Operation Clean Sweep in the EU

Role: Project Director, PlasticsEurope
Date: 2013 - 2017
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Ensuring that plastics raw materials reach the processor and stay out of the environment across the whole value chain is a key prerequisite for the plastics making industry as part of its product stewardship.

After a first phase in 2013 in which we rolled out Zero Pellet Loss, I together with the PlasticsEurope team and its Marine Litter Solutions working group (compiled of sustainability and advocacy experts from large corporations) adopted and implemented a US based initiative called Operation Clean Sweep© to enable a global and value chain wide similar implementation of an overarching continuous improvement process with the aim to close all possible pellet leakage points.

With the two main goals to A) ensure that more and more companies join and that B) those which signed-on take efficient and effective measures to prevent pellet loss, we synced internal and local processes with the global initiative, we created a new website and information material and facilitated knowledge sharing workshops for the companies. To ensure that public concerns, actions and ideas were considered I was equally in constant dialogue with NGOs and authorities and ensured the information flow between industry and external peers.
Over the past years we have achieved various important and promising milestones while more work needs to be done. The first Operation Clean Sweep report which we created provides a good first overview.
EU - Website: www.opcleansweep.eu