PLASTICS Welcomes Best and Brightest in Sustainability to 2017 Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) yesterday concluded its second annual Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit in Orlando, Fla. The two-day summit featured recycling and plastics industry experts who presented solutions on how the industries can work collaboratively to advance manufacturers’ sustainability goals. Next year, the Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit will co-locate with PLASTICS’ triennial tradeshow, NPE2018: The Plastics Show, bringing the entire plastics supply chain together in Orlando, Fla. from May 7-11, 2018 to further engage plastics audiences that may not otherwise have the resources and opportunity to focus on sustainability and recycling.

“Re|focus truly represented the next horizon of leadership around the sustainable management of plastics. I am honored to be a part of PLASTICS' Sustainability Advisory Board, which is yet another way that the industry is demonstrating its priorities, focusing tightly on recycling while also expanding our view to understand issues and benefits of plastics used throughout their lifecycle,” said Holli Alexander, strategic initiatives manager of Global Sustainability at Eastman. “Through the collaboration that happens at events like Re|focus, Eastman is better positioned to help meet the needs of tomorrow through sustainable innovation.”

Keynote presenter Dr. Deborah Mielewski, senior technical leader of materials sustainability at Ford Motor Company’s Research and Innovation Center, kicked-off this year’s Summit discussing the value of committing to sustainable practices, using sustainable materials for Ford vehicles as the example. The Summit concluded with a plenary keynote by Dr. Michael McKittrick, technology manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, who presented on a new vision for recovery and manufacturing. Attendees spent the rest of their time attending a series of breakout sessions on pressing topics facing both industries, such as A New Manufacturing Strategy with Recycled Content and Reducing the Manufacturing Footprint.

“We are proud of the content that our phenomenal speakers delivered at this year’s conference, and believe we have truly raised the bar for ourselves to deliver this level of quality content next year,” said Kim Holmes, vice president of sustainability at PLASTICS. “We hope that attendees were further able to build industry relationships and network to make connections that can help implement real change to bring our motto to life: ‘Better Industry. Better World.’”

About Plastics Industry Association

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), formerly SPI, is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, representing nearly one million workers in the $418 billion U.S. industry. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members and the industry more globally competitive while advancing recycling and sustainability. To learn more about PLASTICS’ education initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, networking opportunities and policy advocacy, and North America’s largest plastics trade show, NPE: The Plastics Show, visit plasticsindustry.org. Connect with PLASTICS on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.