The Global Plastics Treaty prioritizes reducing plastic waste, prohibiting hazardous chemicals, and promoting recycling and circular economy practices. Photo courtesy of Conor Carlin.
Conor Carlin, President of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), and Iván López, Director of Technical Programs at SPE, recently discussed the organization’s critical role in advancing the Global Plastics Treaty. Specifically, they emphasized SPE’s position as a link between science, industry, and policy. Moreover, they highlighted how SPE provides essential expertise while fostering global collaboration, ultimately helping the industry address plastic pollution more effectively.
You can also read: Inside the Global Plastics Treaty.
The Global Plastics Treaty prioritizes reducing plastic waste, prohibiting hazardous chemicals, and promoting recycling and circular economy practices. Carlin and López emphasized SPE’s ability to advance these goals through its specialized expertise in polymer science and sustainable engineering. SPE offers guidance on several topics. Also, its global chapters actively share knowledge and technical insights to help stakeholders comply with treaty mandates while maintaining competitiveness.
By acting as a knowledge hub, SPE bridges the gap between scientific research and policy, ensuring that complex technical findings translate into practical strategies. López highlighted SPE’s value in providing technical guidance to governments and industries, enabling them to reduce plastic pollution without undermining productivity.
Carlin also added that SPE’s events and forums foster collaboration by bringing together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders. These platforms encourage sharing best practices and exploring innovative solutions, creating a unified approach to global sustainability.
Through its role in advancing science, fostering collaboration, and shaping policy, SPE remains as an important observer in the Global Plastics Treaty. Its efforts will help that treaty goals result in practical, lasting solutions. Finally, by providing platforms for dialogue and innovation, SPE ensures that ecological priorities align with industrial realities.
You can follow updates from the week on X:
ASR plastics from end-of-life vehicles could replace natural sand in concrete, reducing landfill waste while…
Polyolefins dominate healthcare packaging, but low recycling rates reveal a major sustainability gap in medical…
Bio-based additives support sustainable plastics, but cost premiums, feedstock volatility, and compliance pressure complicate adoption.
Bio-based and biodegradable plastics are not the same. A new framework separates feedstock, polymer chemistry,…
Research into optimizing the pyrolysis of automotive plastic waste demonstrates the potential to produce oils…
Measuring microplastics requires reliable detection, contamination control, validated methods, and reproducible analytical results.