THE British Plastics Federation (BPF) has hosted a follow-up seminar to its marine litter event that took place earlier this year. Brands, retailers, politicians and plastics industry representatives discussed solutions to the issue of plastic waste entering the oceans and rivers, which has been attracting headlines in recent months.
Issues such as on-the-go littering, waste and recycling infrastructure, behaviour change, product design and waste management in the developing world were debated.
Following a number of talks and workshops, attendees agreed upon recommendations to supply to the Government.
Barry Turner, BPF director of the plastics and flexible packaging group said, “This event allowed the plastics industry, as well as wider stakeholders, to share best practice, discuss solutions and agree upon the best way forward. We as an industry are committed to working with the Government and others to finding the right interventions to reduce litter, improve recycling and to encourage the use of reusable and recyclable plastic, so that we leave the environment in a better place for generations to come.”
Iain Ferguson, environment manager of the Co-op added, “It was very encouraging to see such a wide range of stakeholders come together to discuss this global environmental issue. Collaboration, consultation and innovation is key to achieving the best outcome for our environment and this event provided a unique platform to discuss the most appropriate solutions. This work aligns well with our aim to keep plastics in the economy and out of the oceans and we are delighted to be part of it and contributing our thinking.”
