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Article originally from American Chemistry magazine

We don’t always think about it, but there is a direct connection between how we use materials on land and what ends up in our oceans. Plastics that are littered and not recycled can, because they are lightweight, make their way into streams, rivers, and eventually oceans. That’s why the plastics industry is committed to doing its part to address marine debris through aggressive recycling efforts, litter education, and an important joint program called Operation Clean Sweep (OCS).

OCS was developed by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) as a means to improve industry performance through a set of best practices designed to prevent the release of plastic pellets into the environment.

Controlling plastic pellets is important not only because litter degrades the beauty of our environment, including beaches, but also because unintentionally released pellets tend to float near the surface of our oceans, where they can be ingested by fish, turtles, and seabirds.

A plastic pellet, smaller than a pea, is the starting point for almost every plastic product. Pellets are transported to or through almost every state in the country. Therefore, the entire industry has a role to play in preventing them from making their way into our shared environment. That’s where OCS comes in.

OCS’s best practices are applicable to the transportation and handling of pellets throughout the entire plastics supply chain. Employees in every aspect of resin production and use should be educated about how to properly avoid spills, sweep up, and dispose of or recycle plastic pellets, with the shared goal of zero pellet loss.

The OCS program

Storm drain screens are the last defense against plastic pellet loss.

The Plastics Division of ACC and SPI are renewing efforts to revitalize the program, helping ensure companies throughout the value chain are aware of OCS and sign up to participate. These efforts will include outreach to companies at SPI's triennial trade exposition this June in Chicago, Ill., and advertising in various trade publications.

To help prevent pellet loss—and to effectively respond to public concerns about this industry’s stewardship—it’s imperative for companies to pledge their support and participate in this program. It’s simple to do so with a kit of practices and tools outlined in the OCS Manual, which can be downloaded for free at www.opcleansweep.org.

The self-policing pledge is a simple promise to be a good steward of raw materials. Pledge partners are recognized on the OCS website and receive a certificate to show customers and peers they follow environmentally sound principles.

"We have found OCS is a comprehensive and easy program to implement," says Peter M. Grande, President of Command Packaging, a leader in the project, which manufactures bags from recycled plastics.

"OCS is an effective program that allows all of us to do the right thing and help the environment," says Glenn Wright, Dow’s Commercial Vice President for Basic Plastics in North America. "Dow supports OCS and we encourage all companies throughout the plastic resin value chain to support a zero pellet loss goal."

The impact of pellet loss
Pellet loss has many negative effects on the environment, on individual companies, and on the plastics industry as a whole.

For example, improper pellet control can lead to accidents involving slips and falls, which can mean lost production time, higher worker compensation costs, higher insurance premiums, and lower employee morale.

In addition, many districts have laws about pellet control. For example, violations of storm water regulations in states like California can result in civil penalties of up to $10,000 per incident. Any person discharging unauthorized waste could be found guilty of a misdemeanor and fined up to $1,000 a day.

When the industry handles pellets as responsibly as possible, the benefits can include the following:

• Workplaces are safer, with fewer slip-and-fall accidents.
• Costs are lowered, including insurance premiums.
• Pellets are kept out of the natural environment, including waterways and oceans.
• Companies enhance their reputations as good stewards of the environment, which is an for attracting the investment community and employees.
• More material becomes product, rather than waste, improving efficiency.

How to help
Everyone has a role to play and the little things count. A few pellets here, a handful there—they all add up when you consider the thousands of facilities in the industry and the many times resin is handled.

"One of the greatest benefits was that most of what we did was easy and inexpensive to implement," says Kevin Clyde, Materials and Secondary Operations Manager for Jatco, a global plastic manufacturing and molding company and longstanding participant in the program. "Now our shop is cleaner, safer, and more efficient."

Commitment by everyone—from top management to the shop floor—is essential to eliminating pellet loss. "Employees basically want to do the right thing," says Doug Nuttall at Crown Poly, a plastic bag manufacturer, "and making it easy for them to accomplish the goals ensures the success of the program."

Pellet containment is good for the environment and good for business. And depending on where you live, it’s also the law. With your help and cooperation, we can make great strides to help our industry protect the environment.

For the OCS Manual, related tools, and to take the pledge, visit www.opcleansweep.org.

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