04/11/2021

ELIX Polymers confirms its firm environmental commitment through the Operation Clean Sweep programme

ELIX Polymers, firm in its commitment to sustainability and to the economic, social and environmental performance of the plastics sector, continues to remain adhered to various national and international initiatives, notably including its unconditional commitment to the Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) programme. This leading company, a global manufacturer of ABS, ventures firmly on promotion alliances and partnerships that allow it to reach business sustainability and build a new business “eco”-system that is capable of developing and sharing projects and initiatives that go beyond the enterprise itself and have a positive impact on the environment.

The Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) programme is an international initiative that was started up 25 years ago by the plastics industry in conjunction with circular economy plans, intensive training, awareness-raising actions and campaigns targeted at the public, and its objective to protect the environment, therefore seeking to minimise losses of pellets and micro-plastics and preventing them from ending up in rivers and oceans. The programme not only encompasses manufacturers of polymers and compounds, but also carriers, bulk freight terminal operators, processors and recyclers. All steps of the supply chain are consequently covered. Ever since the OCS programme was implemented in Europe through the Plastics Europe business association, ELIX Polymers has acquired the firm commitment to apply the guidelines, checklists and various tools and resources offered by the manual of the OCS programme so that, from its factory located in Tarragona, plastic pellets are not discharged into the environment.

Fran Duran, Head of Operations at ELIX, comments: “Our participation in the OCS programme is further proof of our commitment to sustainability, the environment and the circular economy”. “Through the OCS programme, we manage to prevent the involuntary loss of pellets through improvements in processes, training and the responsibility of all ELIX employees”, adds María Romeu, Environmental Technician at ELIX Polymers.

Since the beginning of the OCS programme in Spain, the industry has received the backing of the Sub-directorate General for Protection of the Sea of the MITECO (Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge), which has been periodically informed about the advances on implementing the programme in Spain. This close cooperation and confidence in the industry’s efforts to implement measures that prevent the presence of pellets in the environment recently culminated in the MITECO’s official support for the programme.

Likewise, there are several legislative developments in Europe designed to regulate the loss of pellets so that they do not reach the environment. All of these developments contemplate the possibility of using the OCS programme as a control instrument, as long as it is accompanied by certification through an independent entity. In this regard, the pioneering initiative of the Spanish industry, beginning in 2019, to develop a certification scheme led by ANAIP and AENOR should be highlighted, which includes the support of Plastics Europe. 

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