What is Dow doing today to tackle the plastics waste issue?

First, Dow has dedicated a significant number of employees and resources to collaborate with our customers, brand owners, policymakers and NGOs with the objective of shifting the plastics value chain toward plastic for a circular world. Our vision is that from design to disposal, the value of plastic is retained, while the burdens placed on the environment are eliminated. More specifically, Dow is:

Investing in key technologies that will help the world recycle more. From partnering with brand owners and retailers to identify how to recycle packaging, to improving feedstock recycling, Dow is looking at the entire lifecycle of plastics technology.
Innovating new ways to use recycled plastics. To date, Dow has built nearly 60 miles of roads made with postconsumer recycled plastic. Additionally, Dow has built four schools in Colombia with selfassembling bricks made out of recycled plastic.
Collaborating with stakeholders across the globe. Dow is working with customers, brand owners, governments, waste management companies and environmental organizations. In particular, Dow helped convene the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (endplasticwaste.org), which has nearly 35 members from across the plastics value chain committing $1.5 billion over the next five years toward development and scaling of solutions that manage plastic waste and promote post-use solution of plastic.

Dow is taking action to solve this critical problem, and it is important to remember that the most sustainable material for many consumer goods and packaging is plastic – in fact, according to a 2016 study by the firm Trucost, the environmental cost is nearly four times less than it would be if plastics were replaced with other materials. Placing a limit on plastic production does not consider the total environmental impact compared to alternatives, and could result in more harm than good.

For more information on Dow’s actions in plastics sustainability, visit https://dont-waste.dow.com

What can you do to help?

Outside of reusing, repurposing and recycling in your own daily life, we invite you to join Dow’s #PullingOurWeight campaign. Last year, Dow employees, contractors, retirees, friends and family collected more than 52,500 pounds of litter at 55 cleanups globally. This year, our goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of waste from more than 100 sites around the world with the help of 10,000 participants – doubling our impact from 2018!

Visit https://www.cybergrants.com/ dowcorps to sign up for a cleanup near you.