Sign up for the PlasticsToday NewsFeed newsletter.
Sponsored By
Take an Environmental Journey at NPE’s Sustainability Hub
The interactive showcase in the Tangerine Ballroom adjacent to the west hall features exhibits from BASF, Conair, and Engel as well as NGO The Ocean Cleanup.
Geoff Giordano
May 6, 2024
2 Min Read
The Ocean Cleanup’s Interceptor collecting ocean plastics in Bangkok.Image courtesy of The Ocean Cleanup
The all-new Sustainability Hub at NPE2024 in Orlando, FL, features more than two dozen exhibitors, including BASF, Conair, Engel, and more, who are showcasing industry efforts to create a more sustainable plastics economy.
All registered attendees can visit the Sustainability Hub, adjacent to the west expo hall in the Tangerine Ballroom at the Orange County Convention Center from May 6 to 10.
The Sustainability Hub showcases “the cool things happening throughout the entire plastic life cycle in an effort to highlight the importance of recycling and sustainability in the plastic industry,” said PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm.
An interactive experience.
More than just a static display, the Sustainability Hub is an interactive showcase that takes visitors through the environmental journey of plastic and illustrates the steps the plastic industry is taking to transform sustainable materials into groundbreaking products.
Visitors can immerse themselves in the discovery of innovative materials; sustainable manufacturing from design to energy efficiency; the latest material collection, sorting, and recycling methods; and even efforts to recover litter and prevent resin spills.
Reusing ocean plastic.
Additionally, the Netherlands-based international NGO The Ocean Cleanup details its efforts at stand SH-28 in the hub’s prevention and recovery section. Joining Ocean Cleanup are three of its partners — compounds manufacturer Beologic, plastic fiber recycler Healix, and automaker Kia. At the booth, the collaborators showcase their success in collecting and reusing “legacy” ocean plastic.
“The Ocean Cleanup is developing large-scale systems to efficiently concentrate … plastic for periodic removal,” the organization explains. “To curb the inflow of plastic via rivers, The Ocean Cleanup has developed Interceptor Solutions to halt and extract river plastic before it reaches the ocean.”
Healix has created a recycling line to repurpose ropes and nets that were previously diverted to landfills or incinerated. Kia is creating a resource circulation system that integrates part of the catch from Ocean Cleanup’s devices into Kia’s production and value chain. Beologic collaborated in the manufacture of Ocean Cleanup sunglasses produced from collected waste plastic.
“Kia and The Ocean Cleanup’s shared values of progress and movement are driving our efforts to secure a plastic-free ocean,” said Song Ho-Sung, CEO of Kia Corp. “We are proud to support The Ocean Cleanup and give their ocean catch new life in our value chain, helping to secure a beter future for our planet.”
Learn more about the NPE2024 Sustainability Hub.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like
