated $500 million of incremental run rate EBITDA by 2030, said Fitterling.

However, Fitterling added that there is a need to “combat” the notion that recycling does not work, that “success will come from elimination rather than innovation”, as he asserted that recycling simply “isn’t available” to over three billion people globally.

“Because for a vast majority of the world, it’s not that recycling hasn’t worked. It’s that recycling isn’t available.”

Globally, less than 10% of plastic is recycled and approximately one-third of plastic packaging escapes collection systems, said Fitterling.

The 18th edition of the GPCA is being held for the first time in Muscat, Oman this year and will conclude on 5 December.

Thumbnail photo: Waste plastic bottles (Source: Shutterstock)