A new perspective on plastic
Rethink is a joint initiative of the plastic producing and plastic converting industry in the Netherlands, including the rubber- and composites industry and products, and the Dutch plastics recyclers.
The idea behind the initiative was to spur the industry – in this case the plastics industry – to consider how it could contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and to promoting the circular economy. Rethink is based on 5 important pillars: reduce, reuse, recycle, redesign, renew.
Through Rethink, the plastics and rubber industry has positioned itself in the Netherlands as an active and strong social and economic partner on topics concerning plastics and rubber in general or related social themes and specific issues.
NP Plastics has also joined this initiative. NP Plastics thus endorses the need for more sustainable and efficient production processes. As a producer of plastics products, we have a responsibility to our society. We share our knowledge, experience and our commitment in order to contribute to and enhance the wider public debate.
More information about Rethink can be found at www.rethinkplastics.nl .
Plastic Soup
The ever-growing amount of plastic trash in rivers, seas and oceans, often referred to as the “Plastic Soup”, is a global problem that is causing harm to the natural environment, fisheries and tourism on an ongoing basis. The problem is now high on the world’s political national and international agendas, with an emphasis on the need to tackle the root of the problem and to identify effective measures for implementation in the future.
These measures may well also affect our business operations and product applications in the coming years. Plastics are too valuable to throw away. These materials are and remain an important resource, even after use.
The plastics industry has become increasingly aware of these issues. In January 2019, for example, the ‘Alliance to End Plastic Waste’ was launched, which now has around 90 members, consisting of companies that make, use, sell, process, collect and recycle plastics; in other words, the plastics value chain. The Alliance also works with the financial community, governments and NGOs involved in environmental and economic development.
This global non-profit organization has committed €1.35 billion to find solutions to the vast and increasing problem of plastic waste – on land and in the marine environment.
This €1.35 billion will be invested over the next five years in projects aimed at developing solutions to the waste problem as well as promoting the use of recycled plastics to enable the transition to a circular economy. Focus areas for the alliance are infrastructure, innovation, education, engagement and clean-up efforts.
Naturally, NP Plastics follows these developments and contributes where possible to the initiatives of the industry.