The three major German plastics associations ? GKV Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie, Plastics Europe Deutschland and VDMA Fachverband Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen ? have forged a unique alliance in the value chain to achieve greater sustainability.

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German plastics industry unites for sustainability

Including the five GKV member associations, the partners are committed to the mission of a circular economy and intend to actively promote the transformation of the plastics industry, with open communication playing a key role. By providing more facts and information on the transformation of the industry, the participants want to achieve greater appreciation for plastics as a material of the future.

The new platform?www.dein-kunststoff.de?(available in German and English) is also intended to contribute to this.

The future is round

Plastics industry players and their customers want fewer resources and significantly reduced environmental footprints. Besides introducing new raw materials for use in plastics production, the resource plastic is to be recycled as completely as possible. This system is working well in specific sections such as in PET bottles or for PVC window profiles, but the aim is to broaden the reach and ability of players at all levels of the value chain.

Industry and many initiatives are researching sustainable solutions in close co-operation with customers, policy makers and NGOs. Some programmes, such as ?Eco Design? for sustainable product design, chemical recycling research partnerships, the ?Zero Pellet Loss? alliance, and the ?ERDE? initiative, are already established.

The ?We are plastics? alliance wants to share its wealth of experience and support members with the transformation to a circular economy.

Self-critical and self-confident communication

For many, the plastics industry is more often talked ?about? than talked ?with?. The new platform aims to put this mindset in the past through dialogue with consumers and NGOs. Of course, those involved are acutely aware of the environmental problems associated with plastics and will argue that such challenges can only be mastered through co-operation and collaboration.

One focus of the online offering is on innovations that inspire through a more sustainable use of the material in a functioning circular economy.

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» Publication Date: 01/04/2022

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